Review of EPICENTER 2017

The championship has come to the end in Saint-Petersburg. The time has come for us to make a conclusion.

The general information

The company Epic Esports Events organized the tournament, it had shown itself from a good side in organizing tournaments. During the whole EPICENTER 2017, there were no big technical issues.

$490,000 were up for grabs for eight participants at the tournament. The main prize amounted $250,000 as it had been previous year. The final stage of EPICENTER 2017 took place on October 24-29. With regard to the format of the championship in Russia, it didn’t differ from the majority of events. Participants played Bo3 matches by a GSL system in the group stage. After its end, four best teams went to the final stage of the tournament and teams to hold the 3rd-4th places in groups finished their participation in EPICENTER 2017.

The review of teams

Teams that have not met the expectations

Team Liquid

Team Liquid can surely be called the team that has not met the expectations of viewers. Representatives of North America can be referred to as the team that has played the worst of all at the LAN final of EPICENTER 2017. Having the worst statistic among all participants of the group stage, nitr0 and his teammates held the fourth place in Group B where they had not been able to resist such opponents as North and Astralis. This result was not expected as the team had held the second places at the previous two tournaments where Liquid had taken part in. They could beat BIG and SK Gaming at ESG Mykonos 2017 and Virus.pro, Astralis and SK Gaming at ESL One New York 2017.

At this championship, Team Liquid was very unlucky and the Americans were not able to overcome even a single opponent. What has become the reason for such unsatisfactory performance? We will be able to receive answers for this question at Intel Extreme Masters XII — Oakland, in which the Americans will compete. The championship will be carried out on November 16-19.

The Team Liquid roster and the players’ statistic:

Nicholas «nitr0» Cannella — 0.99
Jonathan «EliGE» Jablonowski — 1.18
Joshua «jdm64» Marzano — 1.00
Peter «»stanislaw Jarguz — 1.06
Russel «Twistzz» Van Dulken — 1.17

Wilton «zews» Prado (coach)

Gambit eSports

After a victory at Krakow Major and the loss of the team captain and the coach, Gambit was not able to get back in their shape. They held the 3rd-4th place at such tournament as DreamHack Masters Malmo 2017 and also the 5th-6th place at ESG Tour Mykonos 2017. At EPICENTER 2017, the Kazakh roster, as Team Liquid, played the worst in their group. Due to this, the roster held the 7th-8th place in the tournament table and left the championship one of the first, having received a reward in the sum of $10,000.

If the Kazakhs can’t find their play, they will risk continuing their losing streak and such circumstances may make the players make changes on the roster.

The Gambit eSports roster and the players’ rate:

Mikhail «Dosia» Stolyarov — 1.00
Dauren «AdreN» Kystaubayev — 1.10
Rustem «mou» Telepov — 1.10
Abay «HObbit» Khassenov — 1.11
Bektiyar «fitch» Bahytov — 1.06

Andrey «Andi» Prokhorov (coach)

North

After the profitable replacement of Magisk on valde during a summer reshuffle season, the team gained a shape but not for a long time. At DreamHack Masters Malmo 2017, the first tournament after the change of the player, they held the second place and earned their first championship title and the trophy at DreamHack Montreal 2017. The team stepped on the line of misfortunes after that. The success of the team North had limited with the 3rd-4th place at ELEAGUE CS:GO Premier 2017 and the Danes held the 5th-6th place at EPICENTER 2017. It is unknown why the decrease of the team has happened in terms of results but if they don’t do something their results will be the same in future.

North is definitely one of the best Danish CS:GO teams but their performance at the championship has become disappointing for many viewers. Lots of people had expected the Danes to get to the playoffs, however, they finished their participation in the tournament in the group stage. They could beat Team Liquid but were not able to compete with such teams as G2 Esports and Astralis and left the tournament, having not reached the playoff stage.

The North roster and the players’ rate:

Mathias «MSL» Lauridsen — 1.02
Kristian «k0nfig» Wienecke — 1.14
Rene «cajunb» Borg — 1.06
Philip «aizy» Aistrup — 1.07
Valdemar «valde» Bjorn — 1.08

Casper «ruggah» Due (coach)

FaZe Clan

The European roster, headed by Finn «karrigan» Andersen, disappointed more than others. The players of FaZe made sad not only their fans but all viewers of EPICENTER 2017.

The reason for disappointment has become the fact that the former leaders of the world rate, that had achieved two victories in a row at ESL One New York 2017 and ELEAGUE CS:GO Premier 2017, couldn’t get to the playoffs. FaZe Clan focused the majority of viewers’ attention on themselves and had the lowest odds. Being the most obvious favorite, the team was not able to go far and stopped at the 5th-6th place, having won $15,000 of the consolation prize.

Perhaps, FaZe will show better performance at the next tournaments but the team has had a worse luck than at the previous championships.

The FaZe Clan roster of the players’ rate:

Havard «rain» Nygaard — 1.23
Finn «karrigan» Andersen — 0.99
Nikola «NiKo» Kovac — 1.26
Olof «olofmeister» Kajbjer — 1.15
Ladislav «GuardiaN» Kovac — 1.21

Robert «RobbaN» Dahlstrom (coach)

Teams that have played properly

Astralis

It is difficult to say exactly what the strongest Danish team has been expected. Since the last victory of Astralis, that the team had achieved, taking part in IEM XI — World Championship, more than seven months passed. Someone thinks that the team will win a new trophy at a distant date and someone has supposed them to win EPICENTER 2017. The fans of Astralis definitely haven’t left excited with the performance of their favorites. Being in Group B, the team played with all three opponents, having lost to G2 Esports and won Team Liquid and North. They had been defeated in the semi-final by the champions of the tournament SK Gaming and they were not able to make a rematch against G2 Esports in the match for the third place.

Having held the 4th place, Astralis won the consolation prize in the sum of $30,000.

The Astralis roster and the players’ rate:

Nicolai «dev1ce» Reedtz — 1.16
Peter «dupreeh» Rothmann — 1.13
Andreas «Xyp9x» Hojsleth — 1.09
Markus «Kjaerbye» Kjaerbye — 0.98
Lukas «gla1ve» Rossander — 1.02

Danny «zonic» Sorensen (coach)

G2 Esports

The French from G2 Esports settled on the 3rd place of the tournament table. After a victory at DreamHack Masters Malmo 2017, the team held the 5th-8th place at ELEAGUE CS:GO Premier 2017. Due to this, many viewers have called into question their beliefs that G2 will be able to show a great performance at EPICENTER 2017, However, the French team reached the playoffs and won the match for the third place.

The team played fairly well at the tournament but G2 proved everyone that it could do better. Now, we have only to watch when they will begin to get back in shape again and start winning championships.

The G2 Esports roster and the players’ rate:

Richard «shox» Papillon — 1.08
Alexandre «bodyy» Pianaro — 1.06
Nathan «NBK-» Schmitt — 1.08
Kenny «kennyS» Schrub — 1.15
Dan «apEX» Madesclaire — 1.11

Edouard «SmithZz» Dubourdeaux (coach)
Niclas «enkay J» (analyst)

Teams that have exceeded the expectations

Virtus.pro

Virtus.pro have exceeded the expectations of almost all viewers. More than eight months passed after the victory of the Poles at DreamHack Masters Las Vegas 2017 and as it had been said at various times, not so many people believed Virtus.pro to perform well. Despite this, TaZ and his team were showing a beautiful play during the whole tournament. Organizers hardly ever decide to host the final match in a Bo5 format but Epic Esports Events had made a decision that the decisive match has to be so at EPICENTER 2017. Virtus.pro together with SK Gaming could show a beautiful confrontation and good extra rounds on five maps.

The Poles earned $100,000 for holding the 2nd place. Probably, the 29th of October has become a special day for the whole team and the roster will be able to focus and win the trophy of the next tournament.

The Virtus.pro roster and the players’ rate:

Wiktor «TaZ» Wojtas — 0.94
Filip «NEO» Kubski — 1.00
Jaroslaw «pashaBicepts» Jarzabkowski — 1.05
Janusz «Snax» Pogorzelski — 0.98
Pawel «byali» Bielinski — 1.06

Jakub «kuben» Gurczynski (coach)

SK Gaming

Certainly, the Brazilians from SK Gaming surprised most of all. FalleN and his teammates made an amazing work on their mistakes and brightly prepared for the championship in Russia. Their results amused lots of viewers. SK lost only three maps to their opponents during the whole tournament. Analysts and fans have mentioned at a great number of times that SK Gaming usually loses the first matches to their opponents and then, starts getting back in shape during the whole tournament, going to a victory. The Brazilians went beyond themselves at EPICENTER 2017. They didn’t lose even a single match and rode over all opponents that stood on their way.

One of the SK Gaming players, Marcelo «coldzera» David can be mentioned in a special way. This player has become the key person in the ranks of the team-winner. During the whole tournament, coldzera was showing an amazing performance and was making a pressure on his opponents in every match. The largest eSports portal, that observes the CS:GO world, HLTV.org agrees with this statement too and has decided to highlight Marcelo David as MVP and to give him the respective reward.

Thanks to the victory at EPICENTER 2017, SK has returned to their usual place on the rate of the best teams by HLTV.org. Holding the first place, the Brazilians surpass their nearest opponent only on 8 points that make the battle for the top of “the eSports Olymp” even more interesting. It is possible that SK has started their one more winning streak and will be able to grab the next trophy without an effort.

SK Gaming earned $250,000 and a trophy, that renews their collection, for a victory at EPICENTER 2017.

The SK Gaming roster and the players’ rate:

Gabriel «FalleN» Toledo — 1.17
Fernando «fer» Alvarenga — 1.21
Marcelo «coldzera» David — 1.22
Epitacio «TACO» Pessoa — 1.00
João «felps» Vasconcellos — 0.99