The TAURON Arena in Krakow, Poland was the location for the PGL Major Krakow 2017 this past week, with a $1 million prize pool on the line and some serious bragging rights in the Counter-Strike: Global Offensive world.
In the most stunning result of 2017 thus far, Gambit Esports were crowned champions of the 16-team tournament. Entering the Major, while Gambit were seen by many as a playoff team, they were also widely expected to be bounced out in the first round. Across the board, the belief was held that one of a core group of Astralis, SK Gaming, FaZe Clan, or G2 Esports would be the winner of the event, given that – at least on paper – these teams were head and shoulders above the rest of the field.
Gambit Make a Quick Start
As is customary, the tournament used the Swiss system in the group stage, where teams only play others with the same record as them. Win three times and move on to the quarter-finals, but lose three times and you are out. Gambit came roaring out of the gate in the group stage, taking a comfortable 16-10 win on Inferno over a mousesports team that had been on the rise in recent weeks.
Gambit shone again in the second round when they defeated G2 Esports 16-6 on Cache, in what was a dominating performance. AdreN had a solid match for Gambit, securing 25 kills in 22 rounds. The final game of the group stage for Gambit was against Virtus.pro, in which AdreN once again topped the leaderboard, this time with a staggering 32 kills, in the 16-11 victory on Train.
Playoffs Bring a Tough Draw
Gambit joined fellow surprise overachievers BIG in going 3-0 to move into the playoffs, where the draw appeared to strike disaster for Gambit. The four best teams, or four of five depending on your view of Virtus.pro, were all placed on the same side of the bracket, with Gambit squaring off against Fnatic and Astralis drawing SK Gaming.
Gambit’s tactics-based gameplay was a stark contrast to Fnatic’s skill-reliant aggression, leading to two incredibly exciting and close matches in the best of three. Opening up on Train, Gambit had a respectable T-side, securing seven of the 15 first-half rounds. Gambit then picked up seven of their first eight CT rounds to put them into a 14-9 lead. Fnatic bounced back, however, securing five of six to be within one round of overtime. However, Zeus and crew slammed the door on Fnatic’s comeback in the final round, eking out the 16-14 win.
The second map was Inferno, where one of Gambit’s most popular members, Dosia, stepped up immensely. Struggling for some time, with rumours of a possible exit in a looming reshuffle of players, Dosia sprung out of his slump, amassing 30 kills in the 16-12 victory. This win secured Gambit’s place in the semi-finals against one of the tournament favourites, Astralis.
Astralis Await
Even with their 5-0 record thus far, few believed Gambit could make it past the Danes of Astralis. Gambit’s first step toward the finals came on Overpass, where mou had his standout game of the tournament, amassing an incredible 33 kills in the 16-10 win. One thing is for sure: Gambit were putting the world on notice that they had what it took to make it to the finals.
While falling in the second map, 8-16 on Inferno, Gambit bounced back in incredible fashion on Train. After being up 12-6, Gambit lost round after round as Astralis clawed back to within one round at 13-12. During the entirety of the previous round and in the timeout called immediately after, in-game leader Zeus delivered an impassioned speech to inspire his team. By all accounts, his efforts paid off, as Gambit won every round afterwards on their way to the 16-12 win and the date with Immortals in the finals.
Gambit Face Immortals in the Finals
The Brazilians of Immortals were also a shock to make it to the finals, although they did come through the easier side of the bracket. In a complete destruction, Immortals opened up the finals with a 16-4 win on Cobblestone, considered one of Gambit’s best maps.
Gambit showed their grit and determination by bouncing back quickly in the second map of Train, however. With six of the first seven rounds on T-side, Gambit established themselves early on in the match. While the scoreline perhaps shows differently, Gambit comfortably took the match in 16-11 style with every player having a higher rating than any Immortals player.
The last map was Inferno, where once again Gambit started off hot, garnering 11 CT rounds to give themselves an incredible advantage. Immortals bounced back with the opening four rounds of the second half to close the gap. In arguably the best round of the tournament, HObbit won a 1v3 (with four kills in total), giving Gambit some of their mojo back. The Europeans then proceeded to win four of the next six rounds, including another clutch for HObbit (1v2) for the 16-10 win and the title.
Krakow was a breathtaking tournament, with some excellent all-around play. The surprise win for Gambit Esports adds yet another contender to the battle for best team in the world.
