Preview of StarSeries i-League CS:GO Season 8
Ihor MatusGeneral information
StarSeries i-League CS:GO Season 8 will be taking place from 21 till 28 October in Belek, Turkey. The organizers will give a chance for sixteen participants to share the prize pool of $500,000. At the moment it is still unknown how the monetary reward will be divided.
The group stage will be held by the GSL system. At each of the groups, eight participants will be playing in the double-elimination bracket. The best four players from each group will pass to the playoff: 1-2 places — to the upper bracket, and 3-4 places to the lower one.
The playoff will be held in the тdouble-elimination bracket. All the matches of the championship will be happening in the Bo3 format.
Group A
Fnatic (HLTV rating position — #4)Win odds: 7.50
Fnatic has a status of the favorite in their group. There are only several teams that can pose a threat for the Swedish: Team Vitality and mousesports. At the first battle, flusha and his teammates are sure to beat Imperial e-Sports and fight with the winner of the pair Renegades vs MIBR. Fnatic is likely to pass to the upper bracket of the playoff and to take at least 5-8 place. At the final stage, they can face some obstacles, but, in our opinion, Fnatic may get the 3-4 position in the tournament bracket.
Imperial e-Sports (HLTV rating position — #59)Win odds: 201.0
Imperial e-Sports is one of the main outsiders both in their group and the tournament itself. The team holds the 59 place in the world rating and is a representative of not the most strong CS:GO division in Brazil. The team has made it to the regional league, but let us be honest, the competition there was weak. As a result, we can see that Imperial deserved the title of the outsider and at the first battle with Fnatic, they are unlikely to show great opposition. At the lower bracket, they will fight with the loser of the match Renegades vs MIBR and the players are likely to be the first to leave the championship taking the 15-16 place there.
Renegades (HLTV rating position — #10)Win odds: 21.0
The Australians cannot be treated as either favorites or outsiders of the group. The team got completed a long time ago and the first opponent MIBR is at approximately the same level as for the game and their position in the world rating. If the Australians are able to win over MIBR at the first competition, at the next round they are unlikely to defeat Fnatic. At the lower bracket, the players are bound to make it to the second round but may not get to the playoff. They can make either the 9-11 place or 5-8.
MIBR (HLTV rating position — #13)Win odds: 17.0
MIBR’s situation is similar to Renegades’. The Brazilians have a good chance of winning the first battle and they, as well as RNG, are unlikely to beat Fnatic in the second round of the upper bracket ( if the Swedish can beat Imperial, of course). The same as the Australians, FalleN and his teammates have can make it to the playoff, but also they may take only the 9-11 place in the tournament bracket. It will depend on their preparation for the championship. MIBR, by the way, completed their roster at the beginning of September, so the Brazilians had enough time to achieve good teamwork.
Team Vitality (HLTV rating position — #5)Wins odds: 6.50
Vitality is the strongest team in France and after shox’s recent transfer to the team, it has become more dangerous. At the first battle the French will fight with Invictus Gaming, one of the main outsider of the group and after that will play the winner of the pair mousesports vs North. No matter who can make it to the second round of the pair, this roster is unlikely to block the French players’ way to the upper bracket of the playoff stage. Vitality is to get into Top 8 and maybe even to Top 4 of the StarLadder championship.
Invictus Gaming (HLTV rating position — #52)Win odds: 100.0
Invictus Gaming represents one of the weakest CS:GO divisions at the tournament, China. Considering the fact that the team made it to the event through the Asian qualifier, we should not forget about the low level of the opponents Invictus were playing. At StarSeries, Invictus is likely to be the first to leave the tournament as at the lower bracket of the group stage after their loss at the battle with Vitality, the players will have to meet with mousesports or North. In both cases, the meeting will be unpleasant for the Chinese and is likely to end up with their loss. Invictus is to take the 15-16 place in the tournament bracket.
mousesports (место в рейтинге HLTV — #7)Win odds: 9.50
It is not so easy to analyze mousesports’ chances of success. Lately, the team has been performing with mixed results even though it got completed seven months ago. At the first match, the Europeans will face North and the likelihood of winning the match is quite high. Nevertheless, it is impossible to guarantee that the players will defeat the Danish as they can make a surprise for us. In total, we are sure that mousesports will make it to the playoff and it means they will make it to Eight Best. But there is still a question: will they be able to make it to the upper bracket of the final stage?
North (HLTV rating position — #18)Win odds: 26.0
North’s situation is similar to mousesports’. Unlike the Europeans, the Danish are lower in the world rating, holding the 18 place. Recently cadiaN has left the team. He used to have the responsibilities of the captain. Now, this role has been taken by gade, and cadiaN’s position is taken by cajunb. North has a good chance to make it to the playoff, but the team is likely to make it to the lower bracket only. In our opinion, this team will take the 5-8 place in the tournament bracket.
Group B
Evil Geniuses (HLTV world rating — #3)Win odds: 4.25
Evil Geniuses is the main favorite of both passing to the final stage and winning the tournament itself. AT the first match they will fight with 5Power Gaming, where they will defeat their opponents and at the next round, they will perform against the winner of the pair NiP vs FURIA Esports, where they keep the role of the main favorite. Sportsbooks set the lowest odds of EG’s win at the tournament and we agree with them as we should expect Evil Geniuses to have a good game. We are waiting for the Americans in Four Best.
5Power Gaming (HLTV rating position — #84)Win odds: 251.0
5Power Gaming must be a bright example of proving the fact that the Chinese region is the lowest in the CS:GO world. At first, they will play Evil Geniuses, after that they will fight with the losing participant of the match Ninjas in Pyjamas vs FURIA Esports in the lower bracket. In any case, 5Power is sure to be the first to leave the competition and that is why they are considered to be the main outsider of both Group B and the championship itself. In the best case, 5Power will take one map from one of the opponents and will become spectators watching the tournament.
Ninjas in Pyjamas (HLTV rating position — #11)Win odds: 15.0
Due to the fact that at the second round the Swedish are likely to face Evil Geniuses, the team is unlikely to make it to the upper bracket of the playoff. It will be also difficult for them in the lower bracket. NiP is likely to make it to the playoff but will end up their participation in the tournament at the 5-8 place. This supposition seems to be even more realistic when we pay our attention to the reshuffle in the roster. Three weeks ago the twist joined the team. Playing for Ninjas in Pyjamas is his first experience. Nevertheless, we should not forget about good gaming shape of the Swedish. Now NiP has a winning series of five matches and they are not going to finish the streak at the battle with FURIA.
FURIA Esports (HLTV rating position — #12)Win odds: 17.0
FURIA has recently had a replacement: ableJ got benched and HEN1 was taken instead of him. Now we cannot define whether it affects the results of the team in a good or bad way. The team is still performing with mixed results. Instability is not the best remedy for winning the tournament with the prize pool $500,000. In the first round, they will have to play Ninjas in Pyjamas and chances of winning for both of the teams will be almost the same. Nevertheless, we lean towards the fact that NiP will become the winners of the battle. FURIA is represented by Brazilians and they can feel jetlag while participating in the championship which will not have any positive influence on them. At the lower bracket, they will play 5Power Gaming and they are to defeat them, and after that, they will fight with EG or NiP. They will not be favorites at any of the cases. We do not think that FURIA will make it to the playoff. At best, they will take the 9-11 position in the tournament bracket.
AVANGAR (HLTV rating position — #6)Win odds: 10.0
Now AVANGAR is in a great gaming shape and lately, they have been showing great results. They also have high morale which is extremely important for achieving definite goals. We do not have any doubt that the Kazakh will make it to the playoff stage. We have only one question: will AVANGAR pass to the grand final?
Heroic (HLTV rating position — #22)Win odds: 32.0
At the first match, Heroic will be playing AVANGAR, who are in a great gaming shape. As for our point of view, the Danish have a little chance of winning the battle. If they make it to the lower bracket, there they will have a match against Natus Vincere or G2 Esports. In both cases, Heroic will have to work hard and the players are likely to be one of the first to leave the championship.
Natus Vincere (HLTV rating position — #9)Win odds: 4.50
“Born to Win” is very popular among esports fans from the whole world. And as for CS:GO, it is not strange as the tag is represented by ones of the best players: s1mple and electronic. Recently the Slovak sniper GuardiaN joined the team. He had been performing for Natus Vincere for more than three years. This tournament looks as if NAVI had all the necessary maps which can turn them into the winners of the championship if played right. One their way, they can meet G2 Esports and AVANGAR. At the playoff, they will have a worse situation, but, nevertheless, they may even make it to the final. Natus Vincere represents the list of ourights in StarSeries i-League Season 8 on the second place after Evil Geniuses.
G2 Esports (HLTV rating position — #14)Win odds: 32.0
On 30 September, G2 renewed their roster signing two ex-players of CR4ZY: huNter and nexa. They had only several matches and the majority of them ended up with no success for G2. Nevertheless, the plus of the situation can be found in the power of their opponents. The team performed against Windigo, FURIA, Fnatic, and even Astralis. We do not think that at the first match against Natus Vincere, the team can get a win, but they will try their luck in the lowers bracket and maybe they will make it to the playoff is they work hard and get something interesting prepared.