This was originally written for CarolinaCore.com but due to recent circumstances with the CGS league, I will now be finishing up my Pro-AM predictions here at LANDodger.
Written by Heather "sapphiRe" Mumm
Well, it is a gloomy day here in the e-Sports world with the recent news announcing the end of the Championship Gaming Series after two years.
But there is still one last night of CGS Counter-Strike: Source action before the doors close...
After eight weeks of regular season play and nine days of playoffs, the first CGS Pro-AM Championship match has arrived. Tonight the upper bracket winners and only undefeated Pro-AM team, the San Francisco Optx, will take on the lower bracket winners, the New York 3D to determine who be crowned Pro-AM Champions and take home the $5,000 grand prize.
The finals will be played in a best of three format, with de_dust2 being used for match one, de_inferno for match two, and if necessary, de_nuke for match three.
Throughout the past nine rounds, my predictions have sometimes been spot on and at other times, couldn't have been more wrong. My current record stands at 29-9, and I'm shooting for a 3-bomb tonight (Yes, it's 3, not 30).
For guest predictions tonight, I'm taking you on a little trip around the globe to see what three Source players from various regions around the world think of tonight's match-up. Tonight's guest predictors include:
- Fifflaren - Berlin Allianz (CGS)
- Nord - Dubai Mirage (CGS)
- sauce - '94 Knicks (CEVO-P)
sapphiRe's prediction record: 29 - 9
ยป Click To View The Bracket Here
Grand Finals
(2) San Francisco Optx vs. (13) New York 3D
The San Francisco Optx are the only team to go undefeated throughout the CGS Pro-AM regular season and playoffs. With a 12-0 record, the Optx will meet up with the New York 3D who are 11-3 throughout the Pro-AM.
The last time these two teams faced off was in the Upper Bracket Finals on de_nuke. The Optx started out strong on CT side with a 7-2 half score. 3D attempted to rally back but fell just short, making the final score 10-8 and pushing 3D to the lower bracket. There, New York eventually met up with the LA Complexity on de_season, where 3D advanced after winning 10-7.
The first match will be played on de_dust2, where I think the Optx will take control right off the bat. The Optx have avoided any challenges on dust2 so far in the playoffs, with their only dust2 win coming against Veritas with a smashing 10-1 score. New York on the other hand demolished FEVER 10-4 in their dust2 match. I've always felt the Optx are quite strong on this map while 3D's dust2 performances seem to be shaky, such as their 10-2 dust2 loss to Venom in the regular season. Optx should take the dust2 match to start off with the 1-0 lead in the best of three.
Next up is de_inferno, a map both teams have avoided thus far in the playoffs. In the regular season, 3D defeated the '94 Knicks 10-5 on the same map, using an awp-heavy CT set-up. I think the same will hold true tonight, with 3D generally running 3 awps weilded by Ksharp, n0it and Volcano. New York will be able to push the Championship into a much needed third map.
It's no secret 3D has been struggling on de_nuke as of late, the third map that will be used. In the Upper Bracket Championship, the Optx were vitorious against 3D on nuke, but I think 3D is finally starting to pick it up on nuke. Last night in CEVO-P, 3D took the usually strong de_nuke team, the Dallas Venom, into double overtime on the map. New York looked like a much improved team and I think if they can play how they did last night, they should be able to take the Championship tonight.
|
Scoreboard
sapphiRe's prediction (de_dust2)
 San Francisco Optx
10
 New York 3D
6
|
|
Scoreboard
sapphiRe's prediction (de_inferno)
New York 3D
10
San Francisco Optx
7
|
|
Scoreboard
sapphiRe's prediction (de_nuke)
New York 3D
10
San Francisco Optx
8
|
|
Scoreboard
sapphiRe's prediction (Best of 3 Total)
New York 3D
2
San Francisco Optx
1
|
Fifflaren's Predictions (Berlin Allianz)
|
Scoreboard
Fifflaren's prediction (de_dust2)
San Francisco Optx
10
New York 3D
8
|
|
Scoreboard
Fifflaren's prediction (de_inferno)
New York 3D
10
San Francisco Optx
7
|
|
Scoreboard
Fifflaren's prediction (de_nuke)
New York 3D
10
San Francisco Optx
5
|
|
Scoreboard
Fifflaren's prediction (Best of 3 Total)
New York 3D
2
San Francisco Optx
1
|
Nord's Predictions (Dubai Mirage)
|
Scoreboard
Nord's prediction (de_dust2)
San Francisco Optx
10
New York 3D
8
|
|
Scoreboard
Nord's prediction (de_inferno)
New York 3D
10
San Francisco Optx
7
|
|
Scoreboard
Nord's prediction (de_nuke)
San Francisco Optx
10
New York 3D
8
|
|
Scoreboard
Nord's prediction (Best of 3 Total)
San Francisco Optx
2
New York 3D
1
|
sauce's Predictions ('94 Knicks)
|
Scoreboard
sauce's prediction (de_dust2)
San Francisco Optx
10
New York 3D
7
|
|
Scoreboard
sauce's prediction (de_inferno)
New York 3D
10
San Francisco Optx
5
|
|
Scoreboard
sauce's prediction (de_nuke)
New York 3D
10
San Francisco Optx
6
|
|
Scoreboard
sauce's prediction (Best of 3 Total)
New York 3D
2
San Francisco Optx
1
|
