The ESL Challenger Katowice 2023, which took place from June 9 to June 11, was an important tournament in determining which team would qualify for the ESL Pro League Season 18. The winning team earned a prize of $50,000 and 1,000 BLAST Premier points, securing a ticket to the highly anticipated grand event on August 30. Now let’s take a look at how this tournament unfolded.  AdvertisementIn article you will find: The Group Stage of ESL Challenger Katowice 2023The group stage of ESL Challenger Katowice 2023 followed a GSL format. The eight teams were divided into two groups, with two teams advancing from each group to the playoffs. The initial matches and winners’ matches are best-of-1, while all other matches will be best-of-3. Here are the teams seeded into Group A:
Virtus.pro secured victories against Party Astronauts (Inferno 16:13) and ENCE (Mirage 19:17). ENCE, on the other hand, triumphed over Bravado (Nuke 16:11) and secured a 2:0 win against Party Astronauts (Ancient 16:13, Nuke 16:6). And here are the teams seeded into Group B:
Group B’s top two teams are FORZE Esports and 9z Team. FORZE Esports started strong by defeating ECSTATIC (Overpass 16:12) and 9z Team (Mirage 16:11). The second advancing team, 9z Team, achieved victories against paiN Gaming (Nuke 16:7) and managed to secure a 2-1 win over ECSTATIC (Ancient 16:8, Anubis 13:16, and Nuke 16:14). Here is Playoff Bracket:
Now let’s get to the most interesting part: the review of the Playoff Stage. The Playoff Stage of ESL Challenger Katowice 2023Only four teams competed for the grand prize, so the Playoff Bracket is split into the Semifinals and the Final. The teams that lose in the Semifinals will receive $10,000 and 375 BLAST Premier points, which may not be substantial, but it’s better than nothing. SemifinalsThe semifinals featured only two matches, which were crucial for the teams as they played to secure their spot in the final. Virtus.pro vs 9z TeamThe first match in the Semifinals was between VP and 9z Team. Here’s the list of map selections and bans:
AncientDespite 9z’s remarkable 75% win rate on Ancient, VP displayed solid gameplay, concluding the first half of the map with an 8:7 score. It was anticipated that the second half would also witness a competitive fight, but VP secured eight consecutive rounds and emerged victorious on the first map.
InfernoThe next map was Inferno, picked by Virtus.pro. They excel on this map and show their skills. Playing as the terrorists in the first half, the Russian team secured a solid 11:4 lead, which was a favorable outcome for the T-side. After switching sides, 9z team couldn’t turn the tide. They lost the subsequent four rounds and conceded the victory to Virtus.pro.
ENCE vs FORZE EsportsThe second match was between FORZE and ENCE. Here’s the list of map selections and bans:
NukeThe first map of the series was Nuke. Starting as terrorists, ENCE secured six rounds in the first half, a decent performance on the T-side. However, after switching sides, ENCE defended effectively against all enemy attacks and won nine rounds in a row, securing victory on the first map.
OverpassThe second map was Overpass, picked by FORZE. It was a logical choice for them since they have played this map 19 times this season, although their win rate is only 47%. In the first half, FORZE struggled as terrorists, winning only 4 out of 15 rounds. They managed to win the first round in the second half but couldn’t go any further. ENCE won the match with a 16:5 score.
Now, let’s move on to the Grand Final!  AdvertisementGrand Final of ESL Challenger Katowice 2023The team that lost in this stage received a prize of $20,000 and 600 BLAST Premier points. These teams had already competed against each other in the Group Stage, where there was intense competition. Now, let’s look at what happened in the Grand Final. Virtus.pro vs ENCEThe Bo3 series of the ESL Challenger Katowice 2023 Grand Final occurred between Virtus.pro and ENCE. Here’s the list of map selections and bans:
OverpassThe first map of the series was Overpass. Starting as terrorists, Virtus.pro performed exceptionally well in the first half, ending with an 11:4 score. After switching sides, the Russian team continued their strong performance, winning five rounds in a row and ultimately securing victory on the first map.
AnubisBoth teams displayed a close and exciting play on Anubis, showcasing interesting and unconventional strategies that helped them secure crucial rounds. In the first half, ENCE took the lead with an 8:7 score while playing as terrorists, which was a commendable result considering the challenges of attacking. After switching sides, ENCE successfully defended against three enemy attacks, bringing their lead to 11:7. However, VP rallied back, winning important rounds and equalizing the score at 14:14. The situation became incredibly tense for ENCE as they were on the brink of elimination. However, they showed determination, securing two consecutive rounds and forcing the match into a third map.
MirageThe deciding map was also very intense and reminiscent of the previous one. ENCE played on the T-side and took an 8:7 lead in the first half of the map. ENCE was going well in the second half as they held a 14:11 advantage. They were just a few rounds away from victory, but VP turned the game around in their favor, winning five consecutive rounds to secure a 16:14 victory. VP emerged as the ESL Challenger Katowice 2023 champion!
To Wrap Up!ESL Challenger Katowice 2023 ended on June 11, with Virtus.pro claiming victory. They were rewarded with $50,000 in prize money, 1000 BLAST Premier points, and, most importantly, a ticket to the ESL Pro League Season 18. In the upcoming tournament, they can compete for the top prize of $500,000. To stay updated on this and other events, stick with us and follow our blog! |
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