Groups for Cologne qualifier drawn

16-7-2015 19:33

The group draw has been made for the European offline qualifier for ESL One Cologne, which will take place in the same German city.

On July 25-26, ESL's esports arena, located in Cologne, will stage the European offline qualifier for ESL One Cologne. Sixteen teams from all over Europe will battle it out for four spots at the $250,000 major, scheduled for August 20-23.

The 16 contestants have been split into two groups of eight teams, who will face one another in a best-of-one double-elimination bracket stage. The top two sides from each group will be rewarded with spots at ESL One Cologne.

Titan will attend the qualifier, but the roster is unknown

Below you can find the group draw in full:

Group A	Group B
dignitas	Null element HellRaisers
OverGaming	Epiphany Bolt
Team Property	LGB eSports
PiTER	Team eBettle
Flipsid3 Tactics	ENCORE
KILLERFISH	ex-ROCK
Team Kinguin	Gamers2
PENTA Sports	Titan

The match-ups for the first round of the group stage are the following:

dignitas	vs.	OverGaming
Team Property	vs.	PiTER
Flipsid3 Tactics	vs.	KILLERFISH
Team Kinguin	vs.	PENTA Sports
Null element HellRaisers	vs.	LGB eSports
Epiphany Bolt	vs.	Team eBettle
ENCORE	vs.	ex-ROCK
Gamers2	vs.	Titan

ESL, shove your bo1s up your arses. Can´t believe it´s still bo1 for the most important tournaments of the year. Give us bo3 or 2-game series round-robin. But fuck off with this shit

2015-07-16 19:33

35 replies

it isn´t ESL fault Valve is deciding the format

2015-07-16 19:34

4 replies

wtf valve don't give a shit about this tournament, they only add stickers for ez money for them

2015-07-16 19:39

2 replies

HAHAHA :D

2015-07-16 19:41

+1337

2015-07-17 08:41

wat

2015-07-16 19:41

2015-07-16 19:34

quit blaming the format, if you are good you win no matter the format

2015-07-16 19:41

18 replies

2015-07-16 19:42

2015-07-16 19:43

Way to fail at statistics.

2015-07-16 19:51

8 replies

you act like its single elimination, you realize how unrealistic it is to do bo3 double elimination with 16 teams. Besides its only a qualifier, get a fucking grip

2015-07-16 19:55

7 replies

It's been done so many times before ... Last summer cod4 lan in Brussels - 16 teams - 2 groups - round robin + bo3 playoffs with lower bracket and ALL teams advancing to the playoffs from groups, groups have just been played for the seedings. Played from Saturday 11:00 to +-24:00 and from Sunday 10:00 with the finals finished at around 22;00 I believe.

2015-07-16 20:16

6 replies

sweet, thats cod

2015-07-16 21:15

So you're saying that three maps of CoD takes the same time as three maps of a CS:GO match?

2015-07-16 21:38

CoD is 10 minutes a match CS is 1 hour a map

2015-07-16 23:34

3 replies

10 minutes? 4sure Kappa

2015-07-17 04:44

Cod4 has been 30-45min per map, mr12 with 1:45 per round + bomb of 45sec So cs takes 15min per map more, a good organization team should easily be able to schedule a decent bo3 format, especially if they could start Friday what is not possible on cod with every player being a student / worker and not a professional player who can play all week long and go to events which are not on the weekends

2015-07-17 10:08

1 reply

You think all these teams at this qualifier are full of professional players who have all week free ? No they're not, so they don't have the Friday free for use.

2015-07-19 15:23

You don't get it. The format is bad and boring.

2015-07-16 20:14

4 replies

its a freakin 16 team lan. and its not the actual tournament, its just a fuckin qualifier. quit whining now. i know tsm and fnatic got fucked over by it at esl esea, but maybe if they hadnt gone into the tournament all cocky not even thinking about their first matches since its 'only' clg and keyd, maybe this wouldnt have happened. and maybe after many years in the business they coulda fuckin caught that instead of complaining about it.

2015-07-16 21:41

3 replies

thanks to the sticker money, qualifying for a major is monetary wise more important than the actual placings. it was 50k for challenger and over 100k for legends. only a challenger team who make finals would get more prize than sticker money. assuming the numbers havent increased, which i highly doubt.

2015-07-16 23:43

2 replies

Uhm were do you have your numbers from? I think it was ex-cph wolves who got screwed over with the money, and they reported the actual sticker money was 20k in total.

2015-07-17 07:46

1 reply

those 20k you remember were only a part of the money. one part got paid out directly, one part was paid out by the manager, and the last got screwed by him. source for my numbers: vakarm.net/news/read/Les-stickers-rappor..

2015-07-17 08:51

As Olof once said, 'Everyone can beat everyone in a BO1'

2015-07-16 21:44

That is not true at all,u lose 1game,1 simple game?Dont u have a shit game sometime? Dont tell me that on ESEA Clg deserved 1. place in groups and TSM had to fall out

2015-07-16 22:58

Look at how many teams there is

2015-07-16 19:54

i agree bro. atleast a 2-game series round-robin,wtf is this shit. bo1 double elim? loled

2015-07-16 19:57

Valve decides the format, not esl as stated previously esl wanted b03's

2015-07-16 21:05

+1 Also Group A: Dignitas and kinguin Group B: Hellraisers / lgb / g2 / titan Group A shouldn't be interesting but Group B should

2015-07-16 22:02

My dream is bo1 all vs all maches like in THESUMMIT DOTA2. Very interesting to see and all teams have a chance if they lose one match they can comeback in other 14 matches XD. I think 3 days is enough to play that format but my dream will be never happen:(

2015-07-16 22:40

to show the best team they should have a bo7 with all of the maps..

2015-07-16 22:47

2 replies

BO5 is enough by far

2015-07-16 22:59

1 reply

no, because a team can be very good at 3 maps and suck on all the other maps... bo7 or just dont have lan events basically..

2015-07-16 23:00

This is just a qualifier. Do you really think they want to drag out a qualifier when they still have the actual tournament.

2015-07-17 04:13

And it's double-elimination so if you drop a map you're not out

2015-07-17 08:38

nice

2015-07-16 19:33

ayyy

2015-07-16 19:33

go titan and property!

2015-07-16 19:33

daaaamn

2015-07-16 19:33

ez titan

2015-07-16 19:33

dignitas from finland confirmed

2015-07-16 19:33

jynttä joining dignitas

2015-07-16 19:33

EZ for Kinguin & Dig

2015-07-16 19:33

Dignitas aren't finnish

2015-07-16 19:33

3 replies

they are lol...

2015-07-16 19:34

2 replies

i arent think that

2015-07-16 19:37

1 reply

i think arent that

2015-07-16 23:04

Dignitas with finish flag?

2015-07-16 19:33

dignitas finnish?

2015-07-16 19:33

1 reply

-1 they fixed it

2015-07-16 19:35

Why are dignitas finish?

2015-07-16 19:34

group a so much harder

2015-07-16 19:34

gogo g2

2015-07-16 19:34

Group A of death

2015-07-16 19:34

Dig, Kinguin, HR, Titan

2015-07-16 19:35

dig+penta HR+G2

2015-07-16 19:35

bo1 thank u esl thank u GOD!!! i waited it 2304234235234 years to watch bo1!!!!!

2015-07-16 19:35

lmfao who made these groups? stacked a hard

2015-07-16 19:35

OverGaming ez 1st spot

2015-07-16 19:35

lol Kinguin easiest group

2015-07-16 19:36

1 reply

too bad they still wont win anything

2015-07-16 19:37

new Titan :) so excited! gl baguette

2015-07-16 19:36

actually i think kinguin only qualify because s1mple is not allowed to play

2015-07-16 19:37

4 replies

hltv.org/?pageid=188&teamid=6134

2015-07-16 19:39

3 replies

niko was playing for kinguin that event

2015-07-16 19:47

2 replies

Your point was that cuz s1mple can't play -> Kinguin will win...

2015-07-16 19:51

1 reply

yes kinguin will win against flipside without s1mple .. but you showed results when niko was on the kinguin lineup and he was by far their best player that event

2015-07-16 19:54

same as last time, group A stacked as fuck, group B sub par.

2015-07-16 19:38

Wohoooo go Epiphany

2015-07-16 19:38

no way kinguin will qualify in this group.

2015-07-16 19:38

6 replies

Why not? They can beat any of those teams.

2015-07-16 19:53

5 replies

another fanboy who doesn't see how overrated this "team" is. maybe they could beat any of those but they can also lose to any of those.

2015-07-16 20:00

4 replies

Just look at their lineup, they have the most skill out of any of those teams.

2015-07-16 21:39

3 replies

just buying a few individually skilled players and expecting results simply won't work like that. their biggest problem is communication. i haven't heard them while playing yet but judging from their interviews they probably sound like typical EU mm. some of them aren't even fluent in english.

2015-07-16 21:42

2 replies

The potential is still there.

2015-07-16 21:45

1 reply

the thing is people are heavily underestimating the language barrier. i have also played in an international (german/swedish) team by myself and we mainly spoke english and while it was all fun and working for some time it just isn't the same as communicating in your native tongue. if you aren't 100% fluent (i would say native level) in english it hinders your potential as a team as a whole and you will never reach it because cs is a team game after all.

2015-07-16 21:52

Group B ez for HR or Titan

2015-07-16 19:38

ayyy rock lmao

2015-07-16 19:39

Gogogo ENCORE! gl

2015-07-16 19:39

Group A extremely hard Group B ez as fuck

2015-07-16 19:39

Dig+Penta ( but Property and Kinguin have a big chance ) HR+G2 ( maybe Titan depends on who they pick up )

2015-07-16 19:39

2 replies

no chance for rock?

2015-07-16 19:41

1 reply

not at all lolol

2015-07-16 19:59

Titan, Epiphany, Flipsid3 and Dignitas qualifying to Cologne!

2015-07-16 19:39

Dig, Prop Titan, HR :)

2015-07-16 19:39

no orbit?

2015-07-16 19:40

dignitas Team Kinguin HellRaisers Titan

2015-07-16 19:40

group a so much stronger than b

2015-07-16 19:41

Group A Flipsid3 Tactics Team Kinguin Group B Hellraisers Titan ez

2015-07-16 19:41

7 replies

f3 have no chances without s1mple ;) also dignitas > kinguin > f3

2015-07-16 19:46

6 replies

S1mple isn't in game with flipside in the qualifers ??

2015-07-16 19:50

5 replies

hes banned from esl events

2015-07-16 19:52

He's banned from Valve tournaments until January of next year.

2015-07-16 19:56

3 replies

esl tournaments he was at dreamhack winter 2k14

2015-07-16 20:16

2 replies

It wasn't organised by valve.

2015-07-20 14:07

1 reply

Valve doesnt organise esl tournaments they just make it a major just like dreamhack winter

2015-07-20 15:31

rip g2 ... vs titan with shox and smithzz heh

2015-07-16 19:43

dignitas > HR OverGaming > epiphany property >= LGB PiTER = eBettle FlipSid3 > ENCORE Killerfish > ROCK Kinguin > G2 Penta > Titan (with that roster situation) nice groups lol

2015-07-16 19:44

4 replies

Piter>ebettle? Lol Lately killerfish have looked rough so idk bout them being better than ex rock ATM.

2015-07-16 19:52

1 reply

Piter>ebettle? i didnt even say that, nice murican brain

2015-07-16 20:13

Overgaming better? Lold

2015-07-17 10:35

if epiphany has good day they can easily beat OG up :P

2015-07-19 12:30

Dignitas, Kinguin Gamers2, HellRaisers (I would say Titan but I have no idea how the roster looks)

2015-07-16 19:44

retarded groups btw, a is so much stronger than b.

2015-07-16 19:48

kinguin no chance

2015-07-16 19:50

Epiphaty have a chance O.o

2015-07-16 19:51

HR gogogo bootcamp right now!!

2015-07-16 20:08

Stupid fucking morons at ESL. Go bankrupt please

2015-07-16 20:14

1 reply

they just sold part of the company for a fuckton of money

2015-07-16 21:45

why Ex6 look so mad :((

2015-07-16 20:14

Rip kinguin ez Penta, 2-0 never forget Kappa

2015-07-16 20:15

nice will see

2015-07-16 20:16

Why not have the deciding matches BO3? Upper bracket final and lower bracket final..

2015-07-16 20:17

good chances for 1 of the 2 german teams too qualify i hope its penta,tabsen really deserves to play at a major

2015-07-16 20:18

good bye kinguin

2015-07-16 20:20

Dignitas, Kinguin, HR, G2 should go through IMO, mayb teams like Penta & Titan should have bestest chances outside that but ofc it is bo1 so who knows even with double elimination, if team happens to be lucky enough to get just the right maps to play and plays their best etc. result might be rly surprising qualifier here, I don't think there rly is any teams who absolutely suck and couldn't be decent on a good day anyway so...

2015-07-16 20:22

ez HR

2015-07-16 20:24

A: PiTER,Flipsid3/Kinguin B: Hellraisers,Titan

2015-07-16 20:35

Ez Dig Kinguin Titan & HR no s1mple no party

2015-07-16 20:35

dignitas vs OverGaming and Gamers2 vs Titan Best's matche soo far

2015-07-16 20:38

Ez EnV.. Wait. Where the fuck are they? I thought they'll play at cologne.

2015-07-16 21:16

bo1 needs to die, it's ruining not just CSGO but also esports as a whole

2015-07-16 21:22

Dig, King, Hell, Tit ez

2015-07-16 21:37

LGB have a great chance with these groups. Don't screw this up. They usually do good against HR.

2015-07-16 21:38

go Kinguin, dignitas, LGB and HellRaisers!

2015-07-16 21:53

How does this work though? If LGB wins and Ephifiny win and then LGB beats Ephifiny are they qualified? Or is it like the Online qualifier with a large bracket and the the loosers of each matchup drops down to the lower bracket?

2015-07-16 22:00

1 reply

Welp not so well versed about this myself either but reading the text seems it is double elimination so there will be lower bracket for teams who lose once, therefore 2 wins is not enough, I'd assume after two wins for instance u will be in final of ur group and then winner gets 1st spot to actual lan and loser plays against lower bracket winner for another spot.

2015-07-17 00:03

No c9 = bad tournament

2015-07-16 22:50

Ex6tenz face 0.0 Reminds me a goblin lol

2015-07-16 23:28

dignitas, propety, LGB and Titan (yep, with shox)

2015-07-17 04:49

dignitas, Penta HR, G2

2015-07-17 07:09

Joelz at Lan I aren't think that

2015-07-17 07:20

Ez for Encore and Epiphany

2015-07-17 07:21

3 games played in each group, first seed is 3-0, second is 2-1, other 2 are 1-2 and 0-3 and they get booted out, then its bo3 quarter, bo3/bo5 semis and bo5 finals... pretty easy and more action

2015-07-17 07:46