GG.BET Cologne Invitational - ESL One Cologne 2019 Qualifier

GG.BET Cologne and Chicago Invitationals announced; LAN spots on offer

22-5-2019 19:00

Online qualifier tournaments for ESL One Cologne and IEM Chicago have been revealed, with Liquid set to compete in the former for a spot at the tournament in Germany.

The two invitational tournaments will each grant a spot at ESL's upcoming Intel Grand Slam events, with the competition limited to European and CIS teams. This settles the question of the final slot for ESL One Cologne, which in the end will not be handed out to a team, but earned through the GG.BET Cologne Invitational.

Liquid will have to earn their spot at ESL One Cologne

So far, two out of the eight teams are confirmed for the GG.BET Cologne Invitational: Liquid and G2. The North American team, currently placed second in our world rankings, will have to fight for a spot at the event against teams in Europe, for reasons yet undisclosed.

GG.BET Cologne Invitational team list:

Liquid

Invite

Open Qualifier

ESL One Cologne's team list will, therefore, look as follows:

Astralis

ENCE

fnatic

Natus Vincere

Renegades

NRG

Vitality

GG.BET Cologne Invitational

BIG

FaZe

MIBR

Ninjas in Pyjamas

MOUZ

MVP PK

FURIA

AVANGAR vs. HEROIC winner

The Cologne and Chicago Invitational events will feature the same format, with two four-team GSL groups (opening matches BO1, the rest BO3) leading into a single-elimination BO3 bracket. Aside from a spot at the LAN event, the Invitationals will feature a $5,000 prize pool which will be given to the runner-up of the tournament.

The GG.BET Cologne Invitational will take place on June 13-17, with an open qualifier preceding on June 1-2. The GG.BET Chicago Invitational will follow on June 25-28, with the open qualifier happening on June 8-9.

ez for maincast, ez for TL withdrawing

2019-05-22 19:00

27 replies

Liquid not invited but playing quals? LOL

2019-05-22 19:01

25 replies

What

2019-05-22 19:03

11 replies

GO GET IT NORTH

2019-05-22 19:04

3 replies

North is playing minor qualification at the same time, so i doubt we will see them.

2019-05-22 19:40

2 replies

Tournament selling out to betting sites Sad

2019-05-22 22:12

1 reply

lol

2019-05-22 23:04

LIQUID NOT INVITED FOR THE MAIN TOURNAMENT!!!!

2019-05-22 19:05

6 replies

thats what happens when u choke so much

2019-05-22 20:38

Liquid didn't accept the initial invite for personal reasons so im guessing it got resolved

2019-05-22 21:05

4 replies

They declined the invite because they want to play less tournaments. But it turned out that the downtime was too long since ECS isnt a secure spot, so they went to the qualifier

2019-05-22 22:06

I got told personal reasons but that makes much more sense Or maybe they did it to get a seed to play Astralis and take them out early 🤔

2019-05-23 04:56

There was a tweet by their manager, explaining how they are playing a bit less tournaments since they were pretty much burned out last year with the amount of travelling and that they want time between tournaments to learn new tactics. Basically, they are on a full tour now. First summit 4, then Dallas, ECS, EPL Finals and ESL Cologne. 2 months of only playing tournaments would have been too much for them but since their ECS qualification isn't sure it would mean they would have a pretty big downtime. They love playing in Cologne so they took this qualifier. EDIT: twitter.com/jokasteve/status/11312446000..

2019-05-23 16:24

Thanks. I am very informed now

2019-05-23 16:32

They invited mibr but didnt invete liquid... Esl logic

2019-05-22 19:21

Invited big but didn't invite liquid

2019-05-22 20:11

Big was finalist in the last colonege

2019-05-22 23:23

mibr won cologne with this roster in 2017 and won with 4/5 of this roster in 2016 BUT i agree that big should've been invited because they were finalists last year, still their form is totally shit anyway, NRG was invited instead of liquid

2019-05-23 00:14

who

2019-06-16 08:58

I'm fairly sure Liquid was invited but they rejected. Something has changed and now they want in, lol.

2019-05-22 21:50

I thought that they were going to play a blast tournament instead.

2019-05-22 23:29

I thought Liquid were invited at first but refused the invitation, was I wrong ?

2019-05-22 20:17

correct, then they saw the backlash and decided to try go to Cologne anway

2019-05-22 20:21

So they now have to go through a qualifier... Well ok

2019-05-22 20:41

yeah its stupid, but its their fault

2019-05-22 20:52

They invite BUG and doesn't invite Liquid LOL

2019-05-22 21:22

BUG finalist last year, Liquid invited but declined and now want in again.

2019-05-23 09:06

LIQUID #2 QUALIFERS LUL

ikr what a joke

FINALLY

LIQUID WERE NOT INVITED? ?? ??? ? ? ? ?? ? WTFFFFFFFFFF?

2019-05-22 19:59

Liquid were invited but turned it down bc they said their schedule would be too packed already, but re-evaluated it so now they have to play the qualifier instead so their calendar is even more packed lmao

2019-05-23 00:50

Astralis gZ

LUL Avangar vs Heroic still not done

What's that match?

2019-05-22 19:10

It's the 2nd eu quali but the match was delayed as stavn got really sick

2019-05-22 19:16

Tbh a Bot Ez for AVG

2019-05-22 19:54

yes +1 ez for qikert top 1 igl

2019-05-22 19:57

why tf wasn't liquid already invited. WTF

inb4 c9 invited xaxa

2019-05-22 19:02

They were but they initially declined. Now that they decided they want in it was too late so they need to qualify

2019-05-23 00:36

+1 This or ESL really decided to not invite them because they went out in groups last season but I'm pretty sure it's the former.

2019-05-23 07:52

JUST INVITE LIQUID AND BE DONE WITH IT

Liquid playing qualifiers while tier 2 NRG invited to the event? OMEGALUL

I think liquid didnt accept invite, and now they want to go. I see no other option here

5 replies

Only logical conclusion

2019-05-22 19:31

This actually

2019-05-22 19:43

yea probably

2019-05-22 20:05

yep probably saw that a lot of people were really upset and unlike Astralis, Liquid actually made the smart choice.

i dont think astralis made a really bad choice. I would rather play these blast tournemants early so they have more time and skip the other blast events for example los angeles and future blasts. blast events are not ok and are pure shit. but all these teams have to do their deal with them, there is no way around. astralis skipping sydney and china-event isnt good, dont get me wrong.

2019-05-23 09:10

LIQUID BABY GRATZ ON LIQUID FAN GETTING #1 ALSO NOT UNLUKO THIS TIME BOYSSS LETS GO LIQUID Btw intel don’t want liquid winning the million.

liquid doesnt want to get trophies. btw. so how can they get the million dollars when they cant even win :D jk bro. intel probably doesnt want anybody winninf the million

2019-05-23 09:11

Expected. But it's a joke that Liquid has to qualify.

They were invited but declined.

2019-05-22 19:47

Really? So why do they want to play in the qualifier? Weird...

2019-05-22 19:48

Probably because they change their minds...

2019-05-22 21:06

Yeah, maybe

Liquid changed their mind, because people were pissed that Liquid preferred Blast over the Cologne, when Cologne is like the best tournament of the year

2019-05-23 00:02

Fair enough

2019-05-23 06:38

WHAT THE FUCK???

Lmao wtf

COooooOOOLL

LMAO LIQUID IN QUALIFIYING, TOP 2 HLTV TEAM, AND YOU INVITED MIBR AND NRG OMEGALUL XDDDDDDDDDDD

7 replies

#49

The name "mibr" don't leave hater's mouth why so mad? Liquid never won a major KKKK

2019-05-22 20:53

mibr and their fans sucking lmao, and right now Liquid ofc better than M♿BR

2019-05-23 01:12

Mibr didn't either

2019-05-23 01:30

2006 eswc. but look the core... you fckn stupid

2019-05-23 01:40

MIBR is top6 mens)))))

2019-05-22 22:52

Wtf is this joke

liquid to qualifier xDDDDD

What an upset if they dont make it

2019-05-23 07:49

LOL LIQUID

i really hope that liquid dodge this shit event

why dodging, I mean its cologne bro

2019-05-22 19:17

tinyurl.com/kosovodeclaration LOOK AT THIS LOL

Liquid raped before start ahahaha

hhaahahahahahahah

Let's hope on G2 pulling off the upset LUL

How did NRG and furia earned their spots??

NRG got invited, FURIA qualified.

Wtf? NRG > Liquid? Since when?

2019-05-22 23:21

Liquid declined the invite at first, but reconsidered later. I guess they waited too long, so they put this jig together to resolve it.

Oh well it seems that has more sense.

2019-05-22 23:24

They should make it through anyway if G2 is the most worrying opponent.

I am waiting for the complete list

2019-05-22 23:25

Wtf liquid to qual and Furia & MIBR in the tourney. Lmao.

Furia qualified, and mibr 2x champions

2019-05-22 19:08

10 replies

so? you dont get invited on the basis of events that happened close to 2 years ago. There is almost certainly a more logical reason for why a dark horse team got invited over a actual title contender.

2019-05-22 19:35

9 replies

Invite the #6 ranked... dark horse? I bet Liquid didnt accept the invitation first.... they changed their mind and now they wanna play....

2019-05-22 20:03

First mibr is a dark horse they haven't proven that they can actually win a title or even get to a final. Secondly I know that liquid probably declined but I was just disproving your illogical response to saying why mibr got into the tournament over liquid.

2019-05-23 08:45

Mibr core won 2 titles of this championship so its more easy that they invite them over liquid... dark horse this is a illogical thought... dark horse is like ence at the major, a unknow or smaller team... when its matter remember the major... mibr was 3rd-4th... liquid was 7th-8th

2019-05-23 15:18

And, hypoethitically (because Liquid were invited), what is that reason?

2019-05-22 22:28

It could have also been that their scheduling changed so then they are now able to go but had to go through the qualifier as all the invites where gone.

2019-05-23 08:48

No im asking why a dark horse team would be invited over a title contender if they could both attend

2019-05-23 08:51

its most likely that Liquid originally declined their invite but then saw the backlash as a result of the rumors coming up and changed their minds but ESL said they had to play in the qualifiers because they already made up their mind to have the final spot go to a qualifier long before Liquid declined to go

2019-05-23 07:54

It could have also been that their scheduling changed so then they were able to go but had to go through the qualifier as all the invites where gone

2019-05-23 08:46

What's avangar vs heroic game?

?????????????? What?!

I guess lulquid wanted to play after all but they had already refused invite so too late to get one anymore :D

2019-05-22 19:07

seems like that.

2019-05-22 19:09

Probably the case

2019-05-22 19:14

lulquid 😂😂😂

2019-05-22 19:06

Liquid will throw so they won't have to attend and as well be in good books of Rfresh

why throw an event they want to go to?? I mean what is the point of attending a cologne qualifier if they dont want to qualify :D?

2019-05-22 19:18

Because people are suspecting Liquid refused invite because they are obliged to give preference to Blast, so you attend and lose to hush hush the people

nah why should liquid give a fuck. Is this qualifier a Lan Event?

2019-05-22 19:23

I think it's Online qualifier

2019-05-22 19:26

oh damn. still I cant imagine how liquid fucks up a tier4 qualifier event

2019-05-22 19:29

"The North American team, currently placed second in our world rankings, will have to fight for a spot at the event against teams in Europe, for reasons yet undisclosed." something fishy for sure

Yeah losing such a low tier qualifier on LAN... great idea... Pretty sure they're gonna get way more freaking backlash if they did make that stupid-ass decision than if they just skipped the event. That's not why, they originally were not going to the event, but after seeing the backlash, decided they wanted to attend but are forced to play the qualifier because they changed their mind so late.

2019-05-23 07:57

Why in the absolute fuck is Liquid in a qualifier?

i think they rejected at first but now i guess liquid's schedule has changed so probably they available rn but intives has been given already

I check Liquid’s csgo manager and he had a statement as well.

2019-05-22 19:20

and what was the statement ?

2019-05-22 19:22

twitlonger.com/show/n_1sqt6ma or if u think it's a fishy link: twitter.com/jokasteve/status/11312446000..

2019-05-22 19:28

I’m on mobile, so I can’t link. His @jokasteve if you wanna check the twitlonger he posted for Liquid’s scheduling.

it was exactly what i thought at the first place LUL

g2 wiII upset :DD

Cologne 2019 LUL

WTF top2 team should play qualifier ahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahaa

liquid fucked it up, they didnt accept the invite probably

Liquid to qualifiers, deserved. Arrogance wont get you far;)

2019-05-22 19:13

LIQUID IN QUALIFIER OMEGALUL

ESL One CoLULgne 2019

Lets go G2

Liquid to qualifier? What in the fucks name ESL???

its not esl bro. why should esl not invite #2 team they always go to their world-ranking and invite them.

AAHHA IS THIS A JOKE? #2 TEAM IN THE WORLD HAS TO PLAY IN THE QUALIFIER, it's obvious we're gonna win just invite us already

liquid fucked up the first invite, why should esl invite them 1 more time?

2019-05-22 19:36

Liquid not invited but to play Qualifiers, the fuck?? Either liquid initially decided not to go and now want to, or ESL is fucking high

liquid has such a huge fanbase and there is no way esl didnt invite the #2 team liquid fucked up and now they regret it

Yeah I'm think Liquid realized that they were being idiots and realized how big Cologne is

are u guys stupid? ofc theyve been invited, but they obviously refused and changed their mind.

ESL is smoking weed forgot that liquid is 2nd best team.

2019-05-22 19:37

2019-05-22 19:39

Check @jokasteve twitlonger

2019-05-22 19:42

but it's easier to accuse ESL than to read a whole twitlonger post, how could you even ask for such a horrific task Kappa

2019-05-22 20:00

tbf no need to even read anything, think about it for 5 seconds and what happened should be rather obvious, ESL wouldn't skip inviting TOP2 team to their most prestigious tournament for no reason Easier to write "wtf ESL" tho

2019-05-22 20:10

EZ4ENCE

2019-05-22 19:41

Liquid wanted to skip cologne but apparently they want to attend now. That means they’ll have to go through qualifiers. That’s how I think this happened

Liquid having to qualify, omegalul.

TL probably denied the invite at first, then decided they want to take part in Cologne after all and sponsorship deal for the Qualifier was already signed, getting them in it was probably the only viable option right now

2019-05-22 20:02

Denied the invite and now they have to take the harder way lul

2019-05-22 20:06

Imagine being g2 excited you can probably easily qualify then a wild liquid appears but i guess they still have a chance since liquid is shit online

2019-05-22 20:08

lmao nice job liquid

2019-05-22 20:16

FYI, as already stated multiple times. Liquid denied the invitation at first due to scheduling. They then changed there mind, and now must go through qualifiers. As ESL has told them all invites were given out. They understand this and accepted the qualification invite. Nuff said.

2019-05-22 20:18

Why would a t1 team skip the most prestigious non-major lan of the year (tied with Katowice)? Scheduling is meant to favor the most important tournaments, so, skipping Cologne due to scheduling makes zero sense.

2019-05-22 22:36

Invite Giants to the qualifier! reeeeee

2019-05-22 20:27

They will play open qualifier

2019-05-22 21:08

Where did they say that? And when is the qualifier?

2019-05-22 22:21

They already signed up for the qualifier just check the hltv link

2019-05-22 22:33

Liquid will have to play a closed qualifer. NIce ESL...

So they should just kick a team which they already invited? You cant make up your mind, espacially about Cologne.

2019-05-22 21:40

Sure. But I dont understand why they invite NRG/BIG first.

2019-05-22 21:49

Invites are sent at the same time? Announced based on when they are confirmed, Liquid declined

2019-05-22 22:27

Yes imagine inviting a german team to a german tournament, who also "randomly were almost the winner" of the 2018.... lul

2019-05-22 22:41

Because there are no better teams out there. Liquid declined, then made up their minds. I dont think its going to be easy for them in the GG.bet, it never is.

wtf men invite GamerLegion

2019-05-22 20:29

atleast should reach finals please :(

2019-05-22 20:39

Nice job Liquid lolol

Hope liquid make it. Cologne seems like serious tier1 shit here. Hyped

2019-05-22 20:48

So liquid rejects the invite to then play the qualifier? Lmao

2019-05-22 21:31

Extra practice men on vertigo men 200iq

2019-05-22 21:58

Lmfao

2019-05-22 21:54

Liquid playing with 140ping????

2019-05-22 21:59

Liquid is a dutch org, i’m sure they’ll find a way

2019-05-23 06:26

im happy ESL doesn't simply invite TL again, they declined the first one and now they crawling back with their tail between their legs and realise ''oh shit esl cologne is pretty big after all''. they lucky they able to get a 2nd chance at all.

2019-05-22 22:14

NaVi will win ESL One Cologne 2019 s1mple MVP cry is free haters xaxaxaxaxaxaxa

2019-05-22 22:37

A team that loses to Heroic(OMEGALUL) will never win Cologne.

2019-05-24 17:42

GG BET XD

2019-05-23 00:28

Pog if liquid win cologne will have the perfect lineup

2019-05-23 01:11

Omegalul liquid skipping ESL one colonge Invite for ggbet Cologne invite so that they qualify God who makes these type of decision for them Negative iq TL

2019-05-23 06:05