K23, Movistar Riders through to IEM Summer closed qualifier

Teams like Dignitas, ENCE, Sprout, and Nemiga will have to try again in the second open qualifier.

The first IEM Summer open qualifier has come to a close, with K23 and Movistar Riders coming out on top to secure their berth in the next qualifying stage.

After passing through the best-of-one stage, the team around Dauren "⁠AdreN⁠" Kystaubayev beat the tournament's biggest surprise, MASONIC, in a quick affair to earn the spot, while Lucas "⁠steel⁠" Lopes's side edged out Nordavind after two close maps.

AdreN's team advanced after beating Sprout and Dignitas on the way

The closed qualifier, which will have three spots at the $250,000 main event on offer, is set to be played on April 26-28 and feature ten other teams, two of which will be determined in the second open qualifier (April 19-20) and eight via direct invites.

Some of the most notable teams who failed to make it through the first qualifier and will have to try again in the second were Sprout and Dignitas, who ultimately fell at the hands of K23, as well as Nemiga, FORZE, SINNERS, EXTREMUM, and ENCE, who suffered one of the biggest upsets of the qualifier as they fell short to Entropiq in the fourth round.