NiP triumph at DHW over VeryGames

Ninjas in Pyjamas have won another major title, defeating VeryGames 2-0 (16-9 on de_dust2_se and 16-1 on de_inferno_se) in the DreamHack Winter 2012 grand final to take home a ~$22,600 cheque.

The grand final of the biggest CS:GO tournament of the year, DreamHack Winter, pitted the same teams we saw in the final of the previous two international tournaments, NiP and VeryGames. The Swedes were, same as before, big favorites to take first place and earn the bigger cheque (~$22,600).

NiP selected de_dust2_se as the first map, same as at ESWC final and they started by winning their T-side pistol round. But VeryGames immediately replied by winning their eco and stopping a forced buy in the next round to get into the lead.

They increased that to 5-1 with three almost flawless rounds, taking control over the economy. A couple of rounds were exchanged, and then NiP started getting back into the game with Richard "Xizt" Landström getting 2 kills per round five times in a row to help the Swedes even the score at 6-6.

Kenny "kennyS" Schrub and VG's best player so far in the tournament, Cédric "RpK" Guipouy combined for 9 kills in the next two rounds to put the French team up 8-6 before NiP snatched the last round of the half.

NiP made the score 8-8, but then allowed VeryGames to plant on the eco that followed which enabled the French to buy two AWPs in the next round. Defending with 4 famases, the Swedish team managed to win the round thanks to Christopher "GeT_RiGhT" Alesund's 1-on-2 clutch which negated an impressive spray from Guipouy that took out 3 people just seconds before.

GeT_RiGhT clutched every time it was needed in the final

ESWC champions then went up 11-8, but VG replied right away, making the 21st round a very important one as both teams spent all their money going into it. It came down to the wire, with Nathan "NBK" Schmitt almost converting a 1vs3, but Alesund held his own to take out the Frenchman in their 1vs1.

That led to a 13-9 advantage for NiP which the Swedes soon converted into a 16-9 win, dropping only one round on their CT side.

A longer break took place before the second map, as the teams and their PCs were moved to the DreamArena Extreme to play the rest of the match on stage in front of a big crowd.

VeryGames picked de_inferno_se as the second map for the first time in their duels so far, but NiP won the knife round, getting to choose the side. Supported by their local fans who cheered on practically every frag by NiP, the Swedes took a 5-0 lead before VeryGames finally organized a successful attack.

But the Ninjas were in the zone and they didn't allow the Frenchmen to get more than 2 kills in the next three rounds, making the score 8-1. They continued dominating round after round, with all of their members on fire and crowd celebrating their every good move.

The fans cheered the loudest in round 13, when Alesund hid perfectly and made three excellent headshots to prevent a B push, putting NiP ahead 12-1. They were unstoppable until the very end of the half, changing sides with a 14-1 lead.

VeryGames were completely overrun, and with no break in half time, they were never going to come back from this deficit, even after getting to a 5-on-3 situation in the second pistol round. Robin "Fifflaren" Johansson, who played great in this map, along with Landström and Alesund turned the round around, with Alesund winning another 1vs1 clutch in the end. Last chance for VeryGames to potentially get back into the game fell through after another wasted 5-on-3, as their only good performer in the final, Guipouy, was left in an unlikely 1-on-2 which he was unable to convert and NiP became DreamHack Winter champions with a 16-1 win in the second map.

NiP are the DreamHack Winter 2012 champions

 

DreamHack Winter 2012 final standings:

1. NiP - 150,000 SEK (~$22,600)
2. VeryGames - 80,000 SEK (~$12,000)
3-4. Lemondogs - 35,000 SEK (~$5,300)
3-4. mousesports - 35,000 SEK (~$5,300)
5-8. ProGaming.TD
5-8. Team Dynamic
5-8. Copenhagen Wolves
5-8. Absolute Legends