DreamHack Winter 2014
2014
The DreamHack Winter 2014 logo
Tournament information
SportCounter-Strike: Global Offensive
LocationJönköping, Sweden
DatesNovember 27, 2014–December 29, 2014
AdministratorValve
DreamHack
Tournament
format(s)
16 team round-robin group stage
Eight team single-elimination playoff
Host(s)DreamHack
VenueElmia
Teams16
Purse$250,000 USD
Final positions
ChampionsTeam LDLC.com (1st title)
1st runners-upNinjas in Pyjamas
2nd runners-upVirtus.pro
Natus Vincere
MVPVincent "Happy" Schopenhauer

DreamHack Winter 2014 was the fourth Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Major Championship, held from November 27–29, 2014 at Elmia in Jönköping. It was organized by DreamHack and sponsored by Valve. The tournament had a total prize pool of US$250,000.[1] The eight quarter-finalists from the previous Major, ESL One Cologne 2014 received direct invitations, while qualifiers were held for the remaining spots.

Team LDLC was the winner of the event after beating Ninjas in Pyjamas 2–1 in the finals.[2]

Format

The top eight teams from ESL One Cologne 2014 ("Legends") received direct invitations to DreamHack Winter 2014. Two of these invitations were rescinded after a cheating scandal, leaving ten spots (the "Challengers") to be filled by a mixtures of qualifiers and invites. Five teams from Europe, one team from North America, and two teams from a "Last Call LAN Qualifier" qualified for the tournament. After the scheduled qualifiers were completed, two teams were directly invited to the Major to fill the final two spots.[3]

Teams were split up into four groups, and all group matches were best-of-ones. The highest seed would play the lowest seed in each group and the second and third seeds would play against each other. The winner of those two matches would play each other to determine which team moved on to the playoff stage, while the losers of the first round of matches also played. The loser of the lower match was then eliminated from the tournament. With one team advanced and one eliminated, the two remaining teams would play an elimination match for the second playoff spot. This format is known as the GSL format, named for the Global StarCraft II League.[4]

The playoffs bracket consisted of eight teams, two from each group. All of these matches were best-of-three, single elimination. Teams advanced in the bracket until a winner was decided.

Map pool

The seven-map pool did not change from ESL One Cologne 2014. Before each match in the group stage, both teams banned two maps. The map for the match was then randomly selected from the remaining three maps. In the playoffs, each team first banned one map, then chose one map. The two chosen maps were the first two maps in the best-of-three. If the series were to require a third map, the map was randomly selected from the three remaining maps.

Maps
  • Cache
  • Cobblestone
  • Dust II
  • Inferno
  • Mirage
  • Nuke
  • Overpass

Regional qualifiers

European Closed Qualifier

European Qualifier
Round 1 Round 2 DH Winter 2014 DH Winter 2014
            
Team LDLC.com 2
AliGon 0
Team LDLC.com 2
myXMG 0
dAT Team 1
myXMG 2
Team LDLC.com Q
Planetkey Dynamics Q
3DMAX 1
Flipsid3 Tactics 2
Flipsid3 Tactics 0
Planetkey Dynamics 2
mousesports 0
Planetkey Dynamics 2
DreamHack Winter 2014 →
DreamHack Winter 2014 →
Copenhagen Wolves 0
ESC Gaming 2
ESC Gaming 2
Team Alternate 0
London Conspiracy 1
Team Alternate 2
ESC Gaming Q
PENTA Sports Q
x6tence 0
PENTA Sports 2
PENTA Sports 2
HellRaisers 0
HellRaisers 2
duttdutt 0
5th Place Decider DH Winter 2014
      
myXMG 2
Flipsid3 Tactics 1
myXMG 0
HellRaisers 2
Team Alternate 0
HellRaisers 2

North America Closed Qualifier

North America Qualifier
Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals
         
Team iBUYPOWER 16
WeRidePonies 2
Team iBUYPOWER 16
eLevate 7
eLevate 16
'SapphireKelwona 5
Team iBUYPOWER 2
NetCodeGuides.com 1
NetCodeGuides.com 16
dxm 5
NetCodeGuides.com 16
Denial eSports 10
Denial eSports 16
The Stream Team 14

Last Call LAN Qualifier

Last Call Qualifier; Stockholm, Sweden
5th Place Decider DH Winter 2014
      
Copenhagen Wolves 2
3DMAX 1
Copenhagen Wolves 16
Flipsid3 Tactics 6
Flipsid3 Tactics 2
London Conspiracy 0

Broadcast talent

Host

Stage Host

Analyst

Commentators

Teams

The most notable pre-Major team change came after a cheating scandal involving three French players. Two teams that achieved Legends status at the previous Major were dropped from their Legends spots. Titan, whose roster achieved Legends status as Team LDLC.com,[5] was disqualified from the tournament after Hovik "KQLY" Tovmassian was caught cheating. At the same time, Epsilon eSports was disqualified after Gordon "Sf" Giry was found to be cheating. The two players and Simon "smn" Beck were then VAC banned by Valve and were permanently banned from any Valve-sponsored tournaments, including Majors. Titan and Epsilons' spots were then filled by Copenhagen Wolves and Flipsid3 Tactics, teams advancing from a new qualifier.[6]

Legends
Challengers
  1. ^ a b Bravado Gaming and myXMG were directly invited to the tournament. Bravado did not play in any qualifier. myXMG failed to qualify through the European qualifier but was still invited.

Group stage

Group A

Pos Team W L RF RA RD Pts
1 HellRaisers 2 0 32 19 +13 6
2 Fnatic 2 1 46 23 +23 6
3 Cloud9 1 2 26 33 −7 3
4 Bravado Gaming 0 2 3 32 −29 0
Group A Matches
Team Score Map Score Team
Fnatic 16 Mirage 2 Bravado Gaming
Cloud9 5 Inferno 16 HellRaisers
Fnatic 14 Mirage 16 HellRaisers
Cloud9 16 Cache 1 Bravado Gaming
Fnatic 16 Dust II 5 Cloud9

Group B

Pos Team W L RF RA RD Pts
1 Team Dignitas 2 0 32 16 +16 6
2 PENTA Sports 2 1 41 41 +0 6
3 Team iBUYPOWER 1 2 36 36 +0 3
4 Copenhagen Wolves 0 2 16 32 −16 0
Group B Matches
Team Score Map Score Team
Team Dignitas 16 Nuke 9 PENTA Sports
Team iBUYPOWER 16 Nuke 4 Copenhagen Wolves
Team Dignitas 16 Nuke 7 Team iBUYPOWER
PENTA Sports 16 Dust II 12 Copenhagen Wolves
Team iBUYPOWER 13 Inferno 16 PENTA Sports

Group C

Pos Team W L RF RA RD Pts
1 Team LDLC.com 2 0 32 17 +15 6
2 Ninjas in Pyjamas 2 1 41 36 +5 6
3 ESC Gaming 1 2 33 45 −12 3
4 Planetkey Dynamics 0 2 15 32 −17 0
Group C Matches
Team Score Map Score Team
Ninjas in Pyjamas 16 Overpass 2 Planetkey Dynamics
Team LDLC.com 16 Cobblestone 4 ESC Gaming
Ninjas in Pyjamas 13 Overpass 16 Team LDLC.com
ESC Gaming 16 Mirage 13 Planetkey Dynamics
Ninjas in Pyjamas 16 Cache 13 ESC Gaming

Group D

Pos Team W L RF RA RD Pts
1 Virtus.pro 2 0 32 4 +28 6
2 Natus Vincere 2 1 37 39 −2 6
3 Flipsid3 Tactics 1 2 39 46 −7 3
4 myXMG 0 2 13 32 −19 0
Group D Matches
Team Score Map Score Team
Virtus.pro 16 Inferno 2 myXMG
Natus Vincere 16 Mirage 8 Flipsid3 Tactics
Virtus.pro 16 Nuke 2 Natus Vincere
Flipsid3 Tactics 16 Mirage 11 myXMG
Natus Vincere 19 Overpass 15 Flipsid3 Tactics

Playoffs

Bracket

Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals
         
HellRaisers 0
Ninjas in Pyjamas 2
Ninjas in Pyjamas 2
Virtus.pro 0
Virtus.pro 2
PENTA Sports 0
Ninjas in Pyjamas 1
Team LDLC.com 2
Team LDLC.com 2[a]
Fnatic 1
Team LDLC.com 2
Natus Vincere 0
Team Dignitas 0
Natus Vincere 2
  1. ^ The third map originally ended with a Fnatic win. However, the match was to be replayed due to both teams violating in-game rules. After community backlash directed at Fnatic, Fnatic forfeited the match.

Quarterfinals scores

HellRaisers vs. Ninjas in Pyjamas

Casters: Anders Blume & Semmler

HellRaisers vs. Ninjas in Pyjamas
Team Score Map Score Team
HellRaisers 5 Dust II 16 Ninjas in Pyjamas
HellRaisers 5 Inferno 16 Ninjas in Pyjamas
HellRaisers – Overpass – Ninjas in Pyjamas

Virtus.pro vs. PENTA Sports

Casters: TosspoT & Fifflaren

Virtus.pro vs. PENTA Sports
Team Score Map Score Team
Virtus.pro 16 Cache 9 PENTA Sports
Virtus.pro 16 Mirage 5 PENTA Sports
Virtus.pro – Nuke – PENTA Sports

Team LDLC.com vs. Fnatic

Casters: Anders Blume & Semmler

Team LDLC.com vs. Fnatic
Team Score Map Score Team
Team LDLC.com 16 Dust II 10 Fnatic
Team LDLC.com 8 Cache 16 Fnatic
Team LDLC.com W Overpass F Fnatic

Team Dignitas vs. Natus Vincere

Casters: TosspoT & Fifflaren

Team Dignitas vs. Natus Vincere
Team Score Map Score Team
Team Dignitas 3 Cobblestone 16 Natus Vincere
Team Dignitas 13 Mirage 16 Natus Vincere
Team Dignitas – Overpass – Natus Vincere

Semifinals scores

Ninjas in Pyjamas vs. Virtus.pro

Casters: TosspoT vs. Fifflaren

Ninjas in Pyjamas vs. Virtus.pro
Team Score Map Score Team
Ninjas in Pyjamas 22 Nuke 20 Virtus.pro
Ninjas in Pyjamas 10 Cache 16 Virtus.pro
Ninjas in Pyjamas 16 Inferno 8 Virtus.pro

Team LDLC.com vs. Natus Vincere

Casters: Anders Blume & Semmler

Team LDLC.com vs. Natus Vincere
Team Score Map Score Team
Team LDLC.com 16 Mirage 11 Natus Vincere
Team LDLC.com 16 Inferno 11 Natus Vincere
Team LDLC.com – Cobblestone – Natus Vincere

Finals scores

NiP was the defending Major champions and was also making its fourth straight Major final appearance. Team LDLC.com became the first French team to appear in a CS:GO Major final.

Casters: Anders Blume & Semmler

Ninjas in Pyjamas vs. Team LDLC.com
Team Score Map Score Team
Ninjas in Pyjamas 10 Dust II 16 Team LDLC.com
Ninjas in Pyjamas 16 Inferno 4 Team LDLC.com
Ninjas in Pyjamas 16 Overpass 19 Team LDLC.com

Final standings

Place Prize Money Team Seed for ESL One Katowice 2015 Roster Coach
1st US$100,000 Team LDLC.com Legends status kioShiMa, Happy, SmithZz, NBK, shox MoMaN
2nd US$50,000 Ninjas in Pyjamas f0rest, GeT RiGhT, Xizt, friberg, Maikelele pita
3rd–4th US$22,000 Natus Vincere Edward, Zeus, starix, seized, GuardiaN –
Virtus.pro TaZ, NEO, pashaBiceps, byali, Snax –
5–8th US$10,000 HellRaisers ANGE1, kucher, markeloff, s1mple, Dosia B1ad3
Fnatic JW, flusha, pronax, olofmeister, KRiMZ Devilwalk
Team Dignitas FeTiSh, dev1ce, cajunb, dupreeh, Xyp9x 3k2
PENTA Sports r0bs3n, Spidii, denis, kRYSTAL, fel1x –
9–12th US$2,000 Flipsid3 Tactics Main Qualifier invitation twist, berg, zende, BENDJI, Dumas –
ESC Gaming innocent, SZPERO, mouz, MINISE, rallen –
Cloud9 Hiko, sgares, n0thing, shroud, SEMPHIS –
Team iBuyPower nitr0, Skadoodle, swag, desi, AZK lrukandji
13–16th US$2,000 Bravado Gaming Cent, Detrony, Racno, bLacKpoisoN, deviaNt –
Copenhagen Wolves gla1ve, Pimp, tenzki, Kjaerbye, cadiaN –
Planetkey Dynamics strux1, alexRr, Troubley, nex, stavros –
myXMG MSL, HUNDEN, AcilioN, Friis, smF –

References

  1. ^ Kovanen, Tomi "lurppis". "The biggest stories from CS:GO's DreamHack 2014 tournament". PC Gamer.
  2. ^ Wynne, Jared. "LDLC victorious at DreamHack Winter". The Daily Dot. Retrieved November 17, 2015.
  3. ^ Milovanovic, Petar. "DH Winter with myXMG and Bravado". HLTV.org. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
  4. ^ Švejda, Milan. "Searching for the perfect format". HLTV.org. Retrieved 11 February 2021.
  5. ^ Mira, Luis (September 3, 2014). "Official: Titan sign LDLC trio". HLTV.org.
  6. ^ Lahti, Evan (November 22, 2014). "CS:GO competitive scene in hacking scandal, 3 players banned". PC Gamer.

External links

Counter-Strike in esports
Categories