Out of the twenty-four teams participating in the Perfect World Shanghai Major for Counter-Strike 2, only eight remain. The playoff stage promises to be unpredictable, but Valve’s prediction contest is still here. For this reason, the CS.MONEY Blog is sharing their thoughts on who to pick for your Shanghai Major Pick ’em.
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Favourites of the Shanghai Major Playoff Stage
The Shanghai Major playoffs are incredibly unpredictable for the simple reason that, with the right circumstances, any of the eight remaining teams could win the tournament. The teams most frequently mentioned as potential champions are The MongolZ, Team Vitality, and G2 Esports. Let’s break down each of the teams.
The MongolZ has been a big surprise to many, but we’ve noted that this is a team that has worked long and hard to break into tier-1. The team has a solid foundation and a high ceiling, but it’s still unclear what their key to victory will be, as problems have occasionally arisen during their matches. The MongolZ is the favourite in the top half of the bracket, but against experienced and versatile teams like Team Vitality or FaZe Clan, they could run into trouble.
Team Vitality is a top pick for the playoffs because the team has experience, good form, and still has the X-factor in ZywOo. The French club seems to have all the components that The MongolZ have, with a little extra on top.
G2 Esports is showcasing its firepower, and the team is under no pressure. However, this could also play a cruel trick on them because the playoffs aren’t just about adaptation but also preparation. Heroic, whom G2 Esports faces in the first round, has shown glimpses of very strong play in Shanghai, and with momentum on their side, they could surprise G2.
Our Shanghai Major Playoff pickem
However, there is no clear-cut result in any of the matches. A major issue for pick ’em enthusiasts is donk, because if he’s on fire, there’s nothing anyone can do about it. Just look at this phenomenal 1v5 ace and realize that on a day like that, Team Spirit could beat anyone.
The problem for Team Spirit is that, aside from the fiery donk, the team doesn’t have many resources, and if he doesn’t play well, they’ll likely have to pack their bags and book tickets home.
The playoffs, starting on Thursday, will be extremely unpredictable, but that’s why we love Counter-Strike. This week, we’re in for a lot of diverse emotions and impressions. While the games haven’t started yet, head over to CS.MONEY to quickly, easily, and affordably buy cool skins for your inventory!
