The Recap - EP26

by OnlyJoshinTV

Welcome to The Recap, a new weekly content series covering Counter-Strike in the ANZ region with a touch of global action here and there.

We aim to provide a regular series covering our region, from ESEA Open, ECL, and global events, to local LAN and online tournaments hosted here at home.

It is a bad day for rain – FlyQuest crash out after 2-0 start

FlyQuest have crashed out of the Perfect World Shanghai Major after a positive start. The boys flew through the first day with crushing victories over Complexity and BIG.

It was looking great with a map over Team Liquid but the tide started to turn and it turned violently. Liquid ultimately crushed FlyQuest to complete a reverse sweep.

FlyQuest went into freefall with back-to-back series losses to Pain and MIBR to crash out of the major. Some could say it is just bad luck that they get back to back series against Brazilian teams where FlyQuest have struggled. Others would say that after the Nuke against Liquid and the Vertigo against Pain rattled the mental that they couldn’t come back from.

It is a bittersweet end to a positive second half of the year for FlyQuest. You can read more about the run here.

We will still have an Australian to cheer for in JKS!

ESEA Oceania Open Playoffs

Season 51 of ESEA Open has reached the playoff stage with firm favourites  Vantage Navy cruising through the upper bracket. SemperFi decided to withdraw to pursue further opportunities in Europe.

There are other teams such as Above The Rest, Shanghai Sharks and Altered Edge waiting in the wings. These four are likely going to be either booking themselves an ECL spot or a potential spot in the relegation stage later in December.

There are a few dark horses such as God’s Work who fell early to Vantage making a desperate lower bracket run. The other is Underground ESC, who were sent to the lower bracket by the Shanghai Sharks.

Currently, Vantage Navy and Above The Rest are in an epic brawl for the first Grand Final spot from the Upper Bracket final. Vantage cruised past Altered Edge in the Upper Bracket Semi-Final in a quick 2-0. Above The Rest came out victorious after a close tussle with the Shanghai Sharks.

FBCS Overnight LAN

If you didn’t notice for the first day of my major co-Stream that I was at the FBCS Overnight LAN — my first WA grassroots event.

The event was well run with games and desks organised. I met up with Serquest and even a few of the players had flown in just to compete in the Wingman and 5v5 tournaments. I even casted a few rounds of it when the major action wound down for the day.

The food and drinks were great for a local LAN. The atmosphere was electric and there was a lot of banter including the “What the hell are you doing? The bomb is in Banana!” We even had multiple overtimes and an infamous Tec-9 Rush B to seal a series.

That’s all for this week — be sure to catch the rest of the major, starting again on Dec. 5!