Chapter 109 The Knockout Round Begins
Saturday, February 26, 2022.
Katowice weather forecast: cloudy to sunny.
The vacation for the Katowice group stage has come to a successful end, but in fact G2 only had the first day off to go out and have a small gathering. The rest of the time was more about preparations and hard training.
The main reason was that it had been raining in Katowice during the few days of vacation, which made them have no desire to go out.
In the past few days, Jiang Yang's daily schedule has been quite regular.
I get up around 8 o'clock in the morning to warm up, then queue up the ladder until the afternoon, review games or scrims with the team, watch Jame's game videos in the evening, and do some exercise in my free time.
Be fulfilled and happy every day.
He also discovered that the 'sniper escape experience' gained from Sh1ro was also applicable to Jame.
Because both of their playing styles are biased towards 'information sniping', they will hit the target with one shot. If they have the props, they will try to peek. If they don't have the props to get the gun position, they will basically fall back to second place. Ordered.
Then step back and step back. If the teammate in front of you fails to fight well, then you will directly start to protect your gun.
Jiang Yang is thinking about Jame's position selection and preparing for the possibility of targeting Jame in the next game.
However, while watching the POV, he was also learning Jame's first defensive position selection.
Although James plays conservatively, his sniper hit rate is very high and extremely stable.
He may not be the best sniper among the entire front-line snipers, but he is definitely the sniper with the highest hit rate.
This is due to Jame's excellent positioning and positioning on defense.
Although Jiang Yang doesn't like Jame's passionless style of play, he will still take the initiative to learn from Jame's excellence.
"You're really interested." Little Plum clicked her tongue in surprise.
Jiang Yang smiled: "We have to compete in the afternoon, let's finally think about it."
During the past few days of training, they took the initiative to discuss the idea of releasing Jiang Yang to chase the opponent at the right time.
He just raised a possibility, but Jiang Yang actively made a lot of preparations.
Xiao Lizi likes the feeling of having his ideas recognized and taken seriously by others.
As a conductor, isn't the happiest thing when your understanding of the game is recognized?
So he likes this kid Jiang Yang very much.
He has outstanding talent in CSGO, but he does not have an uncomfortable personality. Instead, he respects the thoughts of every teammate.
This is simply the conductor’s dream teammate!
"Then I'll wait until the afternoon game to unleash this 'ultimate move' of yours." Xiao Lizi patted Jiang Yang on the shoulder and returned to his position to prepare again.
Jiang Yang watched the video of Jame's game, then took the bread next to the table and ate it.
While eating bread, he casually took out his mobile phone to kill time.
After a few days of fermentation, the forum was filled with posts about the upcoming knockout rounds.
【What is the level of young people on the front line? When I first joined, I felt like I had no sense of presence. Why is it getting more and more powerful? 】
[Among last year’s newcomers, he was the best]
[He and m0nesy are both highlight makers, but young’s performance is more stable. m0nesy is still a common problem among newbie snipers. Simple guns are more empty]
[He is indeed exaggerating. I recently saw a video of my cousin leading a VP duo on the ladder, killing each other randomly]
[His performance in the game against Team A was really terrifying, with all kinds of key performances, Team A was crushed]
He then saw the data chart posted by netizens after the game against Team A that day, which revealed the influence of several people on the field.
Although Jiang Yang's data is not the highest, his influence is the first.
This shows that he made many key shots.
Jiang Yang thinks it's okay. He doesn't have a conservative style of play. He likes to take the initiative to find opportunities for the team.
Hot-blooded CS is the most interesting CS mouth!
Immediately afterwards, he also saw netizens discussing the group format of the next knockout round.
[In Group A, the battle between Faze and Red Star is very interesting. Whoever wins will advance to the finals]
[What the hell, where did you put the top four team X? 】
[The only designated top four in the world, are you kidding me? 】
[I hope to see Team
The predecessor of Heroic was called TeamX, and later it was renamed Heroic.
However, most netizens still like to call them Team X. After being led by cadian, this team is famous for its dynamic defensive style and stable first-line strength.
But their team members are not likable, and the coaching bug was exploited in the online era, resulting in a global away game.
In terms of grades, it's very embarrassing.
Their dynamic defensive style of play can produce results, but they always feel like they are missing out every time, and they often end up in the semi-finals of the competition.
Therefore, Team X also has the title of ‘the only designated top four in the world’.
In the discussion between Faze and Red Star, more people are leaning towards Red Star winning.
This team, the king in the online period, only lost to NAVI in Katowice. Many Red Star fans believe that the members of their team have also accumulated offline experience. In the next game, they have a high possibility of promotion. of.
Jiang Yang actually thinks that Faze has a good chance of advancing.
Although Faze is a substitute, these people are all star players, and all of them are offline players.
The existence of offline audiences is equivalent to giving them a buff.
Jiang Yang continued reading and saw posts discussing G2.
[This match between G2 and VP is quite uncertain]
[Why is it hanging? Isn't it appropriate for G2 to perform explosively in this current state? Basically, just push it all the way to the end, OK】
[G2, you don’t know when he will pull a big wave for you, and VP really has something to say in the first line]
【Don’t you know? In a VP game, it’s no surprise whoever loses, and it’s no surprise whoever wins]
[VP is old and traditional, the odds are in place, and the champion will be crushed]
[I hope G2 can advance smoothly, and then the top four NAVI can also take a big supplement and win the championship smoothly]
Jiang Yang saw someone posting the winning and losing chart of NAVI's recent game against G2 down here.
Obviously, he is not the only one who noticed the problem between the winning rates of G2 and NAVI.
But against NAVI, that's not what they need to consider now.
But to be honest, playing against VP is really stressful.
Although VP is not a true T0-level team, they are the most difficult team in the first line.
Once some places fail to deal with it well and VP seizes the opportunity to get the economy running smoothly, they may be taken away in a wave.
All the preparations that need to be done have been made, and we are just waiting for the game to start in the evening.
However, Jiang Yang's heart was more filled with expectations than pressure.
After all, next is the offline competition that he has been thinking about. ……
10:30 pm China time.
CSBOY waited patiently in the live broadcast room, and finally saw the game appear.
The contestants from both sides appeared one by one in the contestant channel behind the stage and began to wait for the host's call.
The UFO Stadium, which can accommodate tens of thousands of people, was packed with seats. The spectators who came to watch the game were in a good mood waving their light sticks.
Although the Little Bees are out, three of the four major traffic teams have successfully advanced. Today, in the six-to-four round, they can enjoy two teams.
Moreover, the current situation of these two teams is a bit special, and they are not full teams.
Not all the members have successfully entered the knockout round.
They really want to see what level these two teams can play now.
The official host of IEM walked in from the backstage wearing a baseball uniform sold by ESL. The overall state was quite leisurely.
"Hello, audience and friends, welcome to the IEM Katowice Knockout Tournament. This is the center of the UFO Stadium."
The host walked to the splendid trophy, then pointed to the lower part of the trophy and said:
“After five days of fierce competition in the group stage, a total of six teams came to our big stage. In the end, only one of the remaining six teams can stay, leaving their own trophy on the Katowice trophy. name!”
The competition in Katowice is a little special. The original trophy needs to be kept in Katowice. Players can take away the duplicate version and engrave their own ID on the original trophy.
Later teams can also see the name of the previous champion from the original trophy.
It is an honor for every player to be able to leave their own ID on this trophy.
"So!" The host stretched out his hand and began to guide, "Next, the two teams of today's first game are about to appear!"
"Are you ready?"
The audience responded with their passionate shouts.
The host also shouted in a long voice: "Then let us invite you, Virtus.pro!"
……
In the player tunnel, Jiang Yang could hear the shouts coming from across the stage.
Everyone in VP walked towards the stage one by one, and the cheers became more intense.
There was a faint vibration in the soles of the feet, and the passionate cheers penetrated through the body little by little along the feet. The blood seemed to be slowly ignited. The whole body began to feel numb, and the roots of the teeth were itching slightly.
Jiang Yang rubbed his hands. It wasn't that he was cold, but that he had goosebumps.
NIKO patted Jiang Yang on the back: "Yang, are you ready? Welcome to your first offline competition!"
DiCaprio turned his head from the front of the team: "Don't be stressed, be prepared today and let the whole audience cheer for you!!"
Jiang Yang closed his eyes and was ready to adjust. He was eager to try.
At this moment, the host's voice came through the player channel: "Then let us invite you to be Virtus.pro's opponent today!"
"G——2!!!"
The giant door in the center of the stage opened again, and the spotlight above their heads shone on them. At this moment, they became the center of attention.
Jiang Yang has a feeling that 'the world is focused on you'.
Within the field of vision, there are countless light spots flashing.
In the ears, there are those passionate shouts that make people's blood boil.
The screams and cheers at the scene were even more exaggerated than when VP came on the stage.
Jiang Yang turned to hunter and said: "Sure enough, offline games are the most interesting!"
Hunter leaned into Jiang Yang's ear and shouted: "What did you say? I can't hear you!"
The popularity of G2 in Europe is indeed very exaggerated. The audience at the scene couldn't stop cheering and it was completely inaudible without shouting loudly.
It took a while for the cheers to subside, and the host took advantage of the situation and said:
"They are all teams that have gone through fierce competition from the group stage to get here, but in today's game, there is only one place to advance!"
He began to arouse the atmosphere of the scene: "Who do you think will have the last laugh in today's game?"
"Is it VP??"
"Or G2?"
"Let's wait and see!!!"
There were endless cheers in the UFO Stadium, and fans of both teams were trying their best to cheer for the home team, even if the game hadn't started yet!
Jiang Yang also followed the team to the left side of the stage and entered the contestants' seat.
After arriving at the players' bench, Jiang Yang clearly felt that the members of the team today were in a different state than before.
NIKO has always felt okay just doing his own thing.
Today, he took the initiative to call them to his side, and then everyone hugged each other, forming a circle.
(This gesture)
NIKO looked around the crowd: "Guys, today we have officially entered the knockout round. Every subsequent confrontation will not be easy, but we have officially entered the offline stage. I hope you enjoy this stage."
"Having officially reached the quarterfinals actually proves that we also have the ability to win the championship, but the same goes for our opponents. We have the possibility of winning or losing in every subsequent game. Whether we can continue to take a step forward depends on ourselves! ”
Then he looked at Jiang Yang: "Although the time is short, the next game is a test of our training and hard work during this period. We need to use all our strength to deal with it!"
"Don't be stressed. No matter what the result is, if we show the same level as we did during training, that will be enough!"
"If we still can't defeat the opponent, then it means our opponent is too strong! They deserve to win!"
These words are quite powerful.
Is Jiang Yang feeling stressed?
This kind of competition will definitely happen. After all, there are so many people watching in the audience, so if you don't perform well, you can't do it well.
Or what should I do if I performed well but still failed to win?
But NIKO's words even acknowledged the level of his opponent, which is quite exciting.
He patted Jiang Yang on the shoulder: "Next I say 3, 2, 1, let's all say G2 together!"
"3, 2, 1!"
"G2!!"
Amidst the exciting chorus of shouts, Jiang Yang's mind sank into the game without realizing it.
"Come on, come on!!"
“Let’s kill VP first today!”
Amid applause and various swear words, everyone took their seats one after another and began to quickly warm up and debug the equipment.
On the other side of the stage, VP did not make such exciting and encouraging preparations.
Because for VP, keep a calm mind and play out what you prepared during training.
That's enough.
Both sides are making final preparations for this knockout match in their own way.
……
There is another chapter in the evening
(End of chapter)