Who is The Champion? Intel Extreme Masters Cologne 2023 Grand Final Recap
radoslaw-davidovic
The Intel Extreme Masters Cologne 2023 final match has ended, and the team that clinched the last CS:GO IEM Cologne champions has been unveiled. With the eagerly awaited CS2 set for release shortly, let’s promptly examine the victors of this match who have etched their place in CS:GO history.
In article you will find:
Grand Final Brief Overview
ENCE and G2 Esports have reached the Grand Finals, showcasing impressive performance in the previous matches. As usual, the Grand Finals in major tournaments follow a BO5 format, requiring a team to win three maps for victory. This rule allows for potential comebacks from either side.
The winner of this encounter will receive a substantial monetary reward of $400,000 and a significant amount of Blast Premier points totaling 3000. The team that loses this matchup will still secure 2000 Blast Premier points and a commendable $180,000.
ENCE vs G2 Esports
Traditionally, all team matchups begin with the teams picking the maps they will compete on. First, ENCE banned G2’s signature map, Inferno, while G2 responded by banning Overpass for ENCE. It might seem odd since Overpass isn’t ENCE’s signature map, but G2 likely had its reasons.
After this, everything went according to the norm, teams picked the maps they wanted to play on, and the game began.
Here’s the list of map selections and bans:
- ENCE removed Inferno
- G2 removed Overpass
- ENCE picked Nuke
- G2 picked Mirage
- ENCE picked Anubis
- G2 picked Ancient
- Vertigo was left over
Nuke
A funny yet unexpected situation unfolded on Nuke, as ENCE chose it as their first strong map from their pool. What’s amusing? The twist is that ENCE faced a resounding defeat by selecting a map they believed to be their forte. The team struggled to find footing against their opponents and suffered an astonishing 4:16 loss.
We’ve seen scorelines of 1:16 and 16:0 before, but those instances weren’t in a Grand Final, unlike this case! G2 exhibited a solid defense, dominating the first half with an 11:4 score. However, after switching sides, G2 secured five consecutive rounds, ultimately clinching victory and taking the map ENCE had picked.
Mirage
On the second map, ENCE had little chance of winning on this map. The team was demoralized by the previous map they had counted on. The opponent had a significant advantage, with a 60% win rate compared to ENCE’s 30%.
However, the first half started well for ENCE. Playing on the CT side, they secured the first pistol round and then three more consecutive rounds, leading with a 4:0 score at the beginning of the map, boosting their morale. However, G2 played cautiously and capitalized on the situation, winning five rounds in a row and disrupting ENCE’s economy during those rounds.
Overall, the first half was challenging for G2 as they played as terrorists and had to take risks. Ending the first half with a score of 8:7, ENCE was in the lead.
The second half mirrors the situation on the Nuke map. As soon as G2 switched to the defensive side as CT, they started winning rounds one after another, not allowing the bomb to be planted. G2 held their defense for six consecutive rounds.
In the 22 round, ENCE played well and eliminated all opponents, breaking G2’s streak. However, ENCE’s success was short-lived. They could only secure two rounds for themselves before G2 successfully closed the map with a 16:10 score.
Anubis
The third map was Anubis, picked by ENCE. They are confident on this map and have a good understanding of their opponent’s gameplay on it.
G2 started on the CT side, securing the first two rounds successfully. However, in the second round, ENCE planted the bomb, giving them money to buy better weapons. It and other factors helped ENCE establish its dominance on the map. They took the next three rounds, bringing the score to 3:2.
ENCE then lost one round but managed to claim the next 4, continuing this pattern. The first half concluded with a 10:5 score, a strong performance for a team playing on the offensive side.
The second half began with ENCE maintaining their winning streak. They defended the bomb site effectively and repelled attacks for four rounds, leading with a 14:5 score. Only two more rounds seemed needed to conclude the map, but it wasn’t that simple. In the 20 round, G2 seized the initiative and started winning consecutive rounds, narrowing the gap to 14:8.
ENCE managed to secure the 23 round and make it 15:8, creating the possibility of overtime if things went awry. Recognizing the need to secure multiple rounds in a row for victory, G2 made a determined effort.
They won 5 rounds consecutively, reaching a 15:13 score. However, ENCE halted their comeback attempt by claiming the decisive final round, ultimately concluding the third map, Anubis, in their favor with a 16:13 score.
Ancient
Ancient is a map where teams should have equal chances statistically, as their win rates are around 50%. However, the number of games played by each team differs. G2 played more matches on this map this season, gaining more practice against other strong teams. Let’s break down what happened.
ENCE started on the CT side in the first half and successfully defended the first two rounds. However, in the 3 round, G2 had enough funds to buy the necessary devices and secure a round. From there, G2’s momentum kept rolling like a snowball as they continued to dominate, round after round.
Their dominance lasted for eight consecutive rounds, resulting in an 8:2 score. Towards the end of the first half, ENCE regained some ground, closing the gap to a 6:9 score in favor of G2.
The second half began with ENCE winning three successful rounds, equalizing the score at 9:9. However, their success came to an end at that point. In the 19-round, G2 completely turned the game around and regained dominance on the map, securing rounds one after another.
They played exceptionally well and swiftly, leaving no chances for ENCE to mount a comeback. The fourth map concluded with a victory for G2, with a 16:9 score.
Congratulations to the champions of Intel Extreme Masters Cologne 2023, G2 Esports!
IEM Cologne 2023 Grand Final Highlights
Let’s look at the highlights of this final tournament that are truly breathtaking.
Wrapping Up the IEM Cologne 2023 Grand Final
The Intel Extreme Masters Cologne 2023 has concluded, and the G2 team emerged as the winner. They walked away with a substantial prize of $400,000, earned 3000 Blast Premier points, and secured an invitation to the Intel Extreme Masters Katowice 2024. Most importantly, they have made history by becoming the last CS:GO champions of IEM.
Stay tuned with us and keep reading our blog to stay at the heart of the action!
Radosław Davidović is Hellcase’s customer success manager. He enjoys blogging to share his knowledge and experience with customers.