Xaxas
06.03.2026
Stage 1 of ESL Pro League Season 23 delivered another wave of drama as Round 4 and Round 5 decided which teams would move forward and which would see their runs end early. The Swiss system once again proved unforgiving. Teams sitting at 2-1 had a chance to qualify early, while those at 1-2 fought to keep their tournament lives intact.
By the end of the final day, several favorites had secured their place in Stage 2 while others collapsed under pressure. For fans following Pick'ems contests, these final Swiss rounds offered a reminder that safe picks and bold predictions can swing leaderboard rankings in an instant.
If you managed to call these matches correctly, you likely gained serious ground in the daily standings.
Gocore publishes daily match tips to help you stay on top of every fixture and sharpen your predictions throughout the tournament. With competitive matches running every day, checking in regularly keeps you one step ahead of the leaderboard.
Round 4 divided the field into two very different groups. Teams in the high matches were fighting for direct qualification with a 3-1 record. Those in the low matches were battling elimination.
The pressure was visible across the board.
Astralis secured one of the cleanest victories of the round with a convincing 2-0 win over 3DMAX. Dust2 opened the series and quickly tilted in Astralis' favor as they jumped to a 7-1 lead before closing the map 13-6.
The Danish core carried the momentum onto Overpass where they again started strong on the T side. Another commanding first half allowed Astralis to cruise to a 13-5 finish.
Victor Staehr led the server with a standout performance, closely supported by Jakob jabbi Nygaard and Rasmus HooXi Nielsen. Their coordinated CT setups and early round control left little room for 3DMAX to recover.
The result pushed Astralis to a 3-1 record and secured their place in Stage 2.
One of the biggest surprises of the round came when Monte defeated PARIVISION 2-1.
The series was anything but straightforward. Monte secured Mirage, then watched PARIVISION claw back on Dust2 after Monte failed to convert seven match points. Despite the collapse, Monte recovered on Inferno and closed the decider 13-7.
Aurimas Bymas Pipiras and Aurélien afro Drapier led the fragging department, while in-game leader Jack Gizmy von Spreckelsen had a massive impact through utility usage and tactical pressure.
For Pick'ems players, this was one of the key matches that separated conservative predictions from riskier bracket calls.
Another high-stakes matchup saw paiN defeat G2 2-0 in a revenge series following their earlier clash at PGL Cluj-Napoca.
Both maps went into overtime, showing just how closely matched the teams were. Vinicius vsm Moreira and Lucas nqz Soares delivered clutch performances that swung momentum in paiN's favor late in both maps.
These tight matches highlighted a common theme of the Swiss stage: individual heroics in late rounds often decided entire series.
While the high matches determined early qualification, the lower bracket matches were about staying alive.
HEROIC eliminated Passion UA with a confident 2-0 win. Yasin xfl0ud Koç stood out with strong rifling and opening kills, helping HEROIC control both Overpass and Nuke.
Ninjas in Pyjamas also stayed alive by defeating Gaimin Gladiators 2-0. Artem r1nkle Moroz delivered one of the best individual performances of the stage with a dominant display on Nuke that included a 24-4 K-D.
Meanwhile, Liquid barely survived their elimination series against M80. The match went to three maps, with Liquid eventually securing Mirage 16-13 after several tense clutch situations involving Jonathan EliGE Jablonowski and Guy NertZ Iluz.
For Pick'ems players who chose underdogs in these elimination matches, Round 4 likely reshaped the leaderboard standings.
The final day of Stage 1 brought the decisive Round 5 matches. Every series in this pool featured teams sitting at 2-2, meaning one last victory was required to reach Stage 2.
These matches often produce some of the most intense Counter-Strike in Swiss tournaments because every mistake carries elimination consequences.
HEROIC continued their impressive recovery run by defeating PARIVISION 2-0 in the final qualification series.
Inferno started competitively, but HEROIC's aggressive mid-round calls quickly took control. Their dominance continued on Dust2 where PARIVISION managed only a single CT-side round before the match slipped away.
Yasin xfl0ud Koç delivered an incredible performance with a 1.86 rating and 111 ADR, leading HEROIC to a decisive victory.
For PARIVISION, the loss marked a shocking collapse. After starting the tournament 2-0, they ended their campaign with three straight defeats.
G2 secured their Stage 2 spot with a tight 2-0 win over Ninjas in Pyjamas.
Matúš MATYS Šimko delivered one of the best individual series of the stage, finishing with a 1.79 rating and several multi-kill rounds that proved crucial in both maps.
Anubis ended 13-10, while Dust2 went into overtime before G2 closed it out 16-13.
Despite strong moments from Artem r1nkle Moroz earlier in the tournament, NIP fell just short when it mattered most.
The final qualification spot went to 3DMAX after they defeated Liquid 2-0 in a dominant performance.
Liquid's map choice of Nuke backfired immediately as 3DMAX opened with a 10-round defensive streak. They eventually closed the map 13-5 before finishing the series on Dust2.
Kévin misutaaa Rabier was the standout player of the series with a massive 1.91 rating and 121 ADR across both maps. His aggressive rifling created constant pressure that Liquid struggled to answer.
The loss ended Liquid's tournament run and further damaged their chances of qualifying for the upcoming Cologne Major.
Swiss stage finals are always tricky for predictions because teams at 2-2 are often closely matched.
Round 5 illustrated why smart Pick'ems strategies focus on consistency rather than pure risk-taking.
Teams like HEROIC and G2 rewarded players who trusted their recent form and experience in pressure situations. Meanwhile, risky picks such as PARIVISION or Liquid carried significant downside.
In a scoring system that rewards correct predictions and punishes incorrect ones, the key is balancing safe calls with occasional bold selections.
Players who navigated the final Swiss rounds successfully likely gained a strong boost in the monthly rankings.
With Stage 1 complete, the ESL Pro League Season 23 field now moves into the next phase of competition.
Teams like Astralis, HEROIC, G2, paiN, Monte, and 3DMAX have proven they can survive the brutal Swiss format. Stage 2 will test them against even stronger opposition and deeper tactical preparation.
For Pick'ems participants, the upcoming matches offer new opportunities to climb the leaderboard.
The challenge now becomes identifying which of these teams can maintain their momentum against higher-level opponents.
Smart predictions often start with studying recent map pools, individual form, and how teams handle pressure in elimination matches.
Xaxas
06.03.2026
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