Xaxas
13.02.2026
PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026 is the most stacked standalone event of the season so far. Nine of the top ten teams in the world accepted invitations, with only Spirit and Liquid declining. Sixteen teams enter a five round Swiss stage where three wins secure playoffs and three losses mean elimination.
For Pick'ems players, this is where structure beats hype. Swiss formats reward map pool depth, CT side discipline, and clean anti-eco conversion. You are not predicting a champion yet. You are predicting survival. Choose battles wisely.
Every first round matchup matters because early momentum shapes the entire Swiss path. A 1-0 start gives breathing room. A 0-1 start forces immediate pressure matches.
NAVI remain one of the most tactically structured teams in tier one. Their CT setups and mid-round adjustments tend to stabilize close games. Astralis have shown improvement, but they still struggle when forced off comfort maps.
Prediction: NAVI start 1-0. Astralis drop to the 0-1 pool.
Aurora exceeded expectations in recent events with improved mid-round calling and stronger clutch conversion. FUT arrive in form after strong showings against higher ranked opponents, and they are comfortable dragging series deep.
Prediction: Close series, slight edge to Aurora due to more stable CT sides. Aurora 1-0, FUT 0-1.
This is a pure systems matchup. PARIVISION are built for Swiss formats with disciplined economy management and deep veto preparation. MOUZ rely more on resilience and clutch recovery.
Prediction: PARIVISION edge a tight series. PARIVISION 1-0, MOUZ 0-1.
FaZe bring elite firepower but can stall on T sides if early entries fail. HEROIC enter through ranking depth and need to prove they can consistently handle tier one pace.
Prediction: FaZe control the veto and convert late rounds. FaZe 1-0, HEROIC 0-1.
The headline match of round one. Vitality are the most structurally reliable team in the field. Strong CT sides, stable pistol conversion, and few anti-eco collapses. G2 are resilient but less consistent across map pools.
Prediction: Vitality secure the win and position themselves for a 3-0 run. Vitality 1-0, G2 0-1.
Falcons remain high ceiling but slightly volatile. 3DMAX are disciplined but lack consistent closing power against elite teams.
Prediction: Falcons outpace 3DMAX in mid-round tempo. Falcons 1-0, 3DMAX 0-1.
FURIA are dangerous in Swiss because they can snowball momentum off strong T side starts. Their volatility is real, but against B8 their experience and map control should prevail.
Prediction: FURIA win comfortably. FURIA 1-0, B8 0-1.
This is the most chaotic opening match. Both teams favor aggressive T sides and aim-heavy mid-round fights. Structure will decide it.
Prediction: Slight edge to The MongolZ based on recent tier one exposure. The MongolZ 1-0, paiN 0-1.
At this stage, conservative Pick'ems cards should lean toward Vitality, NAVI, FaZe, PARIVISION, Falcons, and FURIA as early anchors.
The 1-0 pool will likely include Vitality, NAVI, FaZe, PARIVISION, Falcons, FURIA, Aurora, and The MongolZ.
From there, depth separates contenders from pretenders.
Vitality are the strongest 3-0 candidate. Their map pool flexibility and disciplined CT sides make them difficult to push into elimination matches.
PARIVISION and NAVI profile as classic 3-1 teams. Both have the structure to recover from a single loss and stabilize.
FaZe and Falcons are high ceiling playoff candidates. Expect at least one of them to drop an upset map but recover in 2-1 matches.
FURIA project as a 3-1 or 3-2 team. Their volatility can cost them a series, but their firepower gives them multiple advancement paths.
MOUZ and G2 are dangerous in lower bracket Swiss matches. Both teams have shown the ability to grind through pressure scenarios and win elimination best of threes.
Aurora and FUT sit on the bubble. Either can reach 3-2 if vetoes align and early losses do not spiral.
HEROIC, Astralis, 3DMAX, B8, paiN face steeper climbs. They will need at least one upset against a higher ranked opponent to survive.
If you are building monthly rankings, prioritize teams with strong anti-eco discipline and reliable CT setups. Swiss punishes teams that lose 5v3s or drop force buy rounds.
3-0 candidate: Vitality
Strong advancement favorites: NAVI, PARIVISION, FaZe
Likely playoff teams: Falcons, FURIA, MOUZ
3-2 bubble fight: G2, Aurora
Elimination tier unless major upset: HEROIC, Astralis, 3DMAX, B8, paiN, FUT
Projected eight playoff teams: Vitality NAVI PARIVISION FaZe Falcons FURIA MOUZ G2
We dive deeper in the fantasy with role-based player predictions for the Swiss round:
Best in-game leader Prediction: Jame from PARIVISION
While apEX and karrigan bring pedigree, Jame pairs calling with a 1.07 rating and +96 K-D differential across 35 maps. In Swiss, stability plus individual output gives him the edge.
Best rifler Prediction: NiKo from Falcons
NiKo holds a 1.08 rating across 36 maps against strong opposition. His consistency in trade situations and multi-kill rounds positions him as the most reliable pure rifler in this field.
Best AWPer Prediction: ZywOo from Vitality
1.37 rating across 36 maps with +242 K-D differential. Highest impact profile entering the event. Safest elite performer.
Best opener Prediction: frozen from FaZe
With a 1.15 rating and strong opening duel presence, frozen's ability to convert first kills will shape FaZe's Swiss run.
Best multi fragger Prediction: donk from Spirit
Even though Spirit are not attending, his 1.41 rating across 29 maps sets the benchmark for multi-kill impact this season. Among attending players, m0NESY from Falcons at 1.22 rating is the strongest multi frag threat.
Stats hunter award Prediction: ZywOo
Highest combination of rating, K-D, and map volume among attending players. If Vitality go deep, he is statistically favored to finish as best rating player of the event.
Noob award, projected lowest rating among top teams Prediction: karrigan from FaZe
At 0.81 rating across 22 maps, he carries the lowest statistical baseline among leaders of playoff caliber teams. His value lies in calling, not fragging, which exposes him in raw rating metrics.
Xaxas
13.02.2026
Article TAGS
News Feed
Welcome back to The Weekly Clutch, your one-stop wrap-up of the biggest stories, spiciest drama, and most clutch moments across the esports world. Grab your popcorn, because this week had it all.
The final CS2 Major of the year is here, and with three Swiss stages before playoffs, the Budapest Major is a Pick’ems minefield.
As the CS2 projections shift toward the final stretch of 2025, one thing is clear: Brazil is back on top of the Counter-Strike world.
StarLadder Budapest Major Stage 1 delivered triple-overtime drama, dominant performances, and exposed vulnerabilities in tournament favorites as PARIVISION, Imperial, and FaZe advanced through contrasting victories.
PARIVISION stunned the CS2 scene with a dominant BLAST Bounty 2026 run, defeating ENCE, Astralis, Spirit, and FURIA to reach their first tier-one grand final behind zweih's immediate impact.
StarLadder Budapest Major Stage 2 delivered stunning upsets as favorites collapsed and underdogs rose, including NIP's historic 2-0 to elimination meltdown and PARIVISION's miracle rookie run to Stage 3.
Stage 2 at IEM Krakow proved Pick'ems strategy beats reputation as Spirit and Vitality dominated with efficiency while Aurora exceeded expectations and FURIA survived elimination pressure.
Master Mirage B site fundamentals through detailed CT defensive setups and T-side execute strategies, with practical utility lineups that elevate your understanding of professional Counter-Strike 2 tactical patterns and prediction accuracy.
The playoff stage of the CS Asia Championships 2025 is set, and four teams remain in contention for the title
Forget dry patch notes and serious match analysis - The Weekly Clutch is where we recap the entire CS2 week through memes, madness, and mild emotional damage.