ChaiViz
25.04.2026
The Thunderpick World Championship 2026: North American Series is getting underway, and the opening round delivers four Group Stage matches spread across two days. Some of these are contested on paper and some are closer to formalities, but every pick counts when you are building your leaderboard position from the ground up.
Gocore will have tips covering Group Stage matches as the tournament progresses, so check back regularly for updated analysis as results come in and bracket implications take shape.
FarmVille come into this match as clear favorites, and their map data over the last six months justifies that status. They have posted a 73% winrate on Dust2 across 15 maps, which puts them firmly in elite territory for consistency on that surface. Ancient adds a reliable second option at 60% across another 15 maps over the same period.
The one potential opening for OverKnight lies on Mirage. FarmVille treat it as a priority ban, and on the rare occasions it has been allowed through, they have managed only a 38% winrate. That is a real weakness, but one FarmVille are clearly aware of and actively protect against in the veto. Unless OverKnight can force an unlikely map pool scenario, they will be competing on unfavorable ground throughout.
Head-to-head history reinforces the picture, with FarmVille taking the most recent meeting between these sides.
Predicted winner: FarmVille
Aether look even more dominant here. A 62% winrate on Nuke across 13 maps in the last six months gives them a strong map anchor, and their head-to-head record against Shimmer sits at a clean 2-0.
Their one notable weakness is Dust2, which they ban at a 92% rate. On the handful of occasions it has made it through the veto, Aether have won just 20% of the time. That is a significant hole in their profile, but one they have been diligent about avoiding throughout the year. Shimmer would need a best-case veto scenario just to get competitive. Aether should control this one from the start.
Predicted winner: Aether
insane players arrive on the back of seven consecutive wins and a perfect 100% winrate on Mirage from six map picks over the last six months. That kind of form and map consistency does not leave much ambiguity about where this match is heading.
Incognito's last relevant competitive appearance according to HLTV was in 2020. There is very little to suggest they are equipped to compete at this level right now. This is as close to a free point as the opening round offers. Lock it in with confidence.
Predicted winner: insane players
The final match of the opening round is a straightforward read on paper. InControl carry a 60% overall winrate across the last six months, built on a 53% winrate on Nuke across 19 maps and a 58% winrate on Mirage across 12. Those numbers reflect a team that executes reliably across multiple surfaces without leaning heavily on a single map.
girl kissers have not recorded a win in the last six months. Their last official win dates back to July 2025. There is nothing in the recent record to suggest that changes here, making InControl the safe and logical pick to close out the first day of Group B play.
Predicted winner: InControl
Four matches, four identifiable favorites. The Thunderpick World Championship 2026: North American Series opening round gives Pick'ems players a strong foundation to work from before the Group Stage heats up. Keep an eye on Gocore for continued tips and coverage as the remaining matches take shape.
ChaiViz
25.04.2026
Article TAGS
News Feed
Stake Ranked Episode 3 brings together eight teams in a double-elimination battle for $100,000. Here is your complete Pick'ems breakdown.
9z completed one of the most impressive playoff runs in XSE Pro League history, sweeping PARIVISION in the Grand Final to claim the organization's first international LAN trophy after a string of three-map thrillers.
IEM Rio 2026 has reached the playoff stage, and the Pick'ems decisions just got a lot harder. Here is a breakdown of every bracket matchup, safe and risk picks, and the championship call that could define your leaderboard position.
The Thunderpick World Championship 2026 Europe Series 1 opens group stage play across May 23rd and 25th with eight first-round matches across four groups. Here are our picks for every fixture before the brackets lock in.
IEM Rio's bracket stage delivered exactly what the opening day hinted at. The favorites held firm where it mattered most, but the deeper rounds exposed cracks, momentum swings, and the kind of volatility that defines elite Counter-Strike.
OMEGA, 2007, KOLESIE, and VRSDelivery have already punched their tickets to the quarterfinals. Four Round of 16 matches remain, and OG look like the team to beat for the title.
Eight teams remain at the IEM Cologne Major and our Stage 3 predictions earned mixed results. Here is how the picks landed and where we stand heading into the LANXESS Arena.
FaZe Clan will miss the IEM Cologne Major 2026, ending a Major attendance streak stretching back to their Counter-Strike debut in 2016, after a catastrophic run of 2026 results wiped out their VRS qualification chances.
Team Falcons and MOUZ headline a loaded Group B quarterfinal round at BLAST Open Fall 2026, with FUT Esports and Team Vitality both tasked with clearing tricky opening tests.
Four teams punched their tickets to the CS2 Esports World Cup 2026 main event after three grueling days in Paris, with 100 Thieves headlining the qualifiers and notable names like Team Liquid and BC.Game's s1mple going home empty-handed.