CS2 Tournaments Pick'ems Guide: Stake Ranked Episode 4 Opening Round Picks

Stake Ranked returns to Barcelona for its fourth episode. The StarLadder-run LAN runs from October 1 to 4, with eight teams fighting over a $100,000 prize pool. The champion takes home $25,000.

The format is double elimination. Every series is a best-of-three except the Grand Final, which goes to a best-of-five. That means one loss on Thursday is not fatal, but it does push a team onto the longer and harder road.

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Six teams earned direct invites: FaZe, Astralis, B8, BIG, Luminosity and Alliance. Fnatic and Nemiga filled the last two spots through the European closed qualifier.

Every opening match is live on GoCore Pick'ems. Lock in your quarterfinal calls before B8 and Luminosity kick things off on Thursday, because a clean first day is the easiest way to climb the leaderboard early.

Why Stake Ranked Episode 4 Is the Next CS2 tournament to Watch

For many of these rosters, this is the next cs2 tournament that directly shapes their season. Stake Ranked was built as a Tier 2 to Tier 1 pathway, and the ranking points on offer matter heading into the final months of 2026.

FaZe vs Nemiga

FaZe arrive with the strongest recent resume in the field. They finished third at Stake Ranked Episode 2 and reached the semifinals at both XSE Pro League and BLAST Bounty Summer.

Nemiga earned their spot the hard way. They opened the qualifier with a narrow win over Iberian Soul, then swept Nemesis and FOKUS. Barcelona is the organization's first international LAN in over a year.

That rust is the key factor here. FaZe have been deep in big brackets all summer, and their experience on stage should decide the tight rounds.

Pick: FaZe 2-0 Nemiga

Astralis vs Alliance

Astralis sit alongside FaZe as the tournament favorites. The HooXi-led roster brings structure and a deep map pool into a bracket where most opponents rely on firepower.

Alliance have shown signs of life lately, but they have not hit the same highs as the Danes. Expect Astralis to control the pace and punish loose mid-round decisions.

Pick: Astralis 2-1 Alliance

The Best CS2 Players to Watch in Barcelona

Two of the opening series hinge on individual form. That makes them the perfect stage for the best CS2 players in the field to swing a map on their own.

BIG vs Fnatic

BIG bring a veteran core in tabseN and JDC, with faveN and gr1ks adding firepower. They are the more complete team on paper and hold the higher ranking.

Fnatic will not go down quietly. They played the full three maps in all three qualifier series. They came back from 5-12 down against Virtus.pro and nearly threw a 10-2 lead against BBL before closing out Ninjas in Pyjamas. That shows grit, but it also shows inconsistency. BIG's steadier structure should hold.

Pick: BIG 2-1 Fnatic

Luminosity vs B8

This is the closest call of the opening day. Both teams have looked sharp recently, and many analysts rank them just behind FaZe and Astralis.

B8 carry the higher world ranking, but Luminosity have the style to cause problems in a best-of-three. We are backing Luminosity to take the upset and open the tournament with a statement.

Pick: Luminosity 2-1 B8

If you want a safe foundation, FaZe and Astralis are the picks to lock first. Luminosity is where you can separate yourself from the pack.

What Comes Next

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The four winners move into the upper bracket semifinals, one step from the Grand Final. The four losers drop to the lower bracket, where one more loss ends their tournament. With a best-of-five final on October 4, the champion will need to survive a long weekend in Barcelona.

TL;DR

• Stake Ranked Episode 4 runs October 1 to 4 in Barcelona, Spain, for a $100,000 prize pool
• Eight teams, double elimination, best-of-three series with a best-of-five Grand Final
• Fnatic and Nemiga qualified; the other six teams were invited
• Picks: FaZe over Nemiga, Astralis over Alliance, BIG over Fnatic, Luminosity over B8