BIG and 3DMAX have caused a collective shakeup in the PW Shanghai Major 2024 EU RMR B by qualifying first as 3:0 winners. This throws the bracket into potential disarray, as other favorites may now be left facing each other for a spot at the upcoming CS2 Major. While the EU RMR A largely saw favorites go through without issue, we’ve already seen some shocking results in the B bracket.
BIG and 3DMAX make shock 3:0 runs
Credit: Perfect World
If you had asked just about anyone your favorites for the PW Shanghai Major 2024 EU RMR B, very few would have nominated BIG and 3DMAX. You may have had them progressing by tight margins, but 3:0? It sounded unfathomable. But CS is a funny old game, and that’s what these two teams have managed to achieve here.
For BIG, they were undoubtedly fortunate to come up against Passion UA, a team that were a surprise package in the 2:0 bracket. They won’t be complaining, especially after missing the PGL Major Copenhagen 2024 entirely earlier this year. Meanwhile, 3DMAX’s run has been legit, even managing to reverse-sweep G2 in the best-of-three progression match, with Lucky playing some of his best-ever CS.
These surprise 3:0 runs will have huge knock-on effects as we come to the end of the EU RMR B – we can’t wait to see what happens.
G2 and Spirit both sit at 2:1
Credit: Perfect World
Speaking of teams we expected to go 3:0, it’s G2 and Spirit! Rather than going all the way immediately, both of these teams find themselves in a precarious spot in the 2:1 bracket. Normally, we’d back both to progress still, but due to seeding, G2 and Spirit are actually set to face one another in tomorrow’s match. While this guarantees one team goes to the Major, it also places one in the hellish 2:2 bracket.
G2 are only here after they failed to convert a big lead over 3DMAX in the 2:0 bracket. They’ll be immensely frustrated at their situation, especially given it’s their “last dance” moment. Meanwhile, Spirit’s only loss was a surprising one against Passion UA, although today, they did manage to beat Aurora in the 1:1 bracket. These two teams need to be at the Major, but there’s a very real chance that the loser of tomorrow’s matchup won’t make it all the way.
Astralis and Eternal Fire barely stay alive
Credit: Perfect World
It’s the last chance saloon for Astralis and Eternal Fire. Astralis, playing with dev1ce instead of br0, found themselves in the miserable 0:2 bracket after the first day, and only narrowly scraped past B8 in the best-of-three survival match. They’ve looked utterly dismal so far, and incredibly, br0 has looked like one of their best players. Not a good sign for the team looking to avoid missing four Majors in a row.
Meanwhile, Eternal Fire find themselves in the same situation. Eternal Fire were 1:1 after day one, but an unconvincing loss to Sashi on day two ensured they fell to the 1:2 bracket all the same. Eternal Fire have been a threat throughout many LANs in 2024, so to see them miss the PW Shanghai Major 2024 would be an enormous shock.
But they’ve both still got a chance to make it… right? Wrong. Astralis and Eternal Fire, arguably the two best teams (on paper) in the 1:2 bracket, have been matched up against one another in the fight for survival. One must go, and the other must complete the gauntlet of the 2:2 bracket and potentially the 7th place decider match, too. If either Astralis or EF are going to make it to the Major, they’ll be taking the hardest route possible.