DreamHack Winter 2014

DreamHack Winter 2014 was the fourth Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Major Championship, held from November 27–29, 2014 at Elmia in Jönköping. It was organized by DreamHack and sponsored by Valve. The tournament had a total prize pool of US$250,000.^[1] The eight quarter-finalists from the previous Major, ESL One Cologne 2014 received direct invitations, while qualifiers were held for the remaining spots.

DreamHack Winter 2014

2014
The DreamHack Winter 2014 logo
Tournament information
Sport	Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
Location	Jönköping, Sweden
Dates	November 27, 2014–December 29, 2014
Administrator	Valve DreamHack
Tournament format(s)	16 team round-robin group stage Eight team single-elimination playoff
Host(s)	DreamHack
Venue	Elmia
Teams	16
Purse	$250,000 USD
Final positions
Champions	Team LDLC.com (1st title)
1st runners-up	Ninjas in Pyjamas
2nd runners-up	Virtus.pro Natus Vincere
MVP	Vincent "Happy" Schopenhauer
← Cologne 2014 Katowice 2015 →

Team LDLC was the winner of the event after beating Ninjas in Pyjamas 2–1 in the finals.^[2]

Format

The top eight teams from ESL One Cologne 2014 ("Legends") received direct invitations to DreamHack Winter 2014. Two of these invitations were rescinded after a cheating scandal, leaving ten spots (the "Challengers") to be filled by a mixtures of qualifiers and invites. Five teams from Europe, one team from North America, and two teams from a "Last Call LAN Qualifier" qualified for the tournament. After the scheduled qualifiers were completed, two teams were directly invited to the Major to fill the final two spots.^[3]

Teams were split up into four groups, and all group matches were best-of-ones. The highest seed would play the lowest seed in each group and the second and third seeds would play against each other. The winner of those two matches would play each other to determine which team moved on to the playoff stage, while the losers of the first round of matches also played. The loser of the lower match was then eliminated from the tournament. With one team advanced and one eliminated, the two remaining teams would play an elimination match for the second playoff spot. This format is known as the GSL format, named for the Global StarCraft II League.^[4]

The playoffs bracket consisted of eight teams, two from each group. All of these matches were best-of-three, single elimination. Teams advanced in the bracket until a winner was decided.

Map pool

The seven-map pool did not change from ESL One Cologne 2014. Before each match in the group stage, both teams banned two maps. The map for the match was then randomly selected from the remaining three maps. In the playoffs, each team first banned one map, then chose one map. The two chosen maps were the first two maps in the best-of-three. If the series were to require a third map, the map was randomly selected from the three remaining maps.

Maps Cache Cobblestone Dust II Inferno Mirage Nuke Overpass

Regional qualifiers

European Closed Qualifier

European Qualifier

Round 1

Round 2

DH Winter 2014

DH Winter 2014

Team LDLC.com

2

AliGon

0

Team LDLC.com

2

myXMG

0

dAT Team

1

myXMG

2

Team LDLC.com

Q

Planetkey Dynamics

Q

3DMAX

1

Flipsid3 Tactics

2

Flipsid3 Tactics

0

Planetkey Dynamics

2

mousesports

0

Planetkey Dynamics

2

DreamHack Winter 2014

→

DreamHack Winter 2014

→

Copenhagen Wolves

0

ESC Gaming

2

ESC Gaming

2

Team Alternate

0

London Conspiracy

1

Team Alternate

2

ESC Gaming

Q

PENTA Sports

Q

x6tence

0

PENTA Sports

2

PENTA Sports

2

HellRaisers

0

HellRaisers

2

duttdutt

0

	5th Place Decider					DH Winter 2014
	myXMG		2
	Flipsid3 Tactics		1
						myXMG		0
						HellRaisers		2
	Team Alternate		0
	HellRaisers		2

North America Closed Qualifier

North America Qualifier

	Quarterfinals					Semifinals					Finals
	Team iBUYPOWER		16
	WeRidePonies		2
						Team iBUYPOWER		16
						eLevate		7
	eLevate		16
	'SapphireKelwona		5
											Team iBUYPOWER		2
											NetCodeGuides.com		1
	NetCodeGuides.com		16
	dxm		5
						NetCodeGuides.com		16
						Denial eSports		10
	Denial eSports		16
	The Stream Team		14

Last Call LAN Qualifier

Last Call Qualifier; Stockholm, Sweden

	5th Place Decider					DH Winter 2014
	Copenhagen Wolves		2
	3DMAX		1
						Copenhagen Wolves		16
						Flipsid3 Tactics		6
	Flipsid3 Tactics		2
	London Conspiracy		0

Broadcast talent

Host

• Scott "SirScoots" Smith

Stage Host

• James Duffield

Analyst

• Duncan "Thorin" Shields

Commentators

• Auguste "Semmler" Massonnat
• Anders Blume
• Robin "Fifflaren" Johansson
• Stuart "TosspoT" Saw

Teams

The most notable pre-Major team change came after a cheating scandal involving three French players. Two teams that achieved Legends status at the previous Major were dropped from their Legends spots. Titan, whose roster achieved Legends status as Team LDLC.com,^[5] was disqualified from the tournament after Hovik "KQLY" Tovmassian was caught cheating. At the same time, Epsilon eSports was disqualified after Gordon "Sf" Giry was found to be cheating. The two players and Simon "smn" Beck were then VAC banned by Valve and were permanently banned from any Valve-sponsored tournaments, including Majors. Titan and Epsilons' spots were then filled by Copenhagen Wolves and Flipsid3 Tactics, teams advancing from a new qualifier.^[6]

Legends Ninjas in Pyjamas Fnatic Team Dignitas Natus Vincere Cloud9 Virtus.pro	Challengers Team LDLC.com Planetkey Dynamics PENTA Sports ESC Gaming HellRaisers Team iBUYPOWER Copenhagen Wolves Flipsid3 Tactics myXMG[a] Bravado Gaming[a]

1. Bravado Gaming and myXMG were directly invited to the tournament. Bravado did not play in any qualifier. myXMG failed to qualify through the European qualifier but was still invited.

Group stage

Group A

Pos	Team	W	L	RF	RA	RD	Pts
1	HellRaisers	2	0	32	19	+13	6
2	Fnatic	2	1	46	23	+23	6
3	Cloud9	1	2	26	33	−7	3
4	Bravado Gaming	0	2	3	32	−29	0

Group A Matches
Team	Score	Map	Score	Team
Fnatic	16	Mirage	2	Bravado Gaming
Cloud9	5	Inferno	16	HellRaisers
Fnatic	14	Mirage	16	HellRaisers
Cloud9	16	Cache	1	Bravado Gaming
Fnatic	16	Dust II	5	Cloud9

Group B

Pos	Team	W	L	RF	RA	RD	Pts
1	Team Dignitas	2	0	32	16	+16	6
2	PENTA Sports	2	1	41	41	+0	6
3	Team iBUYPOWER	1	2	36	36	+0	3
4	Copenhagen Wolves	0	2	16	32	−16	0

Group B Matches
Team	Score	Map	Score	Team
Team Dignitas	16	Nuke	9	PENTA Sports
Team iBUYPOWER	16	Nuke	4	Copenhagen Wolves
Team Dignitas	16	Nuke	7	Team iBUYPOWER
PENTA Sports	16	Dust II	12	Copenhagen Wolves
Team iBUYPOWER	13	Inferno	16	PENTA Sports

Group C

Pos	Team	W	L	RF	RA	RD	Pts
1	Team LDLC.com	2	0	32	17	+15	6
2	Ninjas in Pyjamas	2	1	41	36	+5	6
3	ESC Gaming	1	2	33	45	−12	3
4	Planetkey Dynamics	0	2	15	32	−17	0

Group C Matches
Team	Score	Map	Score	Team
Ninjas in Pyjamas	16	Overpass	2	Planetkey Dynamics
Team LDLC.com	16	Cobblestone	4	ESC Gaming
Ninjas in Pyjamas	13	Overpass	16	Team LDLC.com
ESC Gaming	16	Mirage	13	Planetkey Dynamics
Ninjas in Pyjamas	16	Cache	13	ESC Gaming

Group D

Pos	Team	W	L	RF	RA	RD	Pts
1	Virtus.pro	2	0	32	4	+28	6
2	Natus Vincere	2	1	37	39	−2	6
3	Flipsid3 Tactics	1	2	39	46	−7	3
4	myXMG	0	2	13	32	−19	0

Group D Matches
Team	Score	Map	Score	Team
Virtus.pro	16	Inferno	2	myXMG
Natus Vincere	16	Mirage	8	Flipsid3 Tactics
Virtus.pro	16	Nuke	2	Natus Vincere
Flipsid3 Tactics	16	Mirage	11	myXMG
Natus Vincere	19	Overpass	15	Flipsid3 Tactics

Playoffs

Bracket

	Quarterfinals					Semifinals					Finals
	HellRaisers		0
	Ninjas in Pyjamas		2
						Ninjas in Pyjamas		2
						Virtus.pro		0
	Virtus.pro		2
	PENTA Sports		0
											Ninjas in Pyjamas		1
											Team LDLC.com		2
	Team LDLC.com		2[a]
	Fnatic		1
						Team LDLC.com		2
						Natus Vincere		0
	Team Dignitas		0
	Natus Vincere		2

1. The third map originally ended with a Fnatic win. However, the match was to be replayed due to both teams violating in-game rules. After community backlash directed at Fnatic, Fnatic forfeited the match.

Quarterfinals scores

HellRaisers vs. Ninjas in Pyjamas

Casters: Anders Blume & Semmler

HellRaisers vs. Ninjas in Pyjamas
Team	Score	Map	Score	Team
HellRaisers	5	Dust II	16	Ninjas in Pyjamas
HellRaisers	5	Inferno	16	Ninjas in Pyjamas
HellRaisers	–	Overpass	–	Ninjas in Pyjamas

Virtus.pro vs. PENTA Sports

Casters: TosspoT & Fifflaren

Virtus.pro vs. PENTA Sports
Team	Score	Map	Score	Team
Virtus.pro	16	Cache	9	PENTA Sports
Virtus.pro	16	Mirage	5	PENTA Sports
Virtus.pro	–	Nuke	–	PENTA Sports

Team LDLC.com vs. Fnatic

Casters: Anders Blume & Semmler

Team LDLC.com vs. Fnatic
Team	Score	Map	Score	Team
Team LDLC.com	16	Dust II	10	Fnatic
Team LDLC.com	8	Cache	16	Fnatic
Team LDLC.com	W	Overpass	F	Fnatic

Team Dignitas vs. Natus Vincere

Casters: TosspoT & Fifflaren

Team Dignitas vs. Natus Vincere
Team	Score	Map	Score	Team
Team Dignitas	3	Cobblestone	16	Natus Vincere
Team Dignitas	13	Mirage	16	Natus Vincere
Team Dignitas	–	Overpass	–	Natus Vincere

Semifinals scores

Ninjas in Pyjamas vs. Virtus.pro

Casters: TosspoT vs. Fifflaren

Ninjas in Pyjamas vs. Virtus.pro
Team	Score	Map	Score	Team
Ninjas in Pyjamas	22	Nuke	20	Virtus.pro
Ninjas in Pyjamas	10	Cache	16	Virtus.pro
Ninjas in Pyjamas	16	Inferno	8	Virtus.pro

Team LDLC.com vs. Natus Vincere

Casters: Anders Blume & Semmler

Team LDLC.com vs. Natus Vincere
Team	Score	Map	Score	Team
Team LDLC.com	16	Mirage	11	Natus Vincere
Team LDLC.com	16	Inferno	11	Natus Vincere
Team LDLC.com	–	Cobblestone	–	Natus Vincere

Finals scores

NiP was the defending Major champions and was also making its fourth straight Major final appearance. Team LDLC.com became the first French team to appear in a CS:GO Major final.

Casters: Anders Blume & Semmler

Ninjas in Pyjamas vs. Team LDLC.com
Team	Score	Map	Score	Team
Ninjas in Pyjamas	10	Dust II	16	Team LDLC.com
Ninjas in Pyjamas	16	Inferno	4	Team LDLC.com
Ninjas in Pyjamas	16	Overpass	19	Team LDLC.com

Final standings

Place	Prize Money	Team	Seed for ESL One Katowice 2015	Roster	Coach
1st	US$100,000	Team LDLC.com	Legends status	kioShiMa, Happy, SmithZz, NBK, shox	MoMaN
2nd	US$50,000	Ninjas in Pyjamas		f0rest, GeT RiGhT, Xizt, friberg, Maikelele	pita
3rd–4th	US$22,000	Natus Vincere		Edward, Zeus, starix, seized, GuardiaN	–
		Virtus.pro		TaZ, NEO, pashaBiceps, byali, Snax	–
5–8th	US$10,000	HellRaisers		ANGE1, kucher, markeloff, s1mple, Dosia	B1ad3
		Fnatic		JW, flusha, pronax, olofmeister, KRiMZ	Devilwalk
		Team Dignitas		FeTiSh, dev1ce, cajunb, dupreeh, Xyp9x	3k2
		PENTA Sports		r0bs3n, Spidii, denis, kRYSTAL, fel1x	–
9–12th	US$2,000	Flipsid3 Tactics	Main Qualifier invitation	twist, berg, zende, BENDJI, Dumas	–
		ESC Gaming		innocent, SZPERO, mouz, MINISE, rallen	–
		Cloud9		Hiko, sgares, n0thing, shroud, SEMPHIS	–
		Team iBuyPower		nitr0, Skadoodle, swag, desi, AZK	lrukandji
13–16th	US$2,000	Bravado Gaming		Cent, Detrony, Racno, bLacKpoisoN, deviaNt	–
		Copenhagen Wolves		gla1ve, Pimp, tenzki, Kjaerbye, cadiaN	–
		Planetkey Dynamics		strux1, alexRr, Troubley, nex, stavros	–
		myXMG		MSL, HUNDEN, AcilioN, Friis, smF	–