ESL One Cologne 2014

Electronic Sports League One Cologne 2014, also known as ESL One Cologne 2014, was the third Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Major Championship. The tournament was held during Gamescom 2014 from August 14–17, 2014 at the Cologne Exhibition Centre in Cologne, Germany. It was the second CS:GO Major of 2014. It was organized by Electronic Sports League with sponsorship from Valve. The tournament had a total prize pool of US$250,000.^[1]

ESL One Cologne 2014

2014
The ESL One Cologne 2014 logo
Tournament information
Sport	Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
Location	Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
Dates	August 14, 2014–August 17, 2014
Administrator	Valve ESL
Tournament format(s)	16 team round-robin group stage Eight team single-elimination playoff
Host(s)	Gamescom 2014
Venue	Cologne Exhibition Centre
Teams	16 teams
Purse	$250,000 USD
Final positions
Champions	Ninjas in Pyjamas (1st title)
1st runners-up	Fnatic
2nd runners-up	Team LDLC.com Team Dignitas
MVP	Adam "friberg" Friberg
← Katowice 2014 Jönköping 2014 →

Ninjas in Pyjamas won the event by beating Fnatic 2–1 in the finals.^[2] The tournament was livestreamed on the official ESL Twitch channel. Over 400,000 concurrent viewers watched the grand finals, while 2,950,600 total unique viewers watched the event across four days.^[3]

Format

The top seven teams from EMS One Katowice 2014 qualified as Legends. LGB eSports would have had a Legends spot as the eighth finalist from Katowice 2014, but disbanded before Cologne 2014.^[4] Six teams from Europe, one team from North America, one team from the Oceanic region, and one team from India played online qualifiers in order to play in the tournament

Teams were split into four seeded groups, and all group matches were best-of-one. In the first round of matches, the highest and lowest seeds faced each other, and the second and third seeds played each other. The winner of those two matches then played to determine the first team to move on to the playoff stage, while the losers played to eliminate one team from the tournament. With one team advanced and one eliminated, the final two teams faced off to decide the remaining playoff spot. This format is known as the GSL format, named for the Global StarCraft II League.^[5]

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

Map Pool

There were seven maps to choose from, two more than the previous Major. Train was removed for the tournament, while Cache, Overpass, and Cobblestone were added. Overpass was released by Valve only a month before the tournament, and the decision to add a new map on such short notice before a Major caused some controversy.^[6]

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

Qualifiers

European Qualifier

There were 16 teams in the main European qualifier. Four teams from each regional qualifier – Open, North, Southeast, and Southwest – were in the tournament. The tournament was a best of three, double-elimination bracket, with six teams qualifying to the Major.

Winner's Bracket

Round 1

Round 2

Qualified

Cologne 2014

Natus Vincere

2

USSR Team

0

Natus Vincere

1

London Conspiracy

2

London Conspiracy

2

k1ck eSports Club

1

London Conspiracy

Q

dAT Team

Q

mousesports

0

dAT Team

2

dAT Team

2

ESG!

1

ESC Gaming

1

ESG!

2

Cologne 2014

→

Cologne 2014

→

Epsilon eSports

2

mTw

0

Epsilon eSports

2

Copenhagen Wolves

1

unu.Ain

0

Copenhagen Wolves

2

Epsilon eSports

Q

Titan

Q

ENCPOE

2

Planetkey Dynamics

0

ENCORE

0

Titan

2

tomtebloss

0

Titan

2

Loser's Bracket

Quarterfinals

Semifinals

Finals

ENCORE

2

k1ck eSports Club

0

ENCORE

0

Copenhagen Wolves

2

Copenhagen Wolves

2

mousesports

0

Copenhagen Wolves

Q

Natus Vincere

Q

ESG!

2

unu.Ain

1

ESG!

1

Natus Vincere

2

Natus Vincere

2

Planetkey Dynamics

0

North American Qualifier

This was a 16 team, single elimination bracket with just one team qualifying for the Major.

NA Qualifier Bracket

	Round of 16					Quarterfinals					Semifinals					Cologne 2014
	Team iBUYPOWER		→
	BYE
						Team iBUYPOWER		2
						devastation		0
	Anonymous 5		0
	devastation		1
											Team iBUYPOWER		2
											tNt		0
	Team JustUs		0
	Defiant Ghosts		1
						Defiant Ghosts		0
						tNt		2
	xero error gaming		0
	tNt		1
																Team iBUYPOWER		2
																LunatiK eSports		0
	LunatiK eSports		1
	fujiboyz		0
						LunatiK eSports		2
						Exertus eSports		0
	Exertus eSports		1
	Mobility Gaming		0
											LunatiK eSports		2
											Flaming Rainbows		0
	Armata Gaming		0
	Adaptation		1
						Adaptation		0
						Flaming Rainbows		2
	BYE
	Flaming Rainbows		→

Oceanic Qualifier

This was an 8 team, single elimination bracket with just one team qualifying for the Major.

Oceania Qualifier Bracket

	Quarterfinals					Semifinals					Finals
	Vox Eminor		2
	Athletico Esports		0
						Vox Eminor		2
						Fallen		0
	Fallen		2
	Qlimax Crew		0
											Vox Eminor		2
											Team Immunity		0
	Team Immunity		2
	Control e-Sports		1
						Team Immunity		2
						Avant Garde		1
	auRa eSports		0
	Avant Garde		2

Indian Qualifier

LGB eSports, which placed third at the previous Major, disbanded, so only seven Legends remained. The tournament organizers decided to fill up the remaining spot with a team from India. This qualifier had 8 teams. The teams played in a robin round and the top four teams played in a double elimination bracket.

Indian Qualifier Grand Final

	Cologne 2014
	Team Wolf		2
	Virtual Impact		0

Broadcast Talent

Hosts

• Paul "ReDeYe" Chaloner
• Scott "SirScoots" Smith

Analyst

• Richard Lewis

Commentators

• Anders Blume
• Auguste "Semmler" Massonnat
• Joshua "steel" Nissan
• Stuart "TosspoT" Saw
• Lauren "Pansy" Scott

Teams

Legends Cloud9 Fnatic Hellraisers Ninjas in Pyjamas Team Dignitas Team LDLC.com Virtus.pro	Qualifiers Copenhagen Wolves dAt Team[a] Epsilon eSports London Conspiracy Natus Vincere Team iBUYPOWER Team Wolf Titan Vox Eminor

1. One of the players on dAT Team, Egor "flamie" Vasilyev, was alleged to have cheated in a qualifier by using an account that may not have been his.^[7] Ultimately he was allowed to compete.

Group stage

Group A

Pos	Team	W	L	RF	RA	RD	Pts
1	Epsilon eSports	2	0	32	7	+25	6
2	Ninjas in Pyjamas	2	1	38	34	+4	6
3	HellRaisers	1	2	26	33	−7	3
4	Team Wolf	0	2	11	32	−21	0

Group A matches
Team	Score	Map	Score	Team
Ninjas in Pyjamas	16	Dust II	7	Team Wolf
HellRaisers	1	Inferno	16	Epsilon eSports
HellRaisers	16	Mirage	4	Team Wolf
Ninjas in Pyjamas	6	Cobblestone	16	Epsilon eSports
Ninjas in Pyjamas	16	Overpass	11	HellRaisers

Group B

Pos	Team	W	L	RF	RA	RD	Pts
1	Team LDLC.com	2	0	32	14	+18	6
2	Natus Vincere	2	1	47	39	+8	6
3	Copenhagen Wolves	1	2	39	40	−1	3
4	London Conspiracy	0	2	7	32	−25	0

Group B matches
Team	Score	Map	Score	Team
Team LDLC.com	16	Nuke	2	London Conspiracy
Natus Vincere	16	Inferno	4	Copenhagen Wolves
Copenhagen Wolves	16	Cache	5	London Conspiracy
Team LDLC.com	16	Inferno	12	Natus Vincere
Natus Vincere	19	Dust II	17	Copenhagen Wolves

Group C

Pos	Team	W	L	RF	RA	RD	Pts
1	Fnatic	2	0	35	23	+12	6
2	Virtus.pro	2	1	48	28	+20	6
3	Team iBUYPOWER	1	2	33	45	−12	3
4	dAT Team	0	2	15	32	−17	0

Group C matches
Team	Score	Map	Score	Team
Virtus.pro	16	Overpass	7	dAT Team
Fnatic	16	Cobblestone	7	Team iBUYPOWER
Team iBUYPOWER	16	Cobblestone	6	dAT Team
Virtus.pro	16	Overpass	19	Fnatic
Virtus.pro	16	Cache	2	Team iBUYPOWER

Group D

Pos	Team	W	L	RF	RA	RD	Pts
1	Cloud9	2	0	38	32	+4	6
2	Team Dignitas	2	1	46	26	+20	6
3	Titan	1	2	35	39	−4	3
4	Vox Eminor	0	2	10	32	−22	0

Group D matches
Team	Score	Map	Score	Team
Team Dignitas	16	Dust II	9	Vox Eminor
Cloud9	22	Dust II	18	Titan
Titan	16	Nuke	1	Vox Eminor
Team Dignitas	14	Mirage	16	Cloud9
Team Dignitas	16	Nuke	2	Titan

Playoffs

Bracket

	Quarterfinals					Semifinals					Finals
	Fnatic		2
	Natus Vincere		1
						Fnatic		2
						Team Dignitas		0
	Epsilon eSports		0
	Team Dignitas		2
											Fnatic		1
											Ninjas in Pyjamas		2
	Team LDLC.com		2
	Virtus.pro		0
						Team LDLC.com		1
						Ninjas in Pyjamas		2
	Cloud9		1
	Ninjas in Pyjamas		2

Quarterfinals

Fnatic vs Natus Vincere
Team	Score	Map	Score	Team
Fnatic	16	Inferno	11	Natus Vincere
Fnatic	7	Dust II	16	Natus Vincere
Fnatic	16	Nuke	14	Natus Vincere

Epsilon eSports vs Team Dignitas
Team	Score	Map	Score	Team
Epsilon eSports	9	Dust II	16	Team Dignitas
Epsilon eSports	8	Inferno	16	Team Dignitas
Epsilon eSports	–	Overpass	–	Team Dignitas

Team LDLC.com vs Virtus.pro
Team	Score	Map	Score	Team
Team LDLC.com	16	Dust II	14	Virtus.pro
Team LDLC.com	16	Mirage	12	Virtus.pro
Team LDLC.com	–	Inferno	–	Virtus.pro

Cloud9 vs Ninjas in Pyjamas
Team	Score	Map	Score	Team
Cloud9	16	Nuke	8	Ninjas in Pyjamas
Cloud9	14	Dust II	16	Ninjas in Pyjamas
Cloud9	14	Cobblestone	16	Ninjas in Pyjamas

Semifinals

Fnatic vs Team Dignitas
Team	Score	Map	Score	Team
Fnatic	16	Dust II	11	Team Dignitas
Fnatic	16	Overpass	14	Team Dignitas
Fnatic	–	Inferno	–	Team Dignitas

Team LDLC.com vs Ninjas in Pyjamas
Team	Score	Map	Score	Team
Team LDLC.com	16	Inferno	10	Ninjas in Pyjamas
Team LDLC.com	6	Nuke	16	Ninjas in Pyjamas
Team LDLC.com	14	Cobblestone	16	Ninjas in Pyjamas

Finals

Fnatic vs Ninjas in Pyjamas
Team	Score	Map	Score	Team
Fnatic	11	Cobblestone	16	Ninjas in Pyjamas
Fnatic	16	Cache	8	Ninjas in Pyjamas
Fnatic	13	Inferno	16	Ninjas in Pyjamas

Final standings

Place	Prize Money	Team	Seed for DreamHack Winter 2014	Roster	Coach
1st	US$100,000	Ninjas in Pyjamas	Legends status	f0rest, GeT RiGhT, Xizt, friberg, Fifflaren	pita
2nd	US$50,000	Fnatic		JW, flusha, pronax, olofmeister, KRiMZ	Devilwalk
3rd–4th	US$22,000	Team Dignitas		FeTiSh, dev1ce, aizy, dupreeh, Xyp9x	3k2
		Team LDLC.com		Uzzziii, Happy, KQLY, apEX, Maniac	MoMan
5–8th	$10,000	Epsilon eSports		Sf, fxy0, kioShiMa, GMX, shox	–
		Natus Vincere		Edward, Zeus, starix, seized, GuardiaN	–
		Virtus.pro		TaZ, NEO, pashaBiceps, byali, Snax	–
		Cloud9		Hiko, sgares, n0thing, shroud, Semphis	–
9–12th	$2,000	HellRaisers	–	ANGE1, kucher, markeloff, AdreN Dosia	–
		Copenhagen Wolves		gla1ve, Pimp, cajunb, karrigan, Nico	–
		Titan		kennyS, SmithZz, NBK, ScreaM, Ex6TenZ	–
		Team iBUYPOWER		DaZeD, Skadoodle, swag, steel, AZK	–
13–16th	$2,000	Team Wolf		RiTz, RiX, aStarrr, Ace, MithilF	kassad
		London Conspiracy		RUBINO, rain, Skurk, prb, Polly	–
		dAT Team		WorldEdit, flamie, ub1que, bondik, B1ad3	–
		Vox Eminor		AZR, Havoc, SPUNJ, jks, topguN	–