PGL Major: Kraków 2017


PGL Major: Kraków 2017, also known as PGL Major 2017 or Kraków 2017, was the eleventh Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Major Championship. It is the first Major organized by the Romanian organization PGL and it was held in Kraków, Poland from July 16 to 23, 2017. It featured sixteen professional CS:GO teams from around the world. Eight teams qualified directly based on their top eight placement in the previous Major, ELEAGUE Major 2017, while another eight teams qualified through the Offline Major Qualifier. The PGL Major was the fourth consecutive major with a prize pool of 1,000,000.
The playoffs consisted of eight teams. Astralis, Fnatic, Gambit Esports, North, SK Gaming, and Virtus.pro were returning Legends while BIG and Immortals were new Legends. FaZe Clan and Natus Vincere lost their Legends status after failing to advance from the group stage. The grand finals featured two underdogs: Gambit Esports, which defeated Fnatic and Astralis, and Immortals, which defeated BIG and Virtus.pro. The Major concluded with Gambit defeating Immortals 2–1 in a relatively close best-of-three series, marking just the third time a non-European team won a Major and the first time an Asian team won a Major.

Format

The format remained the same as the previous Major. The top eight teams from Atlanta 2017 were automatically invited to Kraków 2017. The remaining eight spots were filled by teams that advanced from the PGL Major Krakow 2017 Main Qualifier. The Krakow 2017 Main Qualifier was a 16-team Swiss-system tournament consisting of the bottom eight teams from Atlanta 2017, as well as eight teams promoted from four regional qualifiers. The top eight teams at the Main Qualifier, teams with three wins, then advanced to the Major as the "Challengers".
The group stage of the Major was also a 16-team Swiss-system group stage. The top eight teams at the end of the group stage, teams with three wins, advanced to the playoff stage and became the new Legends. Teams with three losses were eliminated, but earned an invite to the next Major's offline qualifier. All playoff matches were best-of-three, single elimination.

Map Pool

The map pool was changed for this major. Dust II was taken out of the active map pool and Valve reintroduced Inferno, which had been taken out of the map pool and revamped.
The veto process was also changed for best-of-one games. One team decided whether to veto maps first or second. The team that vetoes first removed two maps. The second team vetoed three maps. The first team then chose one of the two remaining maps. The second team then chose the side it wanted to start on. The best-of-three veto process was unchanged. Each team first banned a map, leaving a five-map pool. Each team then chose a map, with the opposing team selecting which side they wanted to start on for their opponent's map choice. The two map picks were the first two maps in the best-of-three. The teams then each banned one more map, leaving one map remaining for the best-of-three decider if necessary.

Major qualifier

Regional qualifiers

Asia Minor

A total of eight teams will compete in the Asia Minor. Two teams will be invited and the other six will qualify in their regional qualifiers. These teams include one team from East Asia, one team from the Middle East, one team from China, one team from Oceania, and two teams from the India & Southeast Asia qualifier.

CIS Minor

A total of eight teams will compete in the Commonwealth of Independent States Minor. The eight teams that participated in this minor all qualified through the closed qualifier. In the closed qualifier, twelve teams are invited and four teams qualify through an online open qualifier. Teams were separated into four groups of four and the top two teams moved on in each group to the closed qualifier. Two teams in the minor qualified for the main qualifier.

Europe Minor

All teams in the European Minor were required to compete in a closed qualifier. In the closed qualifier, 8 teams were invited and 8 other teams qualified through three different open qualifiers. The teams will play in a Swiss system tournament and the top 8 teams move on to the closed qualifier. In the closed qualifier, the teams will be separated into two groups of four teams. Two teams from each group move on to a four team, double elimination playoff bracket. The top three teams advance to the main qualifier.

Americas Minor

Two teams were invited to the Americas minor. One team out of a pool of 512 from South America qualified for the minor. The last five teams came from the North American closed qualifier. In that closed qualifier, 8 teams qualified through the open qualifier and 8 more teams were invited. The top five teams moved on to the Americas minor. In the minor, two teams moved on to the major.

Main Qualifier

Teams

The main qualifier was a sixteen-team Swiss-system tournament format in which, after the first round, teams only played other teams with the same win–loss record. Each match was best-of-one, and no team played another team twice. All teams played until they had either won or lost three games: any team with three wins advanced to the playoff stage, and any team with three losses was eliminated. The qualifier was played in Bucharest, Romania.
The Ninjas in Pyjamas, after missing its first ever major at ELEAGUE and failed to be Legends for the first time at ESL One Cologne 2016, failed to qualify for the major qualifier and the European Minor after losing to Finland's iGame.com in the first round, losing to Sweden's Red Reserve in second round, defeating Sweden's Epsilon eSports in the third round, and losing to Turkey's Space Soldiers in the fourth round, failing to attend its second straight major.
PlaceTeamRecordDifferentialRound 1Round 2Round 3Round 4Round 5
mousesports3–0+21Tengri

Inferno		High match
GODSENT

Train		High match
PENTA Sports

Cobblestone		QualifiedQualified
G2 Esports3–0+10Immortals

Inferno		High match
Cloud9

Cache		High match
FlipSid3 Tactics

Nuke		QualifiedQualified
PENTA Sports3–1+21OpTic Gaming

Train		High match
Team Liquid

Mirage		High match
mousesports

Cobblestone		High match
Vega Squadron

Train		Qualified
Cloud93–1+19BIG

Cobblestone		High match
G2 Esports

Cache		Mid match
GODSENT

Train		High match
FlipSid3 Tactics

Mirage		Qualified
BIG3–1+9Cloud9

Cobblestone		Low match
Tengri

Cobblestone		Mid match
Immortals
16–19
Cache		High match
Team Liquid

Train		Qualified
Vega Squadron3–2+9HellRaisers

Mirage		Low match
OpTic Gaming

Train		Mid match
TyLoo

Inferno		High match
PENTA Sports

Train		Team Dignitas

Inferno
FlipSid3 Tactics3–2+1Renegades

Train		High match
HellRaisers

Overpass		High match
G2 Esports

Nuke		High match
Cloud9

Mirage		Team Liquid

Mirage
Immortals3–2−1G2 Esports

Inferno		Low match
Team Dignitas

Cache		Mid match
BIG

Cache		Low match
GODSENT

Cobblestone		HellRaisers

Overpass
Team Liquid2–3−4TyLoo

Inferno		High match
PENTA Sports

Mirage		Mid match
HellRaisers

Train		High match
BIG

Train		FlipSid3 Tactics

Mirage
Team Dignitas2–3−5GODSENT

Overpass		Low match
Immortals

Cache		Low match
Tengri

Mirage		Low match
Renegades

Mirage		Vega Squadron

Inferno
HellRaisers2–3−17Vega Squadron

Mirage		High match
FlipSid3 Tactics

Overpass		Mid match
Team Liquid

Train		Low match
TyLoo

Overpass		Immortals

Overpass
Renegades1–3−1FlipSid3 Tactics

Train		Low match
TyLoo

Cache		Low match
OpTic Gaming

Mirage		Low match
Team Dignitas

Mirage		Eliminated
GODSENT1–3−10Team Dignitas

Overpass		High match
mousesports

Train		Mid match
Cloud9

Train		Low match
Immortals

Cobblestone		Eliminated
TyLoo1–3−12Team Liquid

Inferno		Low match
Renegades

Cache		Mid match
Vega Squadron

Inferno		Low match
HellRaisers

Overpass		Eliminated
OpTic Gaming0–3−14PENTA Sports

Train		Low match
Vega Squadron

Train		Low match
Renegades

Mirage		EliminatedEliminated
Tengri0–3−26mousesports

Inferno		Low match
BIG

Cobblestone		Low match
Team Dignitas

Mirage		EliminatedEliminated

Broadcast talent

Host
Interviewer
  • Scott "SirScoots" Smith
Fluff
  • Pala "Mantrousse" Gilroy Sen
Commentators
  • James Bardolph
  • Anders Blume
  • Henry "HenryG" Greer
  • Daniel "ddk" Kapadia
  • Auguste "Semmler" Massonnat
  • Matthew "Sadokist" Trivett
Analysts
  • Chad "SPUNJ" Burchill
  • Robin "Fifflaren" Johansson
  • Joona "natu" Leppänen
  • Jason "moses" O'Toole
  • Janko "YNk" Paunović
Observers
  • Heather "sapphiRe" Garozzo
  • DJ "Prius" Kuntz

Broadcasts

All streams were broadcast on Twitch in various languages.

Teams competing

The top eight teams from ELEAGUE Major 2017 were joined by the eight teams from the main qualifier.
Arguably the biggest change of the teams in the major was the "French shuffle," which was led by Nathan "NBK-" Schmitt and Richard "shox" Papillon. NBK-. Kenny "kennyS" Schrub and, Dan "apEX" Madesclaire left Team EnVyUs for G2 Esports to join shox and Alexandre "bodyy" Pianaro; in addition, former G2 AWPer Édouard "SmithZz" Dubourdeaux moved to the coaching position. The remaining two G2 players, Cédric "RpK" Guipouy and Adil "ScreaM" Benrlitom, left the team and joined Team EnVyUs.

Pre-major ranking

HLTV.org rank teams based on results of teams' performances. The rankings shown below reflect the July 10, 2017 rankings, the last before the Major.
1Change since July 3, 2017 ranking
2Peak and low since end of ELEAGUE Major.

Group stage

The group stage was a sixteen-team Swiss-system tournament in which, after the first round, teams only played other teams with the same win–loss record. Each match was best-of-one, and no team played another team twice. All teams played until they had either won or lost three games: any team with three wins advanced to the playoff stage, and any team with three losses was eliminated. The group stage and playoffs were played in Kraków, Poland, with group stage played in closed studio and playoffs being held in Tauron Arena Kraków.
First round seeding was determined by the following:
  • Teams that placed top four at the previous Major were first seeds
  • Teams that placed 5th–8th place at the previous Major were second seeds
  • Teams that placed first in the main qualifier and the top two teams that placed third based on their seeds going into the major qualifier were third seeds
  • The remaining teams were fourth seeds
In the first round, first seeds played a randomly drawn fourth seed, and second seeds played a randomly drawn third seed. After this round, teams were randomly drawn against other teams with the same record. The eight teams to win three games were granted "Legend" status and an automatic invitation to the next Major.
PlaceTeamRecordDifferentialRound 1Round 2Round 3Round 4Round 5
Gambit Esports3–0+21mousesports

Inferno		High match
G2 Esports

Cache		High match
Virtus.pro

Train		PlayoffsPlayoffs
BIG3–0+15FaZe Clan

Inferno		High match
Cloud9

Inferno		High match
SK Gaming

Inferno		PlayoffsPlayoffs
SK Gaming3–1+16PENTA Sports

Inferno		High match
Astralis

Inferno		High match
BIG

Inferno		High match
Immortals

Overpass		Playoffs
North3–1+9Cloud9

Mirage		Low match
PENTA Sports

Mirage		Mid match
mousesports

Cobblestone		High match
Virtus.pro

Mirage		Playoffs
Astralis3–1+6Immortals

Overpass		High match
SK Gaming

Inferno		Mid match
Fnatic

Nuke		High match
G2 Esports

Inferno		Playoffs
Virtus.pro3–2+18Vega Squadron

Nuke		High match
Fnatic

Cache		High match
Gambit Esports

Train		High match
North

Mirage		Cloud9

Train
Immortals3–2+17Astralis

Overpass		Low match
Vega Squadron

Train		Mid match
Natus Vincere

Overpass		High match
SK Gaming

Overpass		FlipSid3 Tactics

Train
Fnatic3–2+7FlipSid3 Tactics

Mirage		High match
Virtus.pro

Cache		Mid match
Astralis

Nuke		Low match
Natus Vincere

Mirage		G2 Esports

Overpass
Cloud92–3−4North

Mirage		High match
BIG

Inferno		Mid match
G2 Esports

Cobblestone		Low match
mousesports

Train		Virtus.pro

Train
FlipSid3 Tactics2–3−12Fnatic

Mirage		Low match
Natus Vincere

Train		Low match
FaZe Clan

Mirage		Low match
PENTA Sports

Train		Immortals

Train
G2 Esports2–3−22Natus Vincere

Overpass		High match
Gambit Esports

Cache		Mid match
Cloud9

Cobblestone		High match
Astralis

Inferno		Fnatic

Overpass
Natus Vincere1–3−5G2 Esports

Overpass		Low match
FlipSid3 Tactics

Train		Mid match
Immortals

Overpass		Low match
Fnatic

Mirage		Eliminated
PENTA Sports1–3−11SK Gaming

Inferno		Low match
North

Mirage		Low match
Vega Squadron

Mirage		Low match
FlipSid3 Tactics

Train		Eliminated
mousesports1–3−11Gambit Esports

Inferno		Low match
FaZe Clan

Train		Mid match
North

Cobblestone		Low match
Cloud9

Train		Eliminated
FaZe Clan0–3−18BIG

Inferno		Low match
mousesports

Train		Low match
FlipSid3 Tactics

Mirage		EliminatedEliminated
Vega Squadron0–3−26Virtus.pro

Nuke		Low match
Immortals

Train		Low match
PENTA Sports

Mirage		EliminatedEliminated

Playoffs

Bracket

BIG and Gambit received the top seeds and played a randomly selected opponent among Virtus.pro, Immortals, and Fnatic. BIG received Immortals and Gambit received Fnatic. Among SK Gaming, North, and Astralis, two randomly selected teams from this pool would go on to face each other and the teams would be SK Gaming and Astralis. The remaining two teams, North and Virtus.pro, were paired together.

Quarterfinals

Gambit Esports vs. Fnatic

''Casters: James Bardolph & ddk''

SK Gaming vs. Astralis

''Casters: Anders Blume & Semmler''

BIG vs. Immortals

''Casters: HenryG & Sadokist''

North vs. Virtus.pro

''Casters: Anders Blume & Semmler''

Semifinals

Gambit Esports vs. Astralis

''Casters: James Bardolph & ddk''

Immortals vs. Virtus.pro

''Casters: Sadokist & HenryG''

Finals

Casters: Sadokist & HenryG
AdreN was named the MVP of the tournament.

Final standings

The final placings are shown below. Each team's in-game leader is shown first.
PlacePrize MoneyTeamSeedRosterCoach
1stGambit EsportsBoston 2018 LegendsZeus, AdreN, HObbit, mou, Dosiakane
2ndImmortalsBoston 2018 Legends, HEN1,, LUCAS1, steel
3rd 4thAstralisBoston 2018 Legendsgla1ve, dev1ce,, Kjaerbye, Xyp9x
3rd 4thVirtus.proBoston 2018 LegendsSnax,, NEO,, TaZ
5th 8thFnaticBoston 2018 Legendsflusha,, JW, KRiMZ, olofmeisterJumpy
5th 8thSK GamingBoston 2018 LegendsFalleN, coldzera,,, TACO–
5th 8thBIGBoston 2018 Legends,,,, LEGIJA
5th 8thNorthBoston 2018 LegendsMSL,,,, Magisk
9th 11thCloud9Boston 2018 New ChallengersStewie2K,,, Skadoodle, shroud
9th 11thFlipsid3 TacticsBoston 2018 New ChallengersB1ad3,,,, WorldEdit–
9th 11thG2 EsportsBoston 2018 New Challengersshox,,,, NBK-SmithZz
12th 14thNatus VincereBoston 2018 New Challengers, Edward,, GuardiaN, Andi
12th 14thmousesportsBoston 2018 New Challengers,,,,
12th 14thPENTA SportsBoston 2018 New Challengers, HS,,, –
15th 16thFaZe ClanBoston 2018 New Challengerskarrigan, allu,, NiKo, RobbaN
15th 16thVega SquadronBoston 2018 New ChallengersjR,,,, Lk-

Post-Major Ranking

The first HLTV.org ranking after the PGL Major came out on July 24, 2017.
†Change since July 17, 2017 ranking