The PGL Major in 2017 was an unpredictable tournament. In the swiss system alone, top teams FaZe and G2 were eliminated, while underdogs BIG and Gambit made it to the playoffs. The tournament saw surprising veto phases that left fans scratching their heads. Let’s explore five of the most questionable decisions made during the swiss stage.
1) G2 versus Na’Vi, Round 1
G2 and Na’Vi had an interesting veto phase. G2 expected to play Cobblestone and Inferno, but Na’Vi surprised them by leaving Nuke and Overpass as the final two maps. G2 should have chosen Nuke given their previous success on that map, but instead, they relied on a coin toss and ended up playing Overpass. G2 ultimately won the game, but their unconventional decision making didn’t inspire confidence in their preparation for the event.
2) Astralis versus Immortals, Round 1
Astralis and Immortals had a similar situation in their veto phase. Considering Astralis’ dominance on Overpass, it was surprising that Immortals chose to play them on that map instead of Train. Immortals performed well, but ultimately lost to Astralis on their best map.
3) G2 versus Cloud9, Round 3
Cloud9 had a successful run in recent tournaments, with Train and Mirage being their strongest maps. However, in their match against G2, they decided to play Cobblestone instead of Inferno, despite their previous losses on Cobblestone. G2 had a strong track record on Cobblestone, but Cloud9’s decision didn’t work out for them as they lost the game.
4) SK versus BIG, Round 3
SK had an unexpected early elimination from the tournament, and one of the reasons could be their questionable veto phase. SK left Inferno open, a map on which they had a strong record. Instead, they banned Cache, even though they had a better performance on that map. In the end, BIG picked Inferno and defeated SK, contributing to SK’s early exit from the tournament.
5) North versus Cloud9, Round 1
North made a mistake in their veto phase against Cloud9. They banned Train and Inferno, even though Inferno was a map they were confident on. Instead, they should have banned Mirage or Cache, both of which Cloud9 performed well on. North’s strategy didn’t pay off, and they lost to Cloud9 on Mirage.
In conclusion, the veto phases in the PGL Major had some surprising decisions. Teams made choices that didn’t align with their strengths or previous performances on certain maps. These decisions may have contributed to their success or failure in the tournament.
PGL Major, esports, tournament, veto phases, teams, G2, Na’Vi, Astralis, Immortals, Cloud9, SK, BIG, North, map pool