UKCT - UKCounterTerrorist

[gotfrag] have once again updated their world rankings. Based upon the opinions of many respected, high-level community members, the rankings have been an almost ever-present piece of [gotfrag]'s Counter-Strike coverage, and always remains a perennial talking piece for some time. So here are the world's top 10 in the judgement of GF and their panel of 'experts'...

GF's World Rankings

1 compLexity (FPV: 16)
2 SK Gaming.swe (FPV: 5)
3 Begrip (FPV: 3)
4 Mousesports
5 Four Kings
6 Catch-Gamer
7 Ninjas in Pyjamas
8 Team 3D
9 Made In Brazil
10 Lunatic-Hai

N.B: FPV = First Place Votes.

Just outside the top 10 were NoA and EG. This top 10 is significantly different from their last vote, with 3D, Catch-Gamer and Lunatic-Hai all making new entries. Here's their European top 10:

GF's European Rankings

1 SK Gaming.swe (FPV: 12)
2 Begrip (FPV: 3)
3 Mousesports (FPV: 1)
4 Four Kings
5 Catch-Gamer
6 Ninjas in Pyjamas
7 Virtus.Pro
8 Team NoA
9 x6tence
10 Clan-IT

N.B: FPV = First Place Votes.

Just outside the rankings here were CNN.Pentagram and Ocrana. Substantial changes were seen here too, with SK, mouz, and Catch-Gamer gaining 8 spots between them, whereas 4K and Virtus.Pro collectively lost 5 placings. Ranks #8, #9, and #10 were also all new entries.

So on this basis, we should be expecting the top 5 at the UK [cpl] World Tour stop to finish as: 1st: SK, 2nd: 4K, 3rd: Catch Gamer, 4th: NiP, and 5th: mibr.

Obviously, this has proven to be far from the truth - totally unranked (and indeed unvoted-for) Team 9 knocked supposed 1st place challengers SK into the lower bracket where they were eliminated by supposed 2nd best 4K, who went into the lower bracket after a defeat from supposed 5th best mibr before being eliminated from the tournament themselves by supposed non-top-5 NoA who also defeated supposed 4th best NiP. The most highly ranked team in the tournament (SK) has finished 8th, the 2nd most highly ranked team (4K) has finished 5th, and of the teams who will finish in the top 4, only 2 were voted to be in the top 5 teams attending the tournament.

So yeah, how well these rankings stand up to the test of actual matchplay is quite debatable, even with the use of double-elimination to help a team account for a poor performance.

To see these rankings and the / North American ones as well, check out this link.

Once more, mad props to Mango^ for his help, massive contribution and time with every aspect of this post, a fair portion of which he wrote entirely himself!

2nd Day Summary

After the troubles and disruptions suffered by the tournament's opening rounds on Friday, yesterday proved a much smoother and more successful affair, seeing a good portion of tournament's action played out. Despite initial delays to the first few rounds - which are common place in most LAN events these days - the matches were played largely without any hitches and HLTV coverage was much more consistent, yet not without the odd period of downtime. With the network seemingly much more stable (if not perfect), attention was mostly to the escalating competition, intensified as the heavyweight clans were pit against one another.

Alas, the action was not to last for some of the UK 'chancers' though, with veLocity, EoM and LicK sent out before lunch. Although these results were much to be expected, the day did throw up some surprises early on - with Team 9 defeating SK.swe 16-8, and the comparitively unpracticed new NoA line-up defeating NiP 16-12. Team 9 continued their fine form in the next round, defeating the 4K-beating mibr to secure a place in the preliminary upper bracket final with fellow countrymen Catch-Gamer.

Meanwhile in the lower bracket, one set of UK hopefuls in AllTheRage eliminated another set, the contentious ethernet, before then being eliminated themselves at the hands of a strong NiP. In this round, Highfive - featuring the [ukct] Newcomer-of-the-Year (Wez) - were also eliminated by g3x, leaving the only UK flag still flying in the tournament as the one (debatably) carried by Four Kings. Things looked hopeful for the royal ones, brushing aside ICE Gaming (who had previously removed psyc from the brackets, despite their valiant efforts) before defeating arguable world #1 SK.swe, in a match that culminated in a nail-biting 'will they/ won't they' attempt to gain one final round, thankfully finishing 16-13, thus ending the tournament for the much fancied Swede team. However, de_nuke once again proved to be 4K's bogey map - going down and out to NoA, who will face NiP in the preliminary lower bracket final after the Ninjas came through an intense match post-overtime with mibr, 25-23.

The final matches of the day were a deflating experience, not because of the standard of the teams - which were undoubtedly impressive - but through the loss of HLTV prior to the final Four Kings game and during the NiP/mibr match; mid-overtime no less! The organisers are sure to be working as hard as possible to ensure HLTV will be available for tomorrow's finale.

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Lower Bracket Preliminary Final (11:00 GMT, de_nuke)

Pre-match Analysis: Both teams in this match have a reputation that preceeds them, and none more so than NiP. While many feel that SK.swe will remain an awe-inspiring edifice for some time to come, you can be forgiven for thinking that the heart of the team was taken out after the estrangement of two core players, HeatoN and Potti. In these, the final stages of the tournament, experience will only count that much more. While NoA's roster spans nations and consists of former veteran players from a host of different teams, NiP have core players that have decimated teams that span nations as well as veteran players from a host of different teams. That kind of chemistry, mixed with the elements of talent that fellow NiP members possess, may just swing the match against a relatively unprepared NoA. NoA have surprised a few teams with immense tactics and organisation for such a new line-up, and it would only be one more big name scalp this tournament as far as NoA are concerned. However, with an earlier win against NiP in round three, NoA will be well aware that having beaten NiP once, they can do so again.

[match] time= flag1=noa team1=NoA score1=14 flag2=swe team2=NiP score2=16 hltv=hltv001.games.inet.tele.dk:27050 irc=cpl.uk [/match]

NoA failed to capitalise on their first half 11-4 lead, allowing NiP to take the match right to the wire and steal the final round. Costly for NoA, who find themselves to be the one final-day participator who had to finish outside the prize bracket.

Upper Bracket Final (12:30 GMT, de_nuke)

Pre-match Analysis: In July, following narrow losses to GoodGame and GameCrashers.br, Team 9 left [eswc] with little to show for their travel, time and effort - having failed to get out of the group stage. However, after defeating atr, #1 seeds SK.swe and top Brazilian clan mibr, they now find themselves on the brink of international tournament success. Standing in their way to the grand final are Catch Gamer - a side team 9 know well from domestic competition. Sporting some highly successful players (bsl, juven9le) and a silver medal from WEG Season 2, it would be easy to see the higher-seeded Catch Gamer as the more accomplished outfit, however the previous successes of their opponents has been no psychological obstacle for team 9 so far in this tournament. At this final stage of the tournament though experience can be a major factor - and given his international triumphs and [cpl] final with NoA before those he has enjoyed with Catch-Gamer, perhaps bsl can keep his team mates a little more composed than the team 9 camp?

[match] time= flag1=no team1=team 9 score1=16 flag2=no team2=Catch Gamer score2=03 hltv=hltv001.games.inet.tele.dk:27051 irc=cpl.uk [/match]

Although they made life difficult for themselves by losing two first-half rounds in which they outnumbered their opponents, team 9 essentially sailed through the terrorist side of nuke with a fine, disciplined performance - finishing 12-3 up. When you have such a large defecit to overcome, it's best not to lose the pistol round of the second half: which CG did, even though they got the opening frags and planted the bomb. With money firmly in their favour, team 9 made light work of the next two rounds to win.

Lower Bracket Final (15:00 GMT, de_train)

[match] time= flag1=swe team1=NiP score1=16 flag2=no team2=Catch Gamer score2=04 hltv=hltv001.games.inet.tele.dk:27050 irc=cpl.uk [/match]

After a thumping first half as CT, NiP found themselves 15-0 up - thus only needing a single round as T to win the match and put themselves in the grand final. They played a safe game, not buying anything on the pistol round and eco'ing both rounds after before winning the 2nd of their first two 'gun rounds', in a very comprehensive fashion.

Grand Final (16:00 GMT, de_inferno/de_nuke)

Pre-match Analysis: Team 9 have brushed aside some very talented teams in very confident fashion so far this tournament, they are yet to lose and have conceded no more than 12 rounds in any one match so far. NiP on the other hand, have had a much less smooth ride to the final: they were dumped out of the upper bracket by NoA and didn't make life much easier for themselves in the lower bracket - requiring triple overtime to get past mibr, before waiting till the very last round to dismiss NoA in their second encounter, 16-14. Some may point to their confident and lethal decimation of Catch Gamer today to suggest that they are in form, but the only other team to beat Catch - and indeed in just as convincing fashion - are their final opponents, team 9. Although the latter do not share the pedigree and international successes of NiP, they go into this final looking strong and determined, and only requiring victory on one map to secure 1st place - as opposed to NiP needing to win both maps having come from the lower bracket. NiP have made no secret of their dislike for the tournament's TFT monitors and for the network reliability, and whether or not they cope with such issues as well as team 9 (or simply use it as an easy excuse) will be a major factor in who ends the tournament victorious.

[match] time= flag1=no team1=Team 9 score1=16 flag2=swe team2=NiP score2=13 hltv=hltv001.games.inet.tele.dk:27050 irc=cpl.uk [/match]

After taking an early lead, Team 9 never looked too much in danger - although NiP kept pegging them back, they never quite did enough to really get a strong enough lead and foothold in the game. As suggested, NiP were very unhappy with the monitors and especially the network in this match - with pings spiking up to 30, they have been consistently complaining. It will not matter though, as Team 9 have earnt victory, however disputable the grounds on which they have achieved it are.

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Final Standings

#1 Team 9 ($5,000 / ~£2,779)
#2 NiP ($3,500 / ~£1,945)
#3 Catch Gamer ($1,500 / ~£834)
#4 NoA
#5-#6 Four Kings
#5-#6 made in brazil
#7-#8 g3neration X
#7-#8 SK-Gaming Sweden
#9-#12 highfive
#9-#12 Team Gamehotel
#9-#12 AllTheRage
#9-#12 ICE Gaming
#13-#16 ethernet
#13-#16 ImaGine
#13-#16 Just a Shoot
#13-#16 psyc
#17-#20 LicK
#17-#20 Engine on Mute
#17-#20 veLocity
#17-#20 Casual 5

Yep, you've guessed it! It's that time of the week again. While the loveable pie is on holiday in the sun soaked land of Greece, others toil relentlessly in his absence. One such person is [ukct]'s very own mEx| geo who himself labored to produce the great little clip we have for our dear [ukct] readers this week.

--> cotw #9: mEx|geo <--

Today Casual5 a respected clan in the uk scene has decided to call it a day.

It's a bit of a shame as they had a nice lineup on the cards of doing well in the upcoming CSGN season.
The main reason to quit the team is that inactivity by a few members killed the motivation to keep on going.

Lets hope the guys stay around in the scene and find a new place.

The persons that wore a c5 tag in there lives were:

[ budd, exo, jonny5, callisto, airhorn, womby, partyboy, milner, Tech0, Spectra ]

As you can see there's been some good players that have come and gone!

gl hf on whatever u do (y)

Thx Spud for the news!!!