• Date: On October 26th, 2023
• Tournament: Roobet Cup 2023 (online)
• Match: 9INE (Bo3)
• Format: Group C opening match
• Catch all the action LIVE on Astralis Watch

The main team is all set to kick off their first CS2 tournament as they go up against the Polish roster 9INE on Thursday, October 26th, in the Roobet Cup 2023.

Benjamin "blameF" Bremer and his teammates have been putting in long hours in the pracc room, working to enhance their skills in the latest Valve upgrade of the beloved Counter-Strike franchise.

casle: Our primary focus has been to build a strong map pool

Before their first competitive encounter in CS2, Head Coach Peter "casle" Ardenskjold discuss the team's expectations and the pros and cons of the new game.

- First and foremost, it's about getting on the server and understanding CS2 from a competitive perspective. We need to establish where we stand as a team and unit in CS2 compared to CS:GO, and to be able to do that, we must be ready to engage in battle from the first round. It is hard to predict, but I believe and expect we will perform well in this online tournament, says Casle.

- Our primary focus has been to build a strong map pool in CS2. We've been training for almost two weeks in this new Counter-Strike upgrade, the head coach notes.

- The most significant changes are in how we use utilities. Using an HE grenade to manipulate smoke for clearer vision is an exciting addition to the game and will be widely used as teams learn the best strategies for CS2, casle says.

casle highlights that the most significant changes are related to grenades, especially the ability to disperse smoke and respread it using an HE Grenade.

- The most significant changes are in how we use utilities. Using an HE grenade to manipulate smoke for clearer vision is an exciting addition to the game and will be widely used as teams learn the best strategies for CS2, casle says.

- Still, the game is very new. My most positive aspect is that something new is finally happening in CS. It's always exciting to face changes and new challenges. It's all about showcasing our hard work in practice and hoping it pays off. However, like everyone else, we need to gain more experience with CS2.

- As for the match against 9INE, we're approaching it as we always do—with thorough preparation and respect for our opponent. We know 9INE quite well, and they have a strong team, but we are ready, the coach adds.

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Facing Off 9ine in the Opening Round

In the opening match of Group C, the blameF-led squad will face off against the Polish team 9INE on Thursday, October 26th, at 15:00 CEST in a best-of-three duel.

The team has clashed with the Polish roster four times this year, securing four victories, and they're eager to extend this winning streak.

Under the guidance of Coach Peter "casle" Ardenskjold, the squad is likely to engage in battles on maps like:

• Overpass (100% win percentage over five maps)
• Ancient (78% win percentage over nine maps)
• Vertigo (67% win percentage over three maps)
  

The IGL blameF boasts an impressive rating of 1.23 over the past three months as the best player on the roster, closely followed by Nicolai "dev1ce" Reedtz, who holds a 1.21 rating.

With everything still uncertain in CS2 and players worldwide trying to define the meta of the new upgrade, it's sure to be exciting and thrilling to follow the first CS2 challenge.