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The ESEA Open Playoffs came to a close last week, as three teams battled to see who would go on to call themselves Champions.  As playoffs draw to a close find out what happened in the climax to the season!  

Jump for the recap!

Finals

Lower Bracket - Round 6

cp_snakewater

First up is Round 6 of the Lower Bracket.  In a match that would go on to echo their first meeting this season, Jamtown Jesus Jambori took on WITNESS 40lb on cp_snakewater.  Would history repeat itself tonight?

During the regular season Jamtown Jesus Jambori (saints) and WITNESS 40lb met up twice: once on viaduct a few weeks earlier and once on the very map they would be meeting on this match: snakewater.  In the viaduct match the saints forced 40lb to give up a rare loss--40lb had won seven of the eight previous matches, losing only once (against the saints).  Despite 40lb’s domination and aggression throughout the last half of the season, the saints had shown they had what it takes to turn the tides against 40.  Could they do it again tonight, going up against a seemingly unstoppable force?

The teams started by trading wins, neither having much opposition in pushing or capping the points.  One interesting note is that 40lb ended the first round by pushing the last point with an uber and capping.  The saints, on the other hand, won round two by taking out the other team’s medic and pocket, but not by pushing uber.  40lb with an aggressive and forceful play and the saints with a passive play.

Round three saw the saints with an early push winning mid and even making an attempt on last with uber, but in the end they were unable to pull everything together.  They began the round with an aggressive push but were stopped short of the last point.  There was a break in the action for a while both teams recovered and waited with full ubers.  Both teams were also running heavy at this point: the saints to try an aggressive push on last and 40lb presumably to counter the opposing heavy.  Eventually the saints pushed in ubering two soldiers, but 40lb responded with an uber of their own and with a devastating heavy+medic combo took out the saint’s offense.  After that 40lb was able to turn the tides, pushing out and rolling through the whole of snakewater to cap and win the round.

This half pretty much summed up both teams: saints being aggressive at times but unable to coordinate at others and 40lb being patient and very aggressive when needed.  The saints made it to last but weren’t able to finish it off.  As the action moves towards the final point, teams need to be able to coordinate well to make it through both the tougher environment and stricter defense.  WITNESS 40lb was great at doing this, trying different tactics but always with some level of coordination to break through and get to that final point.  That sort of cooperation coupled with aggression made them a tough opponent this season.  For 40lb that sort of teamwork was standard, and they let it show this time winning the half 3-1.


The second half started with 40lb keeping up the momentum and using it to roll over the saints in round one.  The saints lost their medic twice this round, folding to a tough offense from 40lb.  Round two started with an answer by the saints, being aggressive and pushing to the last point.  40lb were able to hold for a bit, but the saints eventually pushed in with uber and capped.  Showing the gameplay they needed just a little too late, the saints were able to coordinate this round.

The final round started off with 40lb wiping the saints at mid and going on to push through to last.  Saints held last with a heavy/medic even though the heavy went down early.  This showed good defense, or at least aware defense.  Soon after the saints added a sentry to their arsenal on last.  As 40lb was content to wait or push on their own terms, the saints tried to push out onto second with their heavy/medic but to no avail.  Again 40lb held, forcing the saints back in.  Next 40 kept the pressure on by aggressively pushing the point with no uber.  Despite valiant efforts from the saints, 40lb was able to step on the point for the cap and the win.

The second half showed some signs of life from Jamtown Jesus, but not enough to slow down or stop 40lb’s momentum.  40 was good both on advancing and holding their positions, but they rarely seemed to give up position.  The saints weren’t able to match aggressiveness and 40lb added another victory to their post-season.  The next match would be higher stakes, as WITNESS 40lb would go on to face eX-Submit a Ticket for the ESEA Open Championship!

Jamtown Jesus Jambori < WITNESS 40lb (2-5)

Click for match statistics and STV demo download.

Championship

Round 1

cp_badlands

With eX-Submit a Ticket coming through the upper bracket and WITNESS 40lb repping the lower bracket, the ESEA Open Championship was an intense game.  eX was coming off a two-week break, after winning four consecutive rounds of the upper bracket they were allowed a break.  Would that have any effect on their match against WITNESS 40lb, who had just finished playing against some top-ranked teams over the same two weeks?

The match started with WITNESS 40lb being aggressive, but not quite being able to push onto eX’s last point.  There was also offclassing this round as 40lb ran both offensive sniper and offensive spy, but not making it past eX’s defense. 40 was seemingly waiting and biding their time as, suddenly, a scout ran in past the demoman stickies eX had set up on last and onto the point for a quick cap and surprising end to the first round.

The next round was back and forth, with ups and downs of lulls and action.  Being early, it seemed like teams were still feeling each other out.

The initial battle for mid was intense as eX picked 40lb’s medic and ended up wiping the entire team.  With only one down, eX went on to cap fourth and pushed onto last.  Despite taking out 40lb’s medic in the ensuing battle, eX was unable to cap in a battle that came down to demoman vs. demoman.

Action lulled as both teams waited after that.  eX regrouped and ran an offensive sniper.  This was answered by 40lb running a sniper as well, but nothing really happened.  Eventually 40lb pushed out of and capped the spire basically unanswered.  This was eX not paying attention to or defending a point they owned and would happen again in the match.

40 pushed onto mid with uber, taking out half of eX including the medic, and moved past spire into last.  After a beat 40 pushed again with uber but eX, having plenty of time to build their own uber, successfully countered and defended.  Another lull in action and suddenly 40lb pushed hard with an uber soldier going past the point and getting up into the eX spawn area.  This push was successful with 40’s medic stepping on the point to get the win.

In the third round eX was aggressive and pushed from mid to last for their first win of the match.  WITNESS 40lb was pretty passive and eX rolled through the map quickly.

Round four started when the soldiers for 40lb got on the crates at mid picked eX’s medic and soldier, going on to wipe the team and begin roll on towards last.  As WITNESS captured the spire eX was rushing with two engys to get a sentry up in time to defend.  40 pushed in strong and directly and found a way through eX’s tough defense.  First scouts for 40lb stepped on the point to start the cap and distract.  After eX took care of the scout problem and turned their attention elsewhere, 40lb’s demo then stepped on the half-capped point to finish it off, ending the round and the half 3-1.

The first half was up and down as the teams checked each other out and got to know one another.  By the end of the half we saw more active gameplay from both sides, as 40lb rushed to attack the final point and eX rushed to defend in the fourth round.  Even though eX had all the signs of a tough defense including sentry and heavy defending the point, it wasn’t enough for 40lb’s offense.  eX kept things interesting with liberal off-classing throughout the match, especially when 40lb would also offclass to match it.

eX started off the second half strong, winning mid and pushing forward to capture.  This time they’d cap with uber, picking the 40 medic and pushing through to last basically unopposed.  Again, like in the third round, WITNESS seemed passive and willing to just let it happen.

40lb started off the next round aggressively by wiping half of eX and rolling forward.  eX rushed to put up a sentry on last, but when 40lb rolled in with uber that is the first thing they took out.  Even with no sentry eX was able to hold and even push out to cap second. As they rolled through the valley towards mid, eX took out the 40lb soldiers and captured.  However eX was not able to keep the push going, as 40lb soon responded with an uber of their own leading to a takeback of mid.  eX responded with another uber push to take back mid, but by that time 40lb was already on spire backcapping.  40’s scout then ran unopposed and unaswered onto last for an easy cap and win.

At the next mid rollout 40lb played a little more defensively and took out eX’s medic.  Even with no medic eX came back to cap mid, but afterwards left it unattended and open.  40lb walked on a free point, capped and then waited.  With uber advantage 40 opted to not push past mid, but wait for eX to come back to them, which they did.  Both ubers were popped and 40 won the battle, again opting to wait and fight on their own terms.  They went on to cap spire and move towards last.  eX tried defending with a heavy but to no avail, as they lost the point and the round to 40lb.

eX seemed to have no counter to 40’s strategy, especially when it came to defend last.  The offclassing strategy was used often, with eX regularly running an engy or heavy.  However it seemed to not be effective against 40lb, who would often aggressively push the last point despite sentries or the amount of defense.  eX also seemed to lapse in attention sometimes, completely giving up points.  They were able to competently defend, but it seems that 40lb’s offense was too strong for eX this round.

WITNESS 40lb wins round one of the ESEA Open Championships, will eX be able to overcome 40lb in the second round?  Let’s find out!

eX-Submit a Ticket < WITNESS 40lb (2-5)

Click for match statistics and STV demo download.

Round 2

cp_gravelpit_fixed

Round two of the Championships was on gravelpit.  WITNESS 40lb had played gravelpit a few weeks ago against 22d, and were generally strong on this map.  This did not bode well for eX who had not won all season on it.  WITNESS was aggressive, but would it be able to get through eX’s adept engy play?


The first started with eX defending and 40lb attacking.  40 started out the round unusually:  normally teams will capture A with no contest, giving the defending team time to set up on point B.  This time 40lb decided to attack B from the beginning, surprising everyone with a heavy/medic uber pushing hard into the house.  eX lost half their team and began to fall back, but 40 gave chase and took out the straggling medic leading to a free capture of B.

eX moved quickly to set up on C while 40 capped A and moved up to push onto C, the final point.  Despite sentries defending the point, 40 moved in with uber and took the sentries out.  eX countered with an uber of their own, but the medic ended up standing on the point only ubering himself!  Afterwards 40lb was able to push up the tower and get the capture in a very quick time.

40lb put a fast time on the board which eX had to beat.  The next round started out more standard: eX began by capping A unopposed and moving toward B.  40lb popped uber what appeared to be early, but eX could not capitalize and didn’t push forward to cap.  It took a while for eX to finally capture B, but they did with less than a minute left to cap the remaining point.  With literally seconds left, eX rushed to C, popping uber and pushing hard.  Unfortunately they could not make it work and 40lb’s defenses held strong.  eX did not beat 40’s time and lost the first round.

WITNESS 40lb’s initial push on B was surprising and showed flexibility in their gameplay.  eX had no answer and that B push may have thrown them off for the entire round.  40lb showed both strong pushes and ability to defend well, giving eX trouble on B and holding long enough to get a win.  eX would start out the second round attacking again, which is a tough position.  If they did not initially make a fast capture, or if 40lb held reasonably well, it could mean the end of the Championships.


After losing round one it was again eX’s turn to attac.  They began by capping A unopposed and moving through to B.  On B they popped uber, successfully pushed past the point and ended up camping spawns.  After a successful cap they moved on to C with a one player advantage plus uber advantage.  They could not capitalize on those advantages however, pushing into C and popping uber but having the soldiers leave the medic again, the same thing that happened in the first round.  40lb also defended well, leading to an unsuccessful push.  eX then had trouble pushing in general, as a failed first push can really make subsequent pushes tougher.  Finally eX found something that worked, capturing the point with a Kritzkrieg medic in about 10 minutes.

40lb answered with another push on B from the beginning, but this time was probably anticipated and ultimately unsuccessful.  eX’s sentry defended B well, and 40lb were left to reset and capture A before trying again.  The next push ubers were exchanged, neither team took roof control and 40lb were unable to cap as eX’s sentry and engy held.  eX’s defenses held well, even tho 40 attacked differently each time.  There were some unsuccessful pushes by 40lb before they finally capped B with five minutes left.  

Both teams rushing to C, eX started heavy offclassing running an engy, heavy, and spy.  The spy unfortunately got taken out in mere seconds as 40 rolled into C aggressively.  eX had no answer, and 40 was able to get the capture and end the round, match, and playoffs.  After all the dust settled, WITNESS 40lb were the ESEA Open Champions.

The second round showed more coherent gameplay from eX, but it was unfortunately not enough to slow down 40lb.  eX’s defense shone through their engy in this half, but unfortunately sentries are not enough.  40lb on the other hand were not totally aggressive like always, but they were able to be patient and figure out how to get through the ever-changing eX defense.  Coming from the bottom bracket and going on to become ESEA Champions, WITNESS 40lb proves that it doesn’t matter which bracket you end up in as great teams and players can come from everywhere.

WITNESS 40lb > eX-Submit a Ticket 2-0

Click for match statistics and STV demo download.



That’s all for the Open coverage this season!  Look for a recap of the IM Division Championships soon!