Both Gambit and Virtus.pro have made major strides to end 2020.
While the top half of WIN.gg’s Counter-Strike: Global Offensive’s rankings have remained relatively stable over the past several weeks, the second half of our top ten has seen major changes as the holidays approach. Two teams in particular stick out as having improved the most since the last time our algorithm dug into each team’s statistacal performances.
Both Gambit and Virtus.pro have quietly put together an impressive winter season, demolishing teams both above and below them during CSGO’s recent weeks, with VP taking home a first-place finish at FLASHPOINT 2 while Gambit has put up 14 wins in their last 16 matches.
Virtus.pro rise to seventh place after FLASHPOINT 2 win
VP started out 2020 in an awful spot. After a suprise second-place trophy at CSGO’s last Major in 2019, the roster has switched organizations and shuffled its roster several times. While major changes like those normally result in a worsened team, VP has created a team that has proven it can stand up to top competition. Its run through FLASHPOINT 2 is solid proof of this ability. While the tournament didn’t come with the most impressive list of participants, it still showcased multiple teams inside the top 20.
At that level of CSGO, the differences between teams is so small that a team ranked 15th isn’t all that much different than a team ranked 7th. It was here that VP absolutely steamrolled the competition, and it pulled it off without breaking a sweat.
FLASHPOINT 2 Results for Virtus.pro
- versus Cloud9: 2-0
- versus Gen.G: 2-1
- versus OG: 1-2
- versus MAD Lions: 2:1
- versus BIG: 2-1
- versus Fnatic: 2-1
- Grand Final versus OG: 2-1
VP followed up their impressive FP2 performance with another win at DreamHack Open December. While its competition was limited to teams in CSGO’s second tier, good teams should beat those teams consistantly. VP did just that, going 4-1 over the course of DreamHack’s winter exhibition for another first place finish.
Gambit’s consistant performances boost them up the rankings
While VP took its famous “Virtus.plow” approach to CSGO’s competitions since WIN.gg’s last rankings, Gambit’s consistantly solid performances make them a team to watch going into 2021. Gambit’s roster has names that many who aren’t familiar with the CIS region’s upcoming talent might not recognize, but that doesn’t change the team’s incredible statistics. The team took an extended break to rearm and rework its roster in February, finally returning to comeptition last February and to CSGO’s pro scene in October, and it had to prove to our statistics team that it belonged among CSGO’s top talent. The team has done exactly that.
Gambit owns 87% win rate since CSGO return
Since its return to competition at IEM Beijing on October 5, Gambit has played 40 matches across a numebr of tournaments, but only dropped five series in that time. That’s good for an incredible 87.5% win rate since the return. Rankings are about consistancy, and just like teams are penalized for a string of losses, they’re also rewarded for a run of wins. Here, Gambit has tipped the scales in their favor. Their losses have either been due to off days rather than strategic or team issues. One of its five losses came against Natus Vincere, but even then Gambit managed to get to double digits on both maps at IEM New York Online. Any team that can do that against Na`Vi and still demolish CSGO’s tier-two scene is primed for a breakout.
Both Gambit and Virtus.pro have put themselves in a fantastic position as CSGO heads into its annual winter player break, and nether show any signs of stopping once competition starts up again in 2021.
