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The dreamhack Open Counter-Strike: Global Offensive tournament at DreamHack Rotterdam 2019 has eight participating teams. Here is a brief introduction to the teams, with a remarkable player of each team highlighted.
The tables show the players of a team, their age and nationality, what role they play, how long they have been participating in major tournaments and since what year they have been playing at their current organization. A player with years of tournament experience often has an advantage over a newcomer. But a tournament veteran can also have to get used to the playing style of a new team. In CS:GO, every team can provide a surprise and get rid of a top team. So statistics are interesting, but not predictive per se.
Asterion – Nederland
| Naam | Leeftijd | Land | Rol | Grote toernooien sinds | Asterion* sinds |
| Bernardus “Bernard” Stornebrink | 23 | Nederland | [IGL] rifler | 2016 | 2019 |
| Nino “NiNo” Roos | 21 | Nederland | AWP | 2017 | 2019 |
| Mark “NexFox” Breetveld | 24 | Nederland | rifler | 2017 | 2019 |
| Thomas “Thomas” Utting | 21 | Verenigd Koninkrijk | entry | 2016 | 2019 |
| Joseph “Luzuh” Loose | 21 | Verenigd Koninkrijk | AWP | 2015 | 2019 |
*Asterion started a csgo team again this year.
How did they get to DreamHack Rotterdam?
Qualified via benelux Qualifier.
Fun fact
The Asterion team was established this year and, in consultation, took over the AVENUE Esports players. After a few months Bernardus “Bernard” Stornebrink replaced the Belgian Benn “cadzor” Cheers. Due to personal circumstances, two of the permanent members of Asterion, Patrick “Pat” van der Bijl and Steven “blackie” Groeneveld, could not join in for the qualification. Two substitutes were hurriedly sought and the British Thomas “Thomas” Utting and Joseph “Luzuh” Loose joined. Without being able to practice a round with this occasional formation, Asterion took part in the qualification for DreamHack Open in Rotterdam and won!
In the spotlight: Nino Roos
Nino “NiNo” Roos switched from Call of Duty 4 to CSGO. His esport career started with Get Gaming. He got to know the CSGO Benelux scene through them. Get Gaming feels like a close-knit family, but NiNo’s ambitions forced him to make a difficult choice. He switched to Trust Gaming, where he could take the next step. 2019 was a turbulent year for NiNo. He graduated as a film maker and is at the start of a new phase in his life. The breakthrough he made this year with Asterion pushes his fresh diploma (temporarily) to the background. NiNo has been around for years, but has never been to a big Counter-Strike event in his life. Now he can immediately play on the main stage! His goal after DreamHack Rotterdam is clear: Get even better!
Quote: “I think the mentality of the Benelux players must change a lot. There really is a hatred in the Benelux. If one thing goes wrong, then everyone immediately gives up. Players also get disrespected within the team. I find that a weak mentality to achieve things. It feels very wrong to treat each other this way.”
Nino Roos’ expert opinion: “Winning DreamHack Rotterdam is possible, but with a lot of luck and effort. We really have to play as well as we can to beat teams on DreamHack. What we really need is that everything runs smoothly and that everyone is individually at his best. We must win all duels.
Fans can help us by being there and making themselves heard. Just show something typically Dutch. When I see people in Ahoy supporting us, I already know that it will help us.”
avangar – Kazakhstan
| Name | Age | Country | Role | Major tournaments since | AVANGAR since |
| Dzhami “Jame” Ali | 21 | Russia | [IGL] AWP | 2017 | 2017 |
| Alexey “qikert” Golubev | 20 | Kazachstan | entry / rifler | 2016 | 2017 |
| Dauren “AdreN” Kystaubayev | 29 | Kazachstan | support/ rifler | 2012 | 2019 |
| Timur “buster” Tulepov | 19 | Kazachstan | lurker/ AWP | 2016 | 2017 |
| Sanjar “SANJI” Kuliev | 20 | Uzbekistan | entry / rifler | 2016 | 2019 |
| Dastan “dastan” Akbayev | 26 | Kazachstan | Coach | 2011 | 2017 |
How did they get to DreamHack Rotterdam?
Invited.
Fun fact
AVANGAR became 1st at the BLAST Pro Series: Moscow 2019 in Russia. This was partly due to their special and aggressive strategies on Dust II. At the A-site, for example, they threw a smoke bomb on a crate. Because this box is slightly higher, the smoke comes a lot further and therefore provides even more coverage.
A week earlier, AVANGAR was 2nd at the StarLadder Berlin Major in Germany. In the final they lost to Astralis and that is no shame. These achievements and their previous tournament winnings at DreamHack Rio de Janeiro, among others, make the Kazakh team the favourite for many to win DreamHack Rotterdam 2019.
In the spotlight: Alexey “qikert” Golubev
When the 17-year-old qikert was still playing as an amateur, he was often accused of cheating. People just couldn’t believe he was that good. As a result, he was not asked for any team and qikert became disillusioned. He was already removing CS:GO from his PC when he received a message through Steam from Yongun Kim, a manager of esportteam LoG. This was a big boost for qikert. When Yongun Kim later switched to AVANGAR, qikert, buster, dastan and more players joined him.
There is a big difference between online and offline tournaments. When you play an online tournament, you usually play relaxed from your own home. In an offline tournament, players sit together on a busy LAN or in a swirling arena. According to qikert, calm is important for AVANGAR in their offline tournaments, such as DreamHack Rotterdam. The team members do not shout at each other, but therefore also cheer minimally. Things are different online and then they are a lot more expressive. Until recently, qikert was the IGL, but after the arrival of Dzhami “Jame” Ali, they do this task in pairs. Jame is IGL 70% of the time, mainly in the opening rounds. Qikert is responsible for the later rounds. He likes to pass the baton on to someone else, so that he can fully focus on his own game. Earlier this year, qikert received an offer to play with Na’Vi (Natus Vincere) from Ukraine. He refused because of his loyalty to Yongun Kim and the firm belief he has in the ability of his team members.
Quote: “I don’t know what AVANGAR means. It’s just a cool name for me.”
Nino Roos’ expert opinion: “I think this is the strongest team at DreamHack Rotterdam. I know them from the StarLadder Berlin Major where they played very well. I think they are the ones who will win the event.”
forze – Russia
| Name | Age | Country | Role | Major tournaments since | forZe since |
| Andrey “Jerry” Mekhryakov | 21 | Russia | [IGL] entry/ rifler | 2017 | 2017 |
| Bogdan “xsepower” Chernikov | 21 | Russia | entry/ rifler | 2018 | 2018 |
| Evgeny “FL1T” Lebedev | 18 | Russia | support/ rifler | 2018 | 2018 |
| Almaz “almazer” Assadulin | 20 | Russia | rifler | 2016 | 2017 |
| Dmitriy “facecrack” Alekseyev | 25 | Russia | entry/ lurker | 2014 | 2017 |
| Anatoliy “liTTle” Yashin | 31 | Russia | Coach | 2004 | 2019 |
How did they get to DreamHack Rotterdam?
Invited.
Fun fact
forZe impressed at the CIS Minor in Berlin by not losing a single map. With the win of this tournament, they qualified for the BLAST Pro Series: Moscow 2019. There, forZe defeated their rival AVANGAR in a “second round” match on the Dust II map. AVANGAR and forZe again faced each other in the final. The decisive folder was Dust II and AVANGAR managed to eliminate forZe mainly through their strong terrorist game. forZE is out for revenge and has already shown that it can have AVANGAR on a good day.
In the spotlight: Almaz “almazer” Assadulin
Many esporters who participate in DreamHack Rotterdam play the game since childhood, such as Andrey “Jerry” Mekhryakov. Almaz “almazer” Assadulin is an exception. He only started CSGO four years ago and his talent was recognized immediately. In recent years, Almazer played alternately for 5FRAGS and forZe. For CSGO terms, the forZe team has been together for a long time. Jerry, face crack and coach liTTle sat together in Spartak Esports before joining forZe. The last two years, almazer has also been part of the team. Since xsepower and FL1T have been with forZe, forZe has been winning very regularly. According to Almazer, their secret is that they can communicate well with each other. There is no shouting, only consultation.
To calm down before the game, almazer uses “snus“. That is a kind of tobacco powder that you put in your mouth. Snus is officially banned in the EU despite the fact that it is less harmful than smoking. That can be a challenge for Almazer in Rotterdam during DreamHack.
Quote: “If you have a goal – go for it, but remember: school is always necessary. A stupid person won’t reach any heights. Education makes you a person.”
Nino Roos’ expert opinion: “They are very surprising. They can do very well and the next moment they have difficulty winning from a weak team. It will often work out for them in the end.”
cr4zy – Germany
| Naam | Age | Country | Role | Major tournaments since | CR4ZY* since |
| Luka “emi” Vuković | 26 | Servië | [IGL] support/ rifler | 2012 | 2017 |
| Nestor “LETN1” Tanić | 26 | Servië | rifler | 2012 | 2017 |
| Rokas “EspiranTo” Milasauskas | 18 | Litouwen | rifler | 2016 | 2018 |
| Otto “ottoNd” Sihvo | 21 | Finland | AWP | 2016 | 2018 |
| Georgi “SHiPZ” Grigorov | 19 | Bulgarije | lurker | 2017 | 2019 |
| Neil “NeiL_M” Murphy | 29 | Ierland | Coach | 2008 | 2019 |
* CR4ZY is the new name of the former Valiance & Co. For the time at the organization we therefore include years at Valiance & Co.
How did they get to DreamHack Rotterdam?
Invited.
Fun fact
Antonio Meic, the CEO of Valiance & Co borrowed € 250,000 to set up a CSGO team. After six months they had achieved very little. Meic fired the coach and a player to wake up the team. Then he got an offer to sell the team for a million dollars. That was a considerable profit on a disappointing investment. He abandoned it at the last minute. Two days later, Valiance & Co qualified for DreamHack Marseille 2018. Meic then fully turned into esports, changed its name to CR4ZY this year and now even wants to set up a League of Legends team.
In the spotlight: Rokas “EspiranTo” Milasauskas
Rokas “EspiranTo” Milasauskas is a very talented player, but one with a manual. His skills with an AK47 and M4 are at a high level, but he is also highly flammable. This sometimes caused problems in the teams in which he played. In addition, EspiranTo is a good player, as long as he gets enough freedom to do his own thing. If he makes himself subordinate to the team, his scores immediately fall. Fortunately for us, CR4ZY takes all this into account dealing with this young talent and we can also enjoy this kind of superb play at DreamHack Rotterdam.
CR4ZY plays DreamHack with their new coach Neil “NeiL_M” Murphy, but EspiranTo and Neil_M already know each other. In the past, Neil_M was already his coach at The Imperial.
Quote: “I think it is better now to respond to things. I try not to get excited, not to get out of my plate immediately, but it is still happening and it is all my own fault.”
Nino Roos’ expert opinion: “Two players from CR4ZY went to G2 Esports this week: Nemanja” huNter- “Kovač and Nemanja” nexa “Isaković. We have to wait and see which new players they will receive.”
CR4ZY had a bad day on September the 30st. Their players Nemanja “huNter-” Kovač and Nemanja “nexa” Isaković switched to G2 Esports. With DreamHack Rotterdam on the doorstep, something drastic had to follow. Coach Luka “emi” Vuković now plays along with the boys and Neil “NeiL_M” Murphy is the new coach. The veteran Georgi “SHiPZ” Grigorov has filled the last open space.
Ex-dreameaters – Russia
| Name | Age | Country | Role | Major tournaments since | DreamEaters* since |
| Svyatoslav “svyat” Dovbakh | 24 | Russia/ Ukraine | [IGL] rifler | 2018 | 2018 |
| Igor “Forester” Bezotecheskiy | 19 | Russia | rifler | 2018 | 2018 |
| Vladislav “Krad” Kravchenko | 20 | Russia/ Ukraine | rifler | 2018 | 2018 |
| Anton “speed4k” Titov | 23 | Russia | AWP/ rifler | 2018 | 2018 |
| Semyon “kinqie” Lisitsyn | 27 | Russia | rifler | 2011 | 2018 |
| Alexander “zoneR” Bogatyrev | 32 | Russia / Belarus | Coach | 2014 | 2018 |
*The entire team quit the organization. Read more below!
How did they get to DreamHack Rotterdam?
Invited.
Fun fact
There are quite a few tensions at the DreamEaters. The DreamEaters coach, Alexander “zone R” Bogatyrev, is an emotional man with his heart on his tongue. When he passionately complained to the organization about their policies, he was fired by CEO Anton “Nagval” Vinogradov. Colleague esporter Alexey “OverDrive” Birukov asked questions about this on social media and then the cesspool opened. CEO Nagval admitted that there were some problems with payments, but that was largely over. Svyatoslav “svyat” Dovbakh responded very extensively with examples of disrespectful behavior from Nagval towards the players, empty promises and unregulated actions. It will therefore not surprise you that the entire team left DreamEaters on 7 October. According to the latest reports, the players and their coach all go to the HardLegion organization of the Russian streamer Alexey “Hard” Baranov. During DreamHack Rotterdam they play under the name ex-DreamEaters.
In the spotlight: Svyatoslav “svyat” Dovbakh
A disability does not have to be an obstacle to being able to perform at top level. Svyatoslav “svyat” Dovbakh is deaf in his left ear, but his shots arrive just as hard. He is in the CSGO circuit for longer than you might think. He has previously played at forZe, where he learned a lot about himself. Especially what he doesn’t like. The initial phase went well and Svyat achieved success with his team. Then coach and IGL Anatoliy “liTTle” Yashin left. The task of IGL was thrown into the lap. Unfortunately Svyat could no longer find his way and left. After roaming, he ended up at DreamEaters, where he achieved his greatest successes. Unfortunately, in their eyes, svyat and the team have been treated unfairly and have left collectively. In any case, svyat can meet his buddy liTTle again at DreamHack Rotterdam.
Quote: “Our position is simple – the organization has not fulfilled its obligations under the contract, so we decided to leave the organization. (…) The total number of complaints we have:
- Contractual obligations have not been met (long-term delays in paying salaries + salaries still not paid [from] 5 months ago)
- Negative relationship between the organization and the team
- Dismissal of the coach against the wishes of the team after successful results in important tournaments.
After a long and thorough discussion with the team, we decided to leave this organization and terminate the contracts by written notification by e-mail. And despite all the above, we are willing to refuse our prize money, which has not yet been paid to us (minor, major, tricolor, Polish lan) in favor of the CEO (…). This decision was made for one simple reason – we want to end any further relationship with this organization. “
Nino Roos’ expert opinion: “DreamEaters is a team that actually came out of nowhere. We played against that with the Dutch occupation, so with Pat and blackie. We have narrowly lost in the overtime (extension). ”
Heroic – Denmark
| Name | Age | Country | Role | Major tournaments since | Heroic since |
| Marco “Snappi” Pfeiffer | 29 | Denmark | [IGL] rifler | 2008 | 2019 |
| Martin “stavn” Lund | 17 | Denmark | rifler | 2016 | 2019 |
| Johannes “b0RUP” Borup | 20 | Denmark | rifler | 2015 | 2019 |
| Patrick “es3tag” Hansen | 23 | Denmark | lurker/ AWP | 2015 | 2018 |
| ??? | |||||
| Frederik “LOMME” Nielsen | 26 | Denmark | Coach | 2013 | 2019 |
How did they get to DreamHack Rotterdam?
Invited.
Fun fact
Heroic was founded in 2016 by former players of Team X. At the moment, to our information, Heroic is missing a player. At the end of September, their in-game leader Benjamin “blameF” Bremer switched to Complexity Gaming. Snappi was promoted to in-game leader, but there is still a vacancy.
In the spotlight: Martin “stavn” Lund
Martin “stavn” Lund is only 17 years old, but already a well-known name in Denmark. He is the younger brother of esporter Jacob “dragoNfly” Lund and already more financially successful. They care for six years, but both started playing in the larger tournaments in 2016. When he was 15, a 15-part documentary with episodes of about 5 minutes was made about him. The documentary focuses on the choice he was about to make: choosing a career in CSGO or choosing school. Given the fact he is at DreamHack Rotterdam, it is clear what stavn has chosen. You can watch the Danish documentary here, but sadly there are no subtitles.
Quote: “I am sorry that Benja [Benjamin” blameF “Bremer; red] is leaving. I really enjoyed having him as an IGL. He is also a good friend and teammate. On the other hand, it is a great opportunity for him and I respect his decision. Snappi has been co-IGL since he joined our team, with lots of good ideas and strats, so I think the transition will go 100% smoothly. I’m really looking forward to this season! ”
Nino Roos’ expert opinion: “They recently changed their team and they are still without a fifth player. We have to wait and see which substitute they will play with. They are therefore difficult to read, because you do not know which style of play they will use. It will be difficult, but they can be beat. “
havu Gaming – Finland
| Name | Age | Country | Role | Major Tournaments since | HAVU Gaming since |
| Eetu “sAw” Saha | 27 | Finland | [IGL] rifler | 2014 | 2018 |
| Olli “sLowi” Pitkänen | 23 | Finland | AWP | 2014 | 2018 |
| Joonas “doto” Forss | 23 | Finland | rifler | 2019 | 2019 |
| Lasse “ZOREE” Uronen | 25 | Finland | AWP | 2015 | 2018 |
| Aaro “hoody” Peltokangas | 21 | Finland | rifler | 2017 | 2019 |
| Taneli “diSTURBED” Veikkola | Finland | Coach | 2010 | 2017 |
How did they get to DreamHack Rotterdam?
Qualified via European Qualifier.
Fun fact
Since 19 September HAVU Gaming has been coached by Taneli “diSTURBED” Veikkola. He was still a player in 2017, but nowadays he has become a co-owner and coach as well of HAVU Gaming.
In the spotlight: Olli “sLowi” Pitkänen
Olli “sLowi” Pitkänen is, like many other CSGO players, inspired by his older brother. As soon as his brother stopped playing, Slowi took over. The boys were raised by their single mother. At the age of 18, sLowi played with the “big boys” for the first time, in many different teams and occasional formations. In this period he often played together with his current teammates ZOREE and doto.
SLowi has achieved the most successes with HAVU Gaming. In 2018 they won the Nordic Championship and the IeSF (International Esports Federation) World Championship. This year HAVU Gaming came second at the prestigious Assembly Winter, where they lost to ENCE in the final. In the meantime, sLowi has also been drafted in military service. Here he learned to shoot with different caliber firearms and he knows the recoil of the Desert Eagle and a MP5 firsthand.
Quote: “If esport had not suddenly become this big, I would have become a salesman.”
Nino Roos’ expert opinion: “I have seen them win the European qualifier, but I really do not know what to expect from them. I only know them by name. We never played against them or met them in an event. In addition, they do not do many international competitions. This makes them difficult to get a read on. We are still going to do research on them. ”
Beşiktaş Esports – Turkey
| Name | Age | Country | Role | Grote toernooien sinds | Beşiktaş Esports* sinds |
| Julia “juliano” Kiran | 25 | Sweden | [IGL] rifler | 2012 | 2018 |
| Petra “Petra” Stoker | 26 | Netherlands | AWP/ rifler | 2015 | 2018 |
| Zainab “zAAz” Turkie | 28 | Sweden/ Lebanon | rifler | 2005 | 2018 |
| Anastasia “kr4sylya” Khlobystina | 17 | Russia | support/ lurker | 2018 | 2018 |
| Meyssa “Missa” Bellouati | 24 | France | entry/ rifler | 2014 | 2019 |
* Beşiktaş Esports took over RES Gaming in 2018, which was another continuation of Dynasty. For the time at the organization we therefore (if necessary) assume RES Gaming or Dynasty.
How did they get to DreamHack Rotterdam?
Winners of DreamHack Showdown Valencia 2019.
Fun fact
This is the only women’s team that participates in DreamHack Rotterdam. They qualified through the DreamHack Showdown Valencia women’s tournament. Most ladies have known eachother for years and you notice that in their game.
In the spotlight: Petra “Petra” Stoker
Our Dutch tulip Petra “Petra” Stoker has been one of the best female CSGO players for years. She started playing FPS games thanks to her father who was crazy about Unreal. She received Call of Duty 2 from her father for Christmas. That meant they could set up LAN competitions with her sister and father. After Call of Duty 4, Petra goes in search of a new challenge and picked up CSGO in 2014. In her spare time she played rugby, until 2017.
It took her years of practice, but she got her breakthrough. When Petra was signed by Dynasty Gaming Female in 2017, everything seemed to be going well. A few months later, Dynasty is taken over and given a new name: RES Gaming. Petra has to clear the field for Christine “potter” Chi and is therefore without a team. She gathers a bunch of strong players around her, finds a benevolent organization and signs up the new Singularity Female for Copenhagen Games 2018. It looks like a movie script: in the final, Petra and Singularity Female face RES Gaming! Petra is not worried because she is wearing her lucky socks and the miracle happened: Singularity Female wins Copenhagen Games 2018 – Female. RES Gaming recognizes that they may have made a wrong estimate. A few months after Copenhagen Games, Petra can come back instead of… potter.
The final of Copenhagen Games 2018 – Female
The Turkish football club Beşiktaş was impressed by the performance of RES Gaming and took over the entire team. Under the name Beşiktaş Esports, the girls travel around Europe and win prizes with varying degrees of success. With their win at DreamHack Showdown Valencia, Petra was named MVP of the tournament. At DreamHack Rotterdam we can spectate our own Petra up close. Her former Christine “potter” Chi is now an analyst at DreamHack Rotterdam and she will no doubt examine Petra’s actions.
Quote: “Some have lucky socks, lucky underpants, you know. I also wear lucky socks. I don’t know if it works, but …”.
Petra went on to win Copenhagen Games 2018 – Female with her team.
Nino Roos’ expert opinion: “Beşiktaş Esports is not doing well at the moment. They are without a doubt the best female team and they deserve to be at DreamHack Rotterdam. They will be struggling against the other teams.”
I know Petra. We were both in Call of Duty 4 and now we are both playing CSGO in the Benelux. I don’t know her very well personally, but we came from the same game. I really don’t have any problem playing with a girl on the team, but she has to be good enough. Petra is good enough, I would like to play with her in a team.
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