Gen.G are the first team to make the playoffs in Shanghai after narrowly edging out FPX in a three-map affair. Both teams traded map picks with FPX denying a Gen.G comeback in triple overtime after being up 10-2 at halftime. The decider required every round of regulation before Gen.G took the series away from a promising FPX.


The map veto resulted in Gen.G picking the first map, Lotus, followed by FPX picking Sunset, with Ascent as the decider.

FPX denied an impressive comeback from Gen.G on Lotus after leading 10-2 in the first half. Following a 1v2 clutch from Autumn in the third round, Life 's attacking Operator and slow defaults from FPX worked brilliantly into Gen.G's setups. A one-sided round from FPX immediately answered any effort from Gen.G to come back into the game.

Despite losing the second pistol, Gen.G managed to bring some momentum back into their favor by winning a force in the second round and taking the next eight rounds straight. A strong overall performance from Karon and a reinvigorated t3xture led to Gen.G forcing overtime. FPX started to pick up some defensive rounds once extra time came into play and closed out the map 16-14 to take a lead in the series. Life dropped 30 kills and 281 ACS to continue a streak of good form from the Chinese domestic scene.

An excellent performance from Karon kept the map close.

Gen.G recovered with a convincing defensive side on Sunset after an even 6-6 first half. Simple executes from Gen.G went unmatched early in the half as the Madrid finalists took a 5-2 lead before FPX responded with some superb set plays to facilitate Life's Yoru.

Both pistols and conversions went the way of Gen.G to pave an easy route to Ascent. FPX's lack of a true entry duelist forced slow rounds and lots of pressure towards middle that was handled well by Gen.G. Life's numbers were not enough for FPX this time around as the individuals on Gen.G started to take the upper hand in duels. The opening kills also went heavily in the favor of the Koreans with every player recording a positive opening duel success rate.

The trio of t3xture, Karon, and Meteor led the way for Gen.G with over 200 ACS each. While t3xture and Karon continued their form from Lotus, Meteor stepped up into the series after a poor first map.

Life continued to excel in the map loss.

Gen.G were fully in the driver's seat in the first half of Ascent with FPX's solo Yoru once again hindering their attacking ability. Gen.G adapted well to FPX's slow game plan and insistence on forcing middle control. t3xture's Operator worked wonders for Gen.G with the Korean Jett landing an absurd flick to top it off. FPX struggled even in the round wins and accrued just four rounds before halftime.

A pistol win and a ridiculous round from BerLIN brought some energy back to FPX as they kept the score close at 10-8 and forced a Gen.G timeout. Back-and-forth rounds ensued, but Gen.G's existing lead allowed them to narrowly take the map 13-11 and the series 2-1. Meteor went nuclear on Ascent with 31 kills and multiple crucial multikills on Killjoy.

Meteor went off on Ascent.

Gen.G are the first team to make it out of the Swiss stage in Shanghai, while FPX will have another chance in the 1-1 pool on Monday, May 27.

G2 have joined Gen.G as the second team to make the playoffs in Shanghai from the Swiss stage after picking up the second series of the day with a 2-1 over Team Heretics. The Americans had to recover from an initial loss on Lotus but looked comfortable on the remaining maps.

The second map veto of the day resulted in Heretics picking the first map, Lotus, followed by Bind from G2, leaving Split as the decider.

Lotus kicked off with a G2 pistol and conversion followed by Heretics winning the first two gun rounds. G2 won a thrifty in the sixth round to equalize at 3-3. benjyfishy 's Cypher Operator proved to be the difference maker late in the half as Heretics took a promising 8-4 half on the defense of the attacker-sided Lotus.

Heretics went on to pick up the second pistol and went blow for blow with G2 through the remainder of the map. However, the lead ultimately proved to be too much for G2 to overcome as Heretics traded rounds to take the first map 13-9.

The assistance of Turkish star Wo0t was unnecessary this time around as the trio of paTiTek , RieNs , and benjyfishy rolled over their opposition with 18 kills on the latter two and 19 on the former.

benjyfishy has become a star on Heretics.

Although Heretics took the first pistol on Bind, G2 ran away with the first half once the gun rounds properly came into play. G2 looked composed on the attack and took a dominant 9-3 half. A streak of ten rounds in a row for G2 was finally ended by a thrifty win from Heretics to begin an attempt at a comeback, but three rounds were all the Europeans could muster. G2 evened up the series 1-1 with a 13-6 scoreline on Bind.

Despite struggling through most of his tenure with G2, icy proved instrumental in his team's dominance on the second map with a server-topping 20 kills and 304 ACS. On the other hand, Wo0t continued a streak of relatively poor form on Raze with just 94 ADR and a 3-6 opening duel record.

Split began with an immediate shock with paTiTek playing the Raze for Heretics over Wo0t who was instead placed on Viper duty. Unfortunately, the move didn't bring any success to start the map as G2 blitzed to a 4-0 lead and forced a quick timeout from Heretics coach neilzinho . The break provided little respite for Heretics as another timeout was called just three rounds later after a 1v3 from valyn to make the score 7-0.

Heretics managed to cobble together their first round at 8-0 down and despite losing another 1v3, this time to leaf , took the last three of four rounds in the half to make the decider 9-3 at halftime. A G2 pistol win in the second half all but sealed the series as the Americans cruised their way to a 13-8 win with a 1v4 ace from JonahP to close things out.

Heretics lost two 1v3s and one 1v4 on Split.

G2 have made the playoffs in Shanghai, while Heretics will have another chance in the 1-1 pool on Monday, May 27.