HLTV.org have composed a Counter-Strike: Global Offensive team world ranking in the aftermath of EMS One, just in time for this week's Copenhagen Games.

The ranking was put together by Tomi "lurppis" Kovanen and Petar "Tgwri1s" Milovanovic, though all the teams' placings are reasoned in the article below and are based on their tournament results.

We have emphasized LAN event results, with most weight on the majors, over placings online, and more recent accomplishments over old ones. Our cut-off date for results we've listed under each team is DreamHack Winter 2013.

Due to Copenhagen Games approaching, we talked to the people in charge of their Counter-Strike tournament and they have agreed to use our ranking, which we extended for them privately, as their seedings.

Because we feel seedings are done improperly as of right now in Counter-Strike, we also plan to extend this offer to other tournaments taking place in the future in hopes of getting rid of seeding pools altogether.

Our ranking features the twelve clear top teams in the world, and they are counted down from twelve to one, so reading the article from top to bottom should include no spoilers.

Though based on results, the ranking is still subjective and arguments can be made against some of the team's placings in it, but our emphasis on different factors led to the results below.

Entrance to Copenhagen Games

Copenhagen Games use our ranking as seedings for 2014 event

12. Natus Vincere (Edward, GuardiaN, seized, starix, Zeus)

LAN results: Online results: 13-16th EMS One Katowice 2014 EMS One Katowice 2014 9-12th Fragbite Masters 2014 2nd SLTV StarSeries VIII Finals SLTV StarSeries VIII Finals 5-8th Fragbite Masters 2013 13-16th DreamHack Winter 2013 DreamHack Winter 2013

Natus Vincere have achieved the twelfth place in our ranking. Although they have had some good wins online, and placed second at SLTV StarSeries VIII Finals in late December, they have bombed out of both CS:GO majors in dead last place and haven't exactly impressed with their placings in the two Fragbite Masters tournaments they have taken part in.

On the other hand, they have two very explosive players in Ioann "Edward" Sukhariev and Ladislav "GuardiaN" Kovács, and are currently 10-1-3 in SLTV StarSeries IX. Na`Vi are looking to guarantee a spot in the playoffs after a strong season that has included wins over powerhouses such as Titan and Virtus.pro, and a tie against fnatic.

Something of note is also their inability to win close games against other teams on this list. Na`Vi rank tied for 7-9th in winning percentage against other top teams in close (+-3 rounds or overtime) games, and they are second worst of them all in close games overall, only above fnatic. That's an odd stat considering the old Na`Vi team was so strong mentally. Na`Vi is also by far the worst team against other top teams with a 25-4-49 record.

One key to this team's success is Sergey "starix" Ischuk, who looked to be on the verge of becoming a star in CS:GO in late fall of 2013 with stellar AWP play at a number of events, including this performance versus US. Youngster Denis "seized" Kostin keeps improving, and there is little doubt about Danilo "Zeus" Teslenko's leadership or entry killing abilities.

For some reason there is a disconnect though, as Na`Vi haven't been able to make waves at either CS:GO major. According to our previews they were favorites to advance to the playoffs, making top eight and all but guaranteeing a top eight place in this ranking, but fell short against fnatic, Clan-Mystik and LGB twice. Those are all top teams though, and Na`Vi were in each event's toughest group.

The Ukrainians are a sleeping giant. I expect them to come out swinging in the future, but with them skipping Copenhagen Games after last year's debacle and potentially missing out on SLTV StarSeries IX Finals, we don't yet know when that will be. It's only a matter of time before they get a favorable group draw, warm up and achieve a solid placing at a big event. Up until then, they have to settle for twelfth place, for each team above them has achieved more.



Na`Vi's struggles at the majors place them outside of the top ten

11. iBUYPOWER (AZK, DaZeD, Skadoodle, steel, swag)

LAN results Online results 13-16th EMS One Katowice 2014 EMS One Katowice 2014 3rd CEVO Main Season 3 1st ESEA Invite Season 15 Finals ESEA Invite Season 15 Finals 1st coL 10th Anniversary 13-16th DreamHack Winter 2013 DreamHack Winter 2013

iBUYPOWER are an odd team. After a long history of failure after failure under the Curse brand, the team finally seemed to put it all together by beating compLexity once and Titan twice en route to an ESEA championship in January. Then international play reared its, for iBP, ugly head, and they were knocked out 13-16th in Katowice.

Two roster changes later iBUYPOWER are once again America's favorite team to watch come next event. They once again seemingly have endless potential with the addition of coL's star Braxton "swag" Pierce, and having removed two of the members who were part of all their failures could help Sam "DaZeD" Marine turn the ship around and lead iBP to some good placings.

For now there is no argument for Derrick "impulsivE" Truong's team to be above anyone else on this ranking though. They get the nod over Natus Vincere because they won ESEA over Titan while the CIS-based team's best merit is a second place at SLTV StarSeries VIII Finals, but there is literally no way you could rank a team with two 13-16th placings at the majors any higher up.

iBUYPOWER have not been a competitive team against top teams overseas, ever. They still haven't put it all together, but having changed two members and having plenty of time to practice before their next event, as they've elected to not attend Copenhagen Games, could be just what the doctor ordered, but it could also not be enough.

I'm not going to be sold on iBUYPOWER until they actually play good Counter-Strike in Europe. We already saw their potential at ESEA, though one could argue it was Titan's game to lose, but they have yet to realize any of it in an official game overseas, though according to Marine they've been devastatingly good in practice. We've read about their success in practice, but we also know that holds literally zero weight; it just means they have potential that was never realized.

The next couple of spots are up for grabs, especially with the turmoil compLexity is in after Pierce's departure. This ongoing ESEA season, its finals and the next international event that iBUYPOWER attends in Europe will give us a much better idea of how their new roster does against the rest of the field, but the past suggests they are just outside the top ten.



swag hopes to help iBUYPOWER score a win on European soil

10. Clan-Mystik (GMX, HaRts, kennyS, kioShiMa, Sf)

LAN results Online results 9-12th EMS One Katowice 2014 EMS One Katowice 2014 7-8th Fragbite Masters 2014 9-12th DreamHack Winter 2013 DreamHack Winter 2013 4th fnatic FragOut League 3 1st GSL Egamingbets Cup 5-8th FACEIT January Cup 2nd Fragbite Masters 2013

Clan-Mystik is a tough team to put your finger on. Kenny "kennyS" Schrub is easily one of the world's biggest impact players, and can win games on his own. On the other hand, for CM to achieve top placings at events he would basically have to do just that; the roster simply isn't deep enough to challenge some of the world's best teams without it. That's a big burden on the young French, one he can't seem to carry all year long.

Aside from a win over LDLC, CM have been unimpressive to say the least in SLTV StarSeries IX. That and EMS One are also Schrub's weakest events individually, but the causality could go either way. Clan-Mystik are a top team, and they can defeat anyone in a single match, as shown by their win over NiP in ESEA S16, but they are also not consistently better than anyone above them in this ranking, as shown by their finishes at the majors. They've also scored some cheap placings, such as the GSL Cup win, due to others (in that case HR) upsetting the better teams for them.

Copenhagen Games would have been a good event for CM to get more experience, but they have opted to skip the tournament in Denmark in favor of a weak French event, where they should be all but guaranteed a win. Good way to make some quick cash, not so good if you wish to improve as a team. That also calls Clan-Mystik's long terms goals into question, and makes me wonder whether this team can be the one for Schrub for an extended period of time.

Ever since the roster changes that saw the new Clan-Mystik appear from the players left out of the LDLC squad, CM have been a team in no man's land. They can beat very good teams, and they can lose against some weaker teams. They aren't very consistent, and they can't exactly call themselves a contender; not even close. You always wonder if the form that gave them an ESWC championship may return, but only two players remain from that roster.

In the Frenchmen's defense Schrub did say prior to EMS One Katowice that his side weren't able to practice properly due to leader Michael "HaRtS" Zanatta's schooling, which is an understandable reason, but it also shows where this team's priorities lie. I'm not sure those priorities are the same for everyone, and in a way Schrub seems like a misfit for this team.

Only the far future will tell how Clan-Mystik will continue to develop, as they won't make the SLTV Finals or be at Copenhagen Games. No other international events are currently planned, so it may take as long as until mid-June and for DreamHack Summer to roll around to see them in action internationally. Till then, they must settle for rounding up the top ten.



kennyS is the star CM relies on

9. HellRaisers (AdreN, ANGE1, Dosia, kucher, markeloff)

LAN results Online results 5-8th EMS One Katowice 2014 EMS One Katowice 2014 7-8th Fragbite Masters 2014 4th SLTV StarSeries VIII Finals SLTV StarSeries VIII Finals 5-6th fnatic FragOut League 3 5-8th DreamHack Winter 2013 DreamHack Winter 2013 2nd GSL Egamingbets Cup



3-4th FACEIT January Cup



5-8th Fragbite Masters 2013

HellRaisers are a frustrating team to watch. On one hand they are a nightmare match-up for NiP and continue to score wins against the Swedes, but on the other one they also keep dropping games against significantly weaker opposition online and seem inconsistent at best. Such a shame considering the potential this team had in the fall prior to the change that saw Ioann "Edward" Sukhrariev replaced with former Virtus.pro player Emil "kucher" Akhundov.

Under Astana Dragons flag they were a clear top three team in the world, despite rumoured struggles with Sukhariev. After Akhundov joined the team has struggled finishing in the top eight at events, and the last place finish at SLTV StarSeries VIII Finals, which included a series loss versus GamePub, was catastrophic. HellRaisers simply can't play well consistently enough to achieve top finishes, which is visible from their tournament record above.

Mihail "Dosia" Stolyarov and Yegor "markeloff" Markelov have ridiculous potential individually, and it's mindboggling to see HR first defeat the world's absolute best teams in Titan and NiP, only to fall short against the likes of dignitas or Clan-Mystik in the next round, as was the case at EMS One Katowice and GSL Egamingbets Cup. There is simply no way to know which HR team will show up at any given point of any event or online tournament.

The only defense I have for HR is that their sponsor situation was a mess leading up to EMS One Katowice, and while other teams were busy bootcamping, Dauren "AdreN" Kystaubayev couldn't even travel to Kiev from Kazakhstan and had to deal with a high ping. I don't see how this team, assuming they know how much better they should be, can stick together without roster changes much longer if their play doesn't improve significantly.

HellRaisers are not going to Copenhagen Games for reasons unknown, and they also won't qualify for SLTV StarSeries IX Finals, unless two teams above them in the rankings decide not to travel to Kiev (a real possibility considering the political drama going on). This team needs success, but if they don't attend events, how will they get any of it? The HR.mix featuring Alexey "OverDrive" Birukov instead of Yegor "markeloff" Markelov at Voronezh Cup does not count.

This is the single team that I would assume top players from teams above them on the list don't like playing against, because even though over the long run they average to just ninth in the world, in any given series they can beat anyone, and have, on multiple occasions. Just ask NiP, whose 16-14 comeback win in the current season of SLTV was their first win over the AD/HR team since the end of September. Something isn't right.



HellRaisers have some things to figure out

8. LDLC (apEX, Happy, KQLY, Maniac, Uzzziii)

LAN results Online results 5-8th EMS One Katowice 2014 EMS One Katowice 2014 4th Fragbite Masters 2014 5-8th DreamHack Winter 2013 DreamHack Winter 2013 1st fnatic FragOut League 3 3-4th FACEIT December Cup

When LDLC was born out of Nameless (ex-Recursive) and Clan-Mystik Dan "apEX" Madesclaire was the first to tell HLTV.org how psyched they were to finally be able to call them professional gamers. They haven't been a disappointment by any means, as they've achieved very good results online and a solid top eight finish in Katowice, but they also haven't exactly blown up the bank.

LDLC round up the top eight with their two 5-8th place finishes at the majors, and a good record of results online. They are clearly less intimidating as an opponent than the CIS-based squad below them in the ranking, but although they match up worse against most teams above them, they are still consistently stronger than HellRaisers, which puts them one spot above them. Unfortunately for LDLC there is no way for them to get any higher up on the ranking though, as everyone in the top seven has at least one top four finish at the majors.

There is also the case of Recursive including two players no longer part of LDLC at DreamHack Winter, including Kenny "kennyS" Schrub, whose impact can not be overestimated. Currently LDLC are a solid top eight team, and with Schrub on the team they were close to a top four finish at DreamHack Winter, but at EMS One they were absolutely blown out by Virtus.pro in their quarter-final. They had an easy bracket in FFO3, but are still clearly a tough match-up for fnatic, whom they took down en route to their win.

Copenhagen Games will be a nice chance for LDLC to showcase their talent with everyone above them but the Americans present, but the Frenchmen won't be appearing at SLTV StarSeries IX Finals, as they've had a disappointing online season that sees them place far outside of playoff spot contention. Still a good sign to see them travel to Denmark though, as opposed to chasing easy money in France like Clan-Mystik are doing.

The big question mark for LDLC is their starplayer Hovik "KQLY" Tovmassian. After an MVP-like performance for Clan-Mystik at ESWC last year, he's been invisible at best at the two majors, failing to break 0.65 KPR at either and finishing EMS One with a catastrophic K-D difference of -40 despite making the quarter-finals with his team. He must start playing like he does online if LDLC hope to make waves in the future, and the BYOC-like format of Copenhagen Games might be good for him.

For now LDLC have to deal with the fact they are the eighth best team in the world, but not much more. It's obvious the potential to greater things is there, but until Tovmassian plays like he does online you shouldn't expect to see them in the semi-finals of big events. They aren't a very good match-up for anyone but fellow countrymen Titan and fnatic, so a top four finish would require a lucky bracket draw, or development from the team.



apEX's LDLC have not met their expectations

7. compLexity (anger, Hiko, n0thing, semphis, sgares)

LAN results Online results 5-8th EMS One Katowice 2014 EMS One Katowice 2014 1st CEVO Main Season 3 3rd ESEA Invite Season 15 Finals ESEA Invite Season 15 Finals 2nd coL 10th Anniversary 3-4th DreamHack Winter 2013 DreamHack Winter 2013

Despite the change that saw Braxton "swag" Pierce depart and former iBUYPOWER member Todd "anger" Williams join, compLexity can not be ranked below the top seven, simply because of their finishes at the last two majors. Our top seven features all seven teams who made top four at either major, as it should be considering the importance of those two events.

Not only did compLexity finish 3-4th at DreamHack Winter, they also had a good showing at EMS One Katowice, though it was cut short by NiP in the quarter-finals, but only after three maps of battle. Their weak showing at ESEA S15 Finals didn't exactly raise their stock, but they still had a close series with Titan, and played well more recently in Katowice.

coL have struggled mightily in ESEA Invite's current season since the addition of Williams, with four losses in seven games and their finals spot in jeopardy. Considering the expenses that incur with every overseas trip, it's extremely important for Sean "sgares" Gares' team to pick up the slack and finish the season strong to guarantee a shot at Europeans once more at the finals in June.

With the background the core of Spencer "Hiko" Martin, Kory "semphis" Friesen and Gares have since CS:GO's beginning in Area51, Quantic Gaming and compLexity, it's hard to see the American giant not turning the ship around. Many say Pierce was their best player, and that was the case in Katowice, but one shouldn't forget it'd been Martin carrying the fragging load for a long time before that.

compLexity played more skill reliant Counter-Strike in Poland than we're used to seeing them play, and I would argue it goes against their strength. It remains to be seen if Williams fits the mold they used Pierce in, or whether they will have to completely change their game. I assume they will go for option number two, if they even stick to this roster.

Williams' addition seemed oddly fast after Pierce's departure, and especially if they fail to qualify for ESEA Finals I could see a big rebuilding happening in compLexity. Qualifying for ESEA, and a chance to face Europeans in June, is the number one goal for coL, and it's still within reach. But they have to start playing like a top two team in America, even if they aren't top seven in the world in their current shape.



Hiko wasn't himself in Katowice

6. LGB (cype, dennis, KRiMZ, olofm, twist)

LAN results Online results 3-4th EMS One Katowice 2014 EMS One Katowice 2014 7-8th Fragbite Masters 2014 2nd Svecup Finals 2013 Svecup Finals 2013 5-6th fnatic FragOut League 3 5-8th DreamHack Winter 2013 DreamHack Winter 2013 2nd FACEIT March Cup



1st FACEIT December Cup



3-4th Fragbite Masters 2013

What can be said that wasn't already in "The story of LGB eSports"? These guys are one of the world's best teams, and they certainly proved that at EMS One Katowice. Their online results haven't been miraculous, but as long as they have a top four placing at the freshest major in their pocket, they're good for a top six ranking in the world in my books. They also had a strong showing at DreamHack Winter in late 2013.

Considering the speed of LGB's ascent to the absolute top of Counter-Strike, they actually seem a lot more intriguing as a team to follow than the next two teams above them, as it seems less clear how high up LGB's ceiling is. They are still very new and fresh, and based on EMS One their recent roster changes were definitely for the better.

Online LGB have been average for the most part, as shown by their weak finishes in Fragbite Masters and FFO3, but they've excelled in FACEIT Cups, where they've defeated fnatic and played NiP very close. A team with four of their current players and Marcus "Delpan" Larsson also won the FACEIT January Cup, though under EL1TEGAM3RS1337 tag, with Olof "olofm" Kajbjer missing.

Similar to HellRaisers they are a nightmare match-up for many teams due to the amount of skill they have packed in their roster, and the unpredictable nature of their game play. They are still improving, and only the future will tell how far they will get. Copenhagen Games should be a good indication, but unfortunately the Swedes aren't taking part in SLTV StarSeries IX, nor will they make the playoffs in ESEA as they currently have a 2-7 record to their name.

A top four finish in Denmark would solidify their spot as one of the world's best teams, and a top eight finish wouldn't take anything away from them. Both should be very much doable considering the bracket they are likely to get with the teams that are present, and they might even get a re-match against Virtus.pro, this time in the quarter-finals, if the seedings hold for the playoffs.

For now LGB eSports should be happy with their top six placing on this ranking, and they seem like a good match-up against nearly every team above them in this ranking; they've defeated fnatic a few times now, come very close to besting NiP and are yet to face either dignitas or Titan. Though online results ultimately set them apart of dignitas for now, they aren't far behind fifth place at all. This could be a big year for LGB, if they can continue their development throughout.



LGB look to break top four in this ranking in 2014

5. dignitas (cajunb, device, dupreeh, FeTiSh, Xyp9x)

LAN results Online results 3-4th EMS One Katowice 2014 EMS One Katowice 2014 1st Fragbite Masters 2014 4th DreamHack Stockholm DreamHack Stockholm 3-4th Fragbite Masters 2013 5-8th DreamHack Winter 2013 DreamHack Winter 2013

dignitas are almost mind-numbingly consistent. Looking at their match record, they practically never lose against teams that are weaker than them, in other words below them on this ranking, yet they also hardly ever beat teams who are above them. They are a very good match-up for Titan, but no one else above them, and it's hard to see where they will gain an edge big enough to bump them to the contender category.

That being said, they are still consistently a top five team in the world. They placed 5-8th after a very narrow loss against VeryGames at DreamHack Winter, then bombed DreamHack Stockholm with two blowout losses but came back stronger than ever, literally, at EMS One Katowice where they placed 3-4th after wins over iBUYPOWER, Reason and HellRaisers. Not the most impressive top four finish, but one nonetheless.

Online dignitas have done great, winning Fragbite Masters 2014 over LDLC, Virtus.pro and Titan in the grand final. That's basically the perfect bracket for dignitas; they have always done well against Titan, while they consistently get blown out by NiP, as happened at EMS One. Copenhagen Games will be a great opportunity for dignitas to gain a higher spot in the ranking, as they will get to play on their home soil with all the teams above them in attendance.

dignitas pack a lot of firepower in the trio of Renè "cajunb" Borg, Nicolai "device" Reedtz and Peter "dupreeh" Rasmussen, and even former fnatic breakout star Andreas "Xyp9x" Højsleth has had his moments. In-game leader Henrik "FeTiSh" Christensen's approach to running this team clearly yields results, as the Danes have consistently been in the top eight of every event they've attended since the Copenhagen Wolves days.

Yet something is missing. You don't see fanatic dignitas fans like you see for other teams, you don't see them receive the same kind of hype, and even their top four finish in Poland was very quiet. Their winning percentage of 63.6% in close games versus top teams is amazing, but the sample size is small, and more often than not they lose in a blowout. They aren't exactly in the spotlights, and it's possible they like it that way, too. However, for them to start winning tournaments, they will have to step in. Let's see how their progress continues later on in 2014.



device is one of dignitas' fraggers

4. fnatic (Devilwalk, flusha, JW, pronax, schneider)

LAN results Online results 5-8th EMS One Katowice 2014 EMS One Katowice 2014 5-6th Fragbite Masters 2014 3rd DreamHack Stockholm DreamHack Stockholm 3rd fnatic FragOut League 3 1st DreamHack Winter 2013 DreamHack Winter 2013 5-8th FACEIT March Cup 3-4th FACEIT January Cup 2nd FACEIT December Cup

fnatic are by default a top four team in the world due to having won DreamHack Winter, one of the two majors held so far for CS:GO. You can't make a good case for more than three teams having accomplished more than them in the time period since late November, yet the Swedes of Patrik "cArn" Sättermon are getting dangerously close to falling out of the top four.

DreamHack Stockholm Invitational was a disappointment for fnatic. They looked extremely strong against dignitas and good for one half versus Titan, but they were then shut down fairly easily by the French-Belgians and later on NiP. At EMS One they barely made it out of the group stage after faltering against Reason, and were then quickly eliminated by LGB, who have had their number for a while now.

For fnatic to remain in the top four of the world, they will need a top four finish at Copenhagen Games. Katowice was a weak showing for fnatic, and they've been mediocre at best online as well, although they may still make the SLTV StarSeries IX Finals if they beat Clan-Mystik tonight. In comparison to dignitas they are almost like the exact opposites - very inconsistent, but with a higher ceiling and better match-up against many teams. Yet they can also lose against almost anyone.

To further build a case against fnatic, they are by far the worst top team against other top teams in close matches (+-3 rounds or overtime), only able to win roughly 27%, or one in four of such encounters. They have a better record of 61.5% against teams outside of the top twelve, but even being able to win just over half of the close games against significantly weaker teams than themselves isn't something to brag about.

fnatic are a young, still fairly inexperienced team and they will continue maturing as time goes by. They've already achieved great things at the past two main DreamHack events, but their problem is inconsistency, despite the solid leadership of Markus "pronax" Wallsten. They still have quite a few things to figure out, and one of them is making Jesper "JW" Wecksell much more consistent, and only the future will tell whether they'll get there or not.

I think fnatic's case for top four is made by their major victory, while the three teams ahead of them in the rankings have clearly done better of late than fnatic. Copenhagen Games is do or die for fnatic's hopes of remaining in top four or surpassing one of the teams above it; they can no longer afford to place 5-8th and assume that will keep them among the very best in the world.



flusha needs more help from JW & co

3. Virtus.pro (byali, Neo, pasha, snax, TaZ)

LAN results Online results 1st EMS One Katowice 2014 EMS One Katowice 2014 3rd Fragbite Masters 2014 1st SLTV StarSeries VIII Finals SLTV StarSeries VIII Finals 9-12th DreamHack Winter 2013 DreamHack Winter 2013

I'm not sure if EMS One victory alone should bring the Poles this high up on the ranking, but it is hard to make a case for any of the teams below them to deserve a higher spot. They won SLTV StarSeries VIII Finals in December, topped EMS One Katowice without many issues and have even turned a page in their online play as they managed a respectable third place finish in Fragbite Masters last month. That's a good resume.

Virtus.pro will be tested next week at Copenhagen Games, where they will no longer have the massive Polish crowd on their side, and it's almost impossible for them to be equally motivated for the event as they were for the one on their home soil. The core of this team is known for sometimes struggling at smaller events after major wins, something that happened in 2012 as they bombed out of Copenhagen Games at 9-12th after winning IEM VI World Championships just a month earlier.

The win in Katowice has a small asterisk next to it in many people's opinions simply because many question Virtus' ability to motivate themselves similarly to another event, and I think it's a deserved question. They seem like very patriotic people, and I wouldn't be surprised if we didn't see an equally prepared Virtus.pro squad in Copenhagen. Their top three seed will help though, and it could pave them a way to a top four finish.

As was the case with fnatic, Virtus could be surpassed as soon as a week from now by a couple of teams with the right result in Denmark, but for now it's hard to make a case against a team that has won the most recent major tournament in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. They deserve the spotlight that is on them now, but their next events, which also include SLTV StarSeries IX Finals they've qualified for, will show whether they will truly become an elite team or not.

Jarosław "pasha" Jarząbkowski played MVP-like Counter-Strike in Katowice, significantly better statistically than he has over his CS:GO career, and the same can be said for the team's two youngsters in Janusz "snax" Pogorzelski and Paweł "byali" Bieliński. Filip "Neo" Kubski and Wiktor "TaZ" Wojtas should remain in their shape, or even improve, but it is the two newest members of the team who will most likely determine their fate in Denmark.

They were the ones who helped Virtus.pro become a top team once again, after a long year of struggles, and they are the ones who will have to keep playing well for them to remain there. Obviously it's not realistic to expect all of them to put up the kind of numbers they did in Katowice, but slightly lesser play could still lead to a bunch of W's thanks to Kubski's leadership and the solid foundation the team has.



byali played great in Katowice

2. Titan (Ex6TenZ, NBK, ScreaM, shox, SmithZz)

LAN results Online results 9-12th EMS One Katowice 2014 EMS One Katowice 2014 2nd Fragbite Masters 2014 1st DreamHack Stockholm DreamHack Stockholm 5-8th FACEIT March Cup 2nd ESEA Invite Season 15 Finals ESEA Invite Season 15 Finals 5-8th Fragbite Masters 2013 3-4th DreamHack Winter 2013 DreamHack Winter 2013





Titan's second place in this ranking could be controversial. It's true their EMS One Katowice showing wasn't good by any measure, and even not winning either Fragbite Masters or FACEIT March Cup online was a disappointing result. Losing ESEA Invite Season 15 Finals against iBUYPOWER was also not what we've come to expect from the French-Belgians who dominated the scene in the fall of 2013.

Heading into DreamHack Winter they were clearly the world's best team, and despite the issues at DreamHack Stockholm Invitational in February, they were still able to take down NiP twice. They are also going to qualify for SLTV StarSeries IX Finals - assuming they defeat Clan-Mystik tonight, or fnatic loses against the Frenchmen - and look to be headed to Dallas in June as well for another shot at an ESEA Invite title. Yet, time is running out for Titan. They need a good result, and it needs to come next week.

For a team living together in a gaming house their results are not acceptable. They are capable of so much more, something they've showcased at times, but these recent failures against Virtus.pro, HellRaisers, dignitas and Property have simply made them look mortal. They keep losing against teams they should be beating, yet overall they still continue to be one of the world's strongest teams, as shown by the recent 16-2 thrashing of NiP.

If Titan were to place outside of the top two at Copenhagen Games, then we would really have to re-visit this ranking. They have a history of being a top two team in the world, and very consistent, since CS:GO tournament play began at DreamHack Valencia in 2012, but their recent results haven't been promising. I still believe they will come around and start playing on their normal level, but the time is quickly running out for Titan.

Adil "ScreaM" Benrlitom has shown flashes of his old self lately, and Richard "shox" Papillon keeps making a solid case for being the world's best player, potentially even more complete than NiP's Christopher "GeT_RiGhT" Alesund. Nathan "NBK" Schmitt can be very explosive at times, and Edouard "SmithZz" Dubourdeaux has looked a lot better in the AWPing role he was given after Kenny "kennyS" Schrub's departure. It's hard to say where the problem lays.

Kevìn "Ex6TenZ" Droolans has proven he can lead this team to championships, and when considering the sample size, they have by far the most impressive winning percentage in close games out of all top teams. They have all the ingredients to be the world's best team, but lately not everything has been clicking. Pressure is on for Titan, they must perform at Copenhagen Games or they will see their ranking plummet in a week's time.



shox is definitely one of the world's best players

1. NiP (f0rest, Fifflaren, friberg, GeT_RiGhT, Xizt)

LAN results Online results 2nd EMS One Katowice 2014 EMS One Katowice 2014 9-12th Fragbite Masters 2014 2nd DreamHack Stockholm DreamHack Stockholm 1st FACEIT March Cup 1st Svecup Finals Svecup Finals 3rd GSL Egamingbets Cup 2nd DreamHack Winter 2013 DreamHack Winter 2013 1st Fragbite Masters 2013

Make no mistake about it, NiP are currently the world's best team, but it's by a hair and practically by default. They have placed second at three of their last international tournaments, and although they've qualified for SLTV StarSeries IX Finals and look to be headed to ESEA Invite Season 16 Finals as well, their they have also struggled to stay consistent online, losing to HR in both GSL Cup and Fragbite Masters for measly 3rd and 9-12th place finishes.

In a way that is all noise though; we all know NiP can win any event at any time, and they have one of the world's top two players in Christopher "GeT_RiGhT" Alesund, as well as one of the all-time greats in Patrik "f0rest" Lindberg. HellRaisers are a nightmare of a match-up for NiP, and a team they must figure out as soon as possible, but luckily for them the CIS-based team will not be present in Copenhagen, which makes their work a lot easier.

The only team in Denmark who NiP have a history of losing against is Titan. The two are the top two seeds and should not meet before the grand final, if they make it that far. Had NiP won Katowice there would be very little doubt they are the world's best team, but being unable to win versus Virtus.pro, a clear underdog, casts a shadow over their placing that saw them once more frontrun over weaker opponents to get to the grand final.

Alesund and Lindberg's record in major finals isn't great, and NiP are actually right in the middle in terms of winning percentage in close matches at 41.9%. It's not a bad number, but would you have guessed that NiP more often lose a close game (+-3 rounds or overtime) than not? There is also the case of them seemingly constantly changing their in-game leader, and all the issues that must bring to the team over the long term in lack of continuation.

Whether it's Richard "Xizt" Landström or Robin "Fifflaren" Johansson in the reigns, the Ninjas continue not disappointing, as proven by the three top two finishes in a row. They still seem to lack that extra something, and it's a little concerning seeing so many narrow losses as of late, with seemingly no improvement. They get another chance at redemption in Denmark, and one later on at SLTV StarSeries IX Finals, an event they have notoriously struggled on in the past, despite Alesund's heroics bringing them one victory.

Defending their Copenhagen Games championship would settle the discussion and place NiP at number one in the world. Another second place finish would make a lot of questions come up, and a placing outside of the grand final would probably knock them down a spot, depending on who wins. They are no longer the kind of dominant force they were during the legendary 87-0 run, but they are the world's best team, even if by a hair. Let's see if they remain that after next week.



Will GeT_RiGhT's NiP return to winning form in Denmark?

With all the top twelve spots handed out above, we have completed the April 2014 edition of the HLTV.org CS:GO world ranking. Once again, below is a table of the full ranking for quick viewing:

1. NiP ( f0rest, Fifflaren, friberg, GeT_RiGhT, Xizt) 2. Titan ( Ex6TenZ, NBK, ScreaM, shox, SmithZz) 3. Virtus.pro ( byali, Neo, pasha, snax, TaZ) 4. fnatic ( Devilwalk, flusha, JW, pronax, schneider) 5. dignitas ( cajunb, device, dupreeh, FeTiSh, Xyp9x) 6. LGB ( cype, dennis, KRiMZ, olofm, twist) 7. compLexity ( anger, Hiko, n0thing, semphis, sgares) 8. LDLC (apEX, Happy, KQLY, Maniac, Uzzziii) 9. HellRaisers (AdreN, ANGE1, Dosia, kucher, markeloff) 10. Clan-Mystik (GMX, HaRts, kennyS, kioShiMa, Sf) 11. iBUYPOWER (AZK, DaZeD, Skadoodle, steel, swag) 12. Natus Vincere (Edward, GuardiaN, seized, starix, Zeus)

Although these rankings continue to live and will probably change already after Copenhagen Games and SLTV StarSeries IX Finals, we don't plan on updating these rankings on a monthly basis.

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