UPDATE: After an epic long, 3-hour match that was easily one of the greatest matches in TF2 history, Pandemic has claimed the Pro-Am Championships over eMazing Gaming!

(GotFrag) - There isn't really much to say that hasn't already been said - the match we've all been waiting for (a Championship match) has finally arrived, as eMg and Pandemic will duke it out one more time to see who takes the $5,000 prize. It's funny how, after so long without seeing these two play, we get 3 matches in rapid succession (and another one coming Monday in CEVO-P) and more hype for the rivalry than I could ever express. No doubt, this one's gonna be a douzy...






Pandemic v eMazing Gaming - Match of the Night

Since the match will be best of three format, the pred becomes something to think through a little more. I might be wrong, but I believe the Pro-Am has chosen cp_badlands to be the tie-breaking map, used only if the teams split the first two maps. Unfortunately, due to work restraints (ie. rk won't be around till 11pm) and no one being around at this time, I'll have to play a little guessing game in terms of what maps each team picks. If the information becomes available, I encourage you to post in the comments and let everyone else know what's going on :)

With the way they've been playing on it lately, I can't imagine eMg going with anything other than cp_granary - it was the map they 5-0'd Pandemic on. And sure, while Pandemic has had some time to spruce up their granary-play, I think (after last night, especially) eMg should be able to hold strong and take the first map, putting the pressure on Pandemic a little bit. Unfortunately, from this point the maps will favour Pandemic quite heavily - Pandemic will no doubt go with cp_gravelpit, their strongest map, and I don't see eMg being able to break through on that one. So this'll all come down to another cp_badlands match.

I'm currently three quarters of the way through the Play-by-Play for the last badlands matchup, and I've noticed that - while Pandemic did play quite superbly - eMg never really seemed to get their game going, thrown off perhaps by alexwut's much more aggressive style of play. Much like Pandemic did on cp_granary, eMg made a few mistakes that seemed very much out of character - mistakes that good teams don't repeat, and make no mistake, eMg is a very good team. My feeling is, in essence, that the last cp_badlands match was kind of an off night for eMg, and isn't necessarily a true example of their abilities on that map. But I'm skirting around the issue - the real question is, do I think they can win?

On what feels like a coinflip, I'm going to say no - I think Pandemic will take this bo3 on the third map, cp_badlands, due mostly to the addition of alexwut's mobile playstyle which really had eMg back on their heels at times. That, and the re-awakening of sycknesS & oPlaiD, who really shut down their counterparts and eased the pressure on Fragile throughout the previous match. So there it is, Pandemic will win it in 3 maps and claim the top prize in what hopefully is an exciting night of TF2.

Pandemic 2 - 1 eMazing Gaming
cp_granary: Pandemic [ 2 : 5 ] eMg
cp_gravelpit: Pandemic [ 2 : 1 ] eMg
cp_badlands: Pandemic [ 5 : 3 ] eMg