Week 1 of ESEA passed with basically no good/close games and not any big upsets. The earlier matches in week 2 seem to have some really good games, while the week ends in what I predict to be rolls. This week’s map is cp_badlands, a map that is well known and definitely loved. Unlike Yukon, most teams will arrive at middle the same way and for the most part do the same things. Teams won’t need to practice learning the map, just fine tune until they have their strategy down.

EG v 20ID
Last season’s ESEA- Invite winner 20ID faces the ‘stacked’ EG team. I expect this to be a really good match, and it’s my personal match of the week. Both teams contain really experienced players with great knowledge of this map. With EG’s increase in scrims they might have a slight advantage in that department. Hopefully they learned from getting rolled by 20ID last season on this map. With the pickup of syckness to replace amr I expect this to be a really good game. In my opinion 20ID is outclassed in each position excluding the soldier spot (Seagull), but 20ID still has the upper hand in strategy especially after beating EG 5-0 in the ESEA finals on this map. Expect solid play from Destro and Seagull. 5-4 EG

Hostile Faction v Loaded
HF turned a few eyes when they beat Strickland Propane last week on cp_yukon. Although Loaded didn’t play their best last week, they did relatively well for a team that doesn’t scrim, and probably only played Yukon once or twice. Badlands is a map that Loaded is definitely familiar with, so I expect them to do extremely well. Yet, I wouldn’t count HF out of this with the addition of paladin and their EXTREMELY aggressive play-style. HF’s play-style might catch Loaded off guard a few times before Loaded adjusts and takes the win. Expect solid play from enigma, carnage and paladin. 5-1 Loaded

Strickland Propane v lightningbolt
This is also a great matchup. Lightning Bolt until recently was inactive in TF2 but now everybody seems to be back and ready to scrim. Nearly equal in terms of skill on almost all accounts, it’s really hard to say which team will win. Strickland’s aggression at mid v Lightning Bolt’s patience. I’m going to give the edge to Strickland. Watch-out for kayp’s aggressive rocket jumping at middle and a really great game for Sureshot and Stamjelly. 5-3 Strickland

EG v Strickland Propane
EG just about out-classes Propane at every position. Although Strickland hasn’t relied on great death-matchers in the past to win games, I don’t see them putting up too much of a fight here. Maybe 1-2 long rounds in the match, I expect this one to be over in 25 minutes or so. 5-0 EG

Hostile Faction v Vicious-Gaming guest prediction by waar
Right off the bat we can all remember how Vicious Gaming, also known as the Knights of Goku, shut down Hostile Faction in both TWL (6-0 on cp_follower) and CEVO (5-1, again on cp_follower) those however many weeks ago. That was the Hostile Faction of yesterday, today they have re-focused and are ready take on VG once again for a re-match that they have a very good chance of taking. Hostile Faction put StPatrick back on his original class of scout, and picked up paladin to soldier alongside phaser - with just that one change the soldier and scout pairs have both improved dramatically. They definitely proved they can do work with this change last week when they defeated Strickland Propane in a solid 5-1 run on cp_yukon_final, a team that Vicious Gaming lost to on the same week and the same map. Right now HF is flirting with that line that will take them from being the underdog to being the champion, and winning this match will absolutely destroy that line. As for individual classes, VG has the scout advantage with daniel and LD50 who have been playing together pretty much forever now, while cringe's partner has been constantly changing and Patrick only just started playing scout again. I believe HF has the advantage in soldiers however with paladin and Phaser having a ton more experience on the class than the natural talents of trautz and Orzo. As for demomen, both Warpy and boogz have a really bad tendency to overextend, so how well they control themselves will have a serious impact on this game.

Emotions will definitely be flying high in this match as both teams have a lot on the line. Vicious Gaming will be defending their 2-0 record against Hostile Faction, and HF will be giving it all to break that streak. I think this is going to be extremely close and has a great chance of going either way - undoubtedly my match of the week. 5-4 Hostile Faction

20ID v Lightning Bolt
With 20ID’s known dominance on this map, as well as better death-matchers, I don’t feel Lightning Bolt has a shot. Hopefully they can take a round or two, but I just don’t see it happening. Watch Seagull and Sureshot for the most action packed view. 5-0 20ID

purEsports v Loaded & Vicious-Gaming
With the loss of Pure, Apoc and Blackstar, I’m unsure if Pure can even field 6. Hopefully they get a 6th man on their roster by the end of this week, so they don’t fall apart like they did last season.

Check out esportsea.com for schedule, stats and the sourcetv info.