Who's the Dark Horse in the tournament?

dennis, Fnatic:

— I would say FlipSid3 or Gambit



NBK, Team EnVyUs:

— The dark horse of the tournament is probably Fnatic. Flying under the radar, but I expect good stuff from them!



Kjaerbye, Astralis:

— There's many dark horses this tournament, since everyone had a lot of time to prepare, and it seems like many teams managed to spend a lot of their time bootcamping and developing, so we will most likely see many surprises at the major as we always do. To mention a team, I'd propably say Gambit.



znajder, Godsent

— Liquid? Nah, but to be honest it has to be us, we will either bomb out instantly or we will bomb in to the playoffs.



Hiko, Team Liquid

— I think the dark horse of the tournament is going to be FaZe, they've looked really good ever since Karrigan joined and I think they're going to surprise a lot of teams.



shox, G2

— I think either Fnatic or FaZe can do something good here. — I would say FlipSid3 or Gambit— The dark horse of the tournament is probably Fnatic. Flying under the radar, but I expect good stuff from them!— There's many dark horses this tournament, since everyone had a lot of time to prepare, and it seems like many teams managed to spend a lot of their time bootcamping and developing, so we will most likely see many surprises at the major as we always do. To mention a team, I'd propably say Gambit.— Liquid? Nah, but to be honest it has to be us, we will either bomb out instantly or we will bomb in to the playoffs.— I think the dark horse of the tournament is going to be FaZe, they've looked really good ever since Karrigan joined and I think they're going to surprise a lot of teams.— I think either Fnatic or FaZe can do something good here.

Which player do you see as the biggest threat at the major?

dennis, Fnatic:

— I don't see any players as threats because i don't think anyone is better than me individually.



NBK, Team EnVyUs:

— The biggest threat as a player will probably be coldzera. The guy never went under 1.08 rating at any game at a major!



Kjaerbye, Astralis:

— I don't think I divide and think too much about players to fear, that is just waste of time, I can fear good teams sometimes maybe, but I just think it's a lot of fun competing against the best players in the world, and I'd always love to take up the challenge and don't see it as a bad thing.



znajder, Godsent

— I never see any player as a big threat but i guess if someone has to pull his team to victory it has to be s1mple.



Hiko, Team Liquid

— I personally think coldzera is probably the biggest threat, at majors he has proven that he can pull off some amazing rounds/plays and obviously it hurts thinking back to what he did against us in Columbus of last year.



shox, G2

— coldzera of course, he had been rolling all the 2016 year and for sure he won't give up for 2017. He is this kind of guy who can almost win a game by himself. — I don't see any players as threats because i don't think anyone is better than me individually.— The biggest threat as a player will probably be coldzera. The guy never went under 1.08 rating at any game at a major!— I don't think I divide and think too much about players to fear, that is just waste of time, I can fear good teams sometimes maybe, but I just think it's a lot of fun competing against the best players in the world, and I'd always love to take up the challenge and don't see it as a bad thing.— I never see any player as a big threat but i guess if someone has to pull his team to victory it has to be s1mple.— I personally think coldzera is probably the biggest threat, at majors he has proven that he can pull off some amazing rounds/plays and obviously it hurts thinking back to what he did against us in Columbus of last year.— coldzera of course, he had been rolling all the 2016 year and for sure he won't give up for 2017. He is this kind of guy who can almost win a game by himself.

SK:s Marcelo "coldzera" David is one of the players that getting mentioned as the biggest threat

Which team is the hardest opponents?

dennis, Fnatic:

— Right now probably Astralis but its hard to say because the form of teams change every day. ,



NBK, Team EnVyUs:

— The hardest team for us to play will probably be Optic, regarding the map pool.



Kjaerbye, Astralis:

— I actually don't know, I think there is many good teams who can win the title at the major, it's just about who can maintain the highest level & most of all consistency throughout the tournament, since there is many gamedays and you have to perform at your best most days to go all the way!



znajder, Godsent

— Astralis has put down a lot of time in their practice for the major, and i know North has done so as well, so the two danish teams will most likely be very well prepared, and I don't know if it's true that the Na`Vi players have like 130+ hours each then they should obviously be in good form too.



Hiko, Team Liquid

— For us I think either Astralis or SK will be our hardest opponents, usually our games against SK are pretty close but they find a way to push further than us... and Astralis has always been a team that we've had problems playing.



shox, G2

— SK, Na`Vi and Virtus.pro will be the hardest opponents in my opinion. They always had been really good on big events, specially Major, they won’t change this specific. — Right now probably Astralis but its hard to say because the form of teams change every day. ,— The hardest team for us to play will probably be Optic, regarding the map pool.— I actually don't know, I think there is many good teams who can win the title at the major, it's just about who can maintain the highest level & most of all consistency throughout the tournament, since there is many gamedays and you have to perform at your best most days to go all the way!— Astralis has put down a lot of time in their practice for the major, and i know North has done so as well, so the two danish teams will most likely be very well prepared, and I don't know if it's true that the Na`Vi players have like 130+ hours each then they should obviously be in good form too.— For us I think either Astralis or SK will be our hardest opponents, usually our games against SK are pretty close but they find a way to push further than us... and Astralis has always been a team that we've had problems playing.— SK, Na`Vi and Virtus.pro will be the hardest opponents in my opinion. They always had been really good on big events, specially Major, they won’t change this specific.

Which map do you think will be the most popular one, and which will be banned the most during the tournament?

dennis, Fnatic:

— Train most likely, most people play Train and does not ban it.



NBK, Team EnVyUs:

— I would guess that D2 will be the most played map, while Cache will be the least played.



Kjaerbye, Astralis:

— Hmm I have no idea at all. But I think we for sure will see 1 map a lot as this Valve "randomizer" seems a bit weird and I think it was 9/10 times picking Cobblestone at the last major or something like that, and we also saw a lot of Cache at the major qualifier, so lets see what they have in store for us this time!



znajder, Godsent

—Most popular one will probably be Mirage/Train/Cache/Overpass as usual, and people will most likely keep banning Nuke and Cobblestone a lot.



Hiko, Team Liquid

— I think the most popular map at this major will be Dust2 and the most banned will probably be Nuke.



shox, G2

— I think Nuke is going to be played a lot, same as Cache. The most banned maps will be Overpass and Train I guess. — Train most likely, most people play Train and does not ban it.— I would guess that D2 will be the most played map, while Cache will be the least played.— Hmm I have no idea at all. But I think we for sure will see 1 map a lot as this Valve "randomizer" seems a bit weird and I think it was 9/10 times picking Cobblestone at the last major or something like that, and we also saw a lot of Cache at the major qualifier, so lets see what they have in store for us this time!—Most popular one will probably be Mirage/Train/Cache/Overpass as usual, and people will most likely keep banning Nuke and Cobblestone a lot.— I think the most popular map at this major will be Dust2 and the most banned will probably be Nuke.— I think Nuke is going to be played a lot, same as Cache. The most banned maps will be Overpass and Train I guess.

This Sunday, 16 teams will participate in the hyped Eleague major tournament in Atlanta, Georgia. It's not only a fight about the prize money and honor, but for getting to the top eight and secure a spot for the next upcoming major. Prior to the tournament, we took some time to ask some of the biggest names in the CS:GO scene right now about their thoughts for the upcoming week.Except dark horses that will show up and perform really well there's also the individual aspect. For example, the international esports site HLTV.org are ranking the players after their performances right now which is getting us to the point where we were curious about what the pro players think about each other.Except individual skills and performance, there's also the team aspect. Last half of 2016 we had different winners almost every tournament and it was a bit hard to say which team that could be considered the toughest to face. The opinions were different as expected but our Danish neighbours, Astralis, was one of the teams that got mentioned.Gameplay wise then? Which maps will be picked and which ones will be banned? Will Nuke and Train be banned more than picked? The thoughts about this were definitely different between the pros.