Esports
How a Counter-Strike Major works: Challengers, Legends, Champions
A Counter-Strike Major tournament is a four-stage competition that starts with Swiss rounds to funnel teams into a separate single-elimination playoff.
Esports
Majors, regional standings and the formats that decide a series before the first round is played.
Esports
The Valve Regional Standings and how a team actually reaches a Major
Valve's Major qualification path is no longer a single tournament — it's a ranking and invitation system using the Valve Regional Standings.
Esports
Reading an HLTV stat line: what rating, KAST and ADR actually measure
HLTV’s player rating is a composite statistic that combines several performance measures. Two players can share the same rating while producing it in very different ways, creating an important margin for interpretation.
Reference
How a Major is staged
- 1ChallengersSwiss format. Teams play until three wins or three losses; the top half carries on.
- 2LegendsSwiss again, with the teams that advanced joining the seeded side.
- 3ChampionsSingle-elimination bracket. Nothing carries over from the Swiss except the seeding.
Reading the event
- SwissThree wins advance, three losses go home; the bracket restarts the seeding.
- StandingsPoints decay, so an inactive roster slides even without losing.
- RatingHLTV rating is a composite — two equal ratings can mean opposite roles.
- VetoThe map pool decides half the match before the first round.