History Golden Five. Part One (2006-2008)

July 18, 2013 on HLTV.Org reported that a longtime member of the Polish team ESC Gaming and one of the most titled players in Counter-Strike-Mariusz Tsibulsky (Loord) , completes his e -sports career. A few days later, another veteran followed his example Golden Five – Yakub Gurchinsky , Better known as Kuben.

► LOORD on SLTV Starsies Season Vi Finals-its last LAN tournament in the ESC Gaming.

Their departure placed a fat point in the history of the famous Polish five, which won everything that is possible and impossible, and more than once. Although Mariuses and Yakub were told that they no longer have an incentive to play, connoisseurs of professional CS: GO They perfectly understood that these players got rid of, like ballast, who has been pulling the last few months ESC Gaming to the bottom.

We will not dispute the decision TAZ And Neo and compare their contributions to success Golden Five , And only we will tell you about the most memorable moments in the history of the last legendary team in https://sister-site.org/tropic-slots/ classical CS.

► And this is a little upset Yakub Gurchinsky (Kuben).

It all started with Pentagram , or rather, from a team called Pentagram Connexion. She was born on April 1, 2004, when the leading Polish teams of that time were rivaling the leading Polish teams Aristocracy And Specster (She SS2 ) united and created a promising five on CS 1.6.

Original composition Pentagram ( Neo , TAZ , Luq , ZIBI , Pitrek ) no one ever called Golden Five , But it was this team that became the foundation of the future Polish Powerhouse. The first victories “Pentagrams” were obtained back in 2004 – in Berlin Lehnitz Lan and Prague Invex Europe Cyber ​​Cup.

However, those tournaments cannot be compared with competitions organized Samsung In Hanover in March 2005. World Cyber ​​Games Euro Championship gathered all the strongest teams of the Old World, and Pentagram , Jouring in the final of the formidable SK Gaming , got their first truly significant title there.

► one of the early Pentagram photos. Only Neo, TAZ and LUQ are identified.

Despite victories and a good game, the Polish squad constantly tried to optimize the composition. In 2004-2005, through Pentagram (and later through PGS ) in chronological order passed ZIBI , Pitrek , Napalm , Rulon And Motyw. There were only three unshakable all this time: Philip Kubsky ( Neo ), Victor Voitas ( TAZ ) And Lukash Ekrats ( Luq ) – unconditional team leaders.

In 2006, a couple of days before Kode5 Germany , in Pentagram G-Shock along with Mateusha Oril ( Motyw ) Came Mariusz Tsibulsky ( Loord ), known in Poland by speeches for Team Melanz. With his arrival in PGS, a powerful backbone of four future members was formed Golden Five , And before the kit they lacked only a young talented shooter Yakuba Gurchinsky ( Kuben ).

► PENTAGRAM – bronze medalists of the American CPL Winter 2006.

Chance to get into PGS Kuben received in mid -July of the same year when Neo suddenly stated that he had received a tempting offer and went to the rosary team (probably, mousesports ). However, after some time he returned. Naturally, for him it was urgent to free up space, and the choice of the majority fell on Motyw , who, having left PGS , I played a little more for other Polish teams and tied it with e -sports.

So, by the beginning of September 2006, the legendary composition Golden Five Formed completely.

► "Golden" composition of Pentagram G-Shock. Top left to right: neo, loord, kuben, luq. Below: TAZ and PGS manager.

Having gathered all the best players in the country, PGS “shot” and won by the end of the year WSVG London And WCG 2006 Grand Finals , and also became third on CPL Winter. Their championship in Monz, where the Poles in the final defeated the notorious ones were particularly impressive Ninjas in Pyjamas With Emile Kristensen ( Heaton ) at the head.

Here's what Luq later said about this:

“To play in the final of the most important tournament in the world against such a team – but our breaths were breathtaking. We knew that if we play our game, we will definitely win. We did not look at what NIP had to go on the way to the finale. We saw what they did with everyone who entered the road, and it spurred us ".

That Grand Final WCG 2006 I remembered, firstly, by the fact that the finalists played their fights not in the hall, as is customary, but in the open air. Secondly, confrontation PGS And NIP accompanied by the emotional shouts of the players of both teams (the Swede yelled the most Zet ). Well, thirdly, the audience witnesses witnesses of a fantastic round name Walle. Watch it below.

► Denis Vallenberg is left alone against five and wins the round!

2007 began very optimistic – the Polish squad, having won along the way Shg Open All the strongest European teams lost the final to the Brazilians Mibr ( Made in Brasil ). He did not lose time in vain and management, secured by sponsorship support for the famous poker school PokerStrategy. Since then, the Polish team has been officially called PGS.PokerStrategy.CC.

Having played well in Copenhagen, the Shlyakhtichi almost immediately went to Germany, where they had to begin from day to day IEM Season One Global Finals And Samsung Euro Championship 2007. In total, they brought the Poles sets of gold and silver medals and $ 56,000.

In the final of the first in history Intel Extreme Masters Neo and the company convincingly broke up with the Danes from H2K , And the battle for gold SEC 2007 , Alas, they lost SK Gaming. The next purpose was French Electronic Sports World Cup ( ESWC ) where PGS.PokerStrategy.CC set off as the main favorites.

► Philip Kubsky (Neo) at the Danish SHG Open 2007.

The best Russian teams were attended by the Paris tournament – Virtus.Pro And Begrip , as well as Ukrainians A-gaming. Two difficult group stages were waiting for the playoffs of favorites from Poland.

In the first they were opposed Virtus.Pro , X6Tens , VATOS LOCOS And Exotic , And in the second – Tr Victory , Meet Your Makers And 69N-28E. PGS won six brilliant victories and one match (with the Chinese Tr Victory 15:15) Completed. Old acquaintances were waiting for the Poles in the quarterfinals NIP.

► Polish team for the first time becomes the champion of ESWC Grand Finals.

Scrolling in memory the recent WCG finals, the audience was already waiting for a tense struggle, but the game went into one gate. At least eleven rounds were taken on the first map of the Ninja, and there was no wet place left on the second from the Swedes (16: 2). Much heavier than the Poles was played against other Swedes in the semifinals – Fnatic They even won one card, but that's it.

Grand final ESWC 2007 brought our heroes with the Danes Noa – One of the main discoveries of that tournament. The first card de_train quickly went to the PGS piggy bank (16: 5), but on de_nuke Future MTW.DK Fought and won on additional rounds (22:18). The fate of gold medals and forty thousand was decided on de_inferno , And the gentry simply could not afford to lose (16: 9).

► Funny LUQ and Neo at the ESWC 2007 final press conference.

There were failures that year. On WCG 2007 In Seattle, long before the appearance Dota 2 And The International, The Poles unexpectedly lost the Finns for everyone Roccat In the 1/16 finals. However, soon the shock trio ( Neo , TAZ , Luq ) as part of the Polish team won European Nations Cup.

Naturally, all these victories could not go unnoticed, and at the end of 2007 PGS.PokerStrategy.CC Goned the titles Esports Team of the Year , And their main star Philip Kubski ( Neo ) won at once in two nominations: Esports Player of the Year of And Best Counter-Strike Player. Three years ago, a native of Poznan could only dream of such a success.

► MUVIK the best game moments of the Polish Pentagram team

Having won a couple of championships and gaining worldwide recognition, in early 2008 the team left PGS.PokerStrategy.CC. The fact is that the manager was replaced by the PGS, and in the financial sense it became completely sad.

The current champions have gone ESWC In German Meet Your Makers , which in those years poured money to the right and left and was considered the richest e -sports organization in Europe. True, later due to marketing miscalculations and short-sighted policy Mym burst like a trust from the story of O’Genry.

However, for now Meet your Makers They could not be called a new acquisition, which, unlike the previous Norwegian squad, not only received a weighty salary, but the championships won. The Poles really wanted to impress new employers, and they needed a good start for Intel Extreme Masters Season 2 And Kode5 Global Finals.

► SK, MIBR and ROCCAT are watching the confrontation of MyM and MTW on Kode5 Moscow.

But first TAZ And the company flew like plywood over Paris, by IEM , And then in Moscow, on the world finals of KODE5 (by the way, the money for that tournament was not paid) became third, blowing in the semifinals Fnatic. By the way, they stopped Meet Your Makers And in the final Samsung European Championship.

As a result, the first gold in that year Neo and the company mined only by mid -June on Dreamhack Summer 2008. For the entire tournament, the Poles did not lose a single card, but they won MTW , AAA , Dimension4 , Excello And Roccat. The latter, by the way, had to be beaten twice – in the semifinals and superfinal.

► Meet Your Makers – Champions Dreamhack Summer 2008 WGT.

As for traditional world championships, as last year, the Poles won ESWC Grand Finals And they gave a swing on World Cyber ​​Games. At first, the tournament at San Jose was very difficult for them, and overcome the group stage ( Mob , MTW , Mym , X3O ) it turned out only due to the superiority of the difference in personal meetings.

The playoffs were not easier. Heavy victories over the current WCG champions Emulate And the Germans Mousesports became only a warming before the final against Estro ( Solo , Bail , Termi , Hee , ARI ). It is difficult for any European team to fight Koreans, because Asians are adherents of a radical other style of the game, and they have excellent shooting.

We talked about the events of that final Here, We only recall that it was won due to strong will and vivid individual actions. On ESWC 2008 The Poles are not only rich in forty thousand dollars, but for the first time in history they managed to protect their title in the framework of such a prestigious World Cup.

► WCG 2008 Grand Finals. TAZ "drags" a very important round!

In November, MYM introduced the opportunity to become two -time champions and World Cyber ​​Games , Moreover, the tournament was held almost under their nose, in Cologne. In the group stage, they again met with Estro And this time they lost that they did not stop them from reaching the next stage of the competition.

The real battle flared up already in the quarterfinals, and then MYM overestimated their strength and lost to the Danes MTW ( Sunde , Zonic , HPX , Ave , MJE ), last year's finalists WCG and the best team in the world according to Esports Award 2008. Intel Extreme Masters in the USA did not submit to the team and subsequent “stops” (LOS – Angeles, 4th place) and the UAE (Dubai, 2nd place).

► Sniper Lukash Ekli (LUQ) was distinguished not only by haircut and swearing, but also. In a similar style, by the way, plays Zeus from Na’vi.

Failures gave rise to a mass of disputes and quarrels in the team, and approach with such a mood to Dreamhack Winter 2008 It was impossible. The team leaders decided to remove from Mym Lukasha Veska (LUQ) and pour in fresh blood in the face of a young player Frag Executors Philip Pionas (Pionas). Here is the official statement of the team management:

“This year for the team turned out to be difficult. We had ups and downs, but we could play better. After recent tournaments, we came to the conclusion that the team needs new blood. Sometimes you have to do this in order to raise the fighting spirit of the team.

The solution was not easy for us, but we think this is the only way. Luq has always been an important part of the team, and he is a good friend, which is why it was even more difficult for us to decide on it. We hope that he will find a new team for himself and continue to perform at the highest level. ".

► Victor Voitas (TAZ) gives another interview after the victory.

Before the fans had time to digest and share the shocking news with all friends, like Mym Disked another feint. Having played without its main sniper, Neo and the company decided to return it, and they indicated the door Yakub Gurchinsky ( Kuben ).

In 2013, the team leader Victor Voitas ( TAZ ) will say that the decision to expose Kuben has become the biggest mistake in his career and that he is very sorry. However, in November 2008 he did not think so, and all his thoughts were busy preparing for the Winter Dreamhack.

Despite the November Czech with replacements, Meet Your Makers performed in Yyoncheping with dignity. Having won two meetings in the group and losing only MTW, they went out of the second place in the playoffs, where they first got off Mibr (2: 1 on cards) and only then lost to future champions SK Gaming. Hearing the soul with the end of the game year was the victory over the principal rival Fnatic In the match for third place.

► TAZ, Loord and Pionas on Dreamhack Winter 2008.

The following year the best Polish team in Counter-STRIKE Return to the composition Kuben And get rid of Pionas , and also to break with Mym and go to look for a new stable partner. After several years of well -being Golden Five will face serious financial difficulties, but about all this – in the second part of our narrative. See you soon!

The main achievements of Golden Five (2006-2008):

2006 – WCG Grand Finals (1st place) 2006- WSVG London (1st place) 2006- WCG Poland Qualifiers (1st place) 2006- ESWC Poland Qualifiers (1st place) 2006- Poznan Game Arena (1st place) 2006- Heyah Logitech CyberSport (1st place) 2006- Kode5 Germany (2nd place) 2006- CPL Winter (3rd place)

2007 – Iem Season One Global Finals (1st place) 2007- Samsung European Championship (1st place) 2007- ESWC Grand Finals (1st place) 2007- WCG Poland Qualifiers (1st place) 2007- ESWC Poland Qualifiers (1st place) 2007- Samsung European Championship (2nd place) 2007- Shg Open (2nd place)

2008 – ESWC Grand Finals (1st place) 2008- Dreamhack Summer (1st place) 2008- Samsung European Championship (2nd place) 2008- IEM Global Challenge Dubai (2nd place) 2008- Kode5 Global Finals (3rd place) 2008- Dreamhack Winter (3rd place) 2008- IEM Global Challenge Los Angeles (4th place)