Of the twenty-four teams participating in the Perfect World Shanghai Major for Counter-Strike 2, only eight remain. The playoff stage promises to be unpredictable, but Valve’s prediction contest is still on. For this reason, the CS.MONEY Blog shares their thoughts on who to pick for your Shanghai Major Pick ’em.

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Shanghai Main Playoff Stage Favorites

The Shanghai Major playoffs are highly unpredictable for the simple reason that, given the right circumstances, any of the eight remaining teams can win the tournament. The teams most often mentioned as potential champions are The MongolZ, Team Vitality, and G2 Esports. Let’s break down each team.

MongolZ has been a big surprise to many, but we note that this is a team that has worked hard and long to break into tier-1. The team has a strong foundation and a high ceiling, but it is still unclear what the key to their victory is as problems sometimes arise during their games. MongolZ are the favorites in the top half of the bracket, but against experienced and versatile teams like Team Vitality or FaZe Clan, they could be in trouble.

Team Vitality is a top pick for the playoffs as the team has experience, good form, and still has the X factor in ZywOo. The French club seems to have all the components that The MongolZ has, with a little extra on top.

G2 Esports is showing its firepower, and the team is not under pressure. However, this could also be a cruel trick for them as the playoffs are not just about adaptation but also preparation. The heroics that G2 Esports faced in the first round have shown glimpses of a very strong game in Shanghai, and with momentum on their side, they could surprise G2.

Our Shanghai Top Playoff Picks

However, there was no clear result in a single match. The big problem for pick ’em fans is the donk, because if he catches fire, no one can do anything about it. Just look at this phenomenal 1v5 ace and realize that on a day like that, Team Spirit can beat anyone.

The problem with Team Spirit is that, other than the fiery donk, the team doesn’t have many resources, and if he doesn’t play well, they might have to pack their bags and book a ticket home.

The playoffs, which start on Thursday, will be very unpredictable, but that’s why we love Counter-Strike. This week, we face many different emotions and impressions. Even if the game hasn’t started yet, visit CS.MONEY to quickly, easily and affordably buy cool skins for your inventory!