Bad Monkey Gaming had to play their deciding qualifier to Intel Challenge Katowice with a standin.
But after losing the two initial maps, BMG found their stride and managed to claim the last ticket to Spodek Arena in Katowice.
– I was just thinking: ”Damn, now it’s just win or lose time”, Juliano tells Aftonbladet Esport.

To the important qualifier finals, an uneasy Bad Monkey Gaming arrived. Only days before, Zainab ”zAAz” Turkie had been called in to work and couldn’t participate in the games. So the team called up former teammate Sonia Garciá to stand in for the star player, even though Garcia hadn’t played a game for the team since ESWC last year.
– We only played with her a day before the finals so it was a bit chaotic, but she really performed great, Julia ”Juliano” Kiran says.

”Had to mix our positions a bit”

But the evening started badly for BMG, losing a BO1 against 3DMAX with 16-10. After that they had to struggle through the lower bracket where they faced Imaginary Gaming in a BO3. BMG lost the first map there as well and thinks looked grim, but then they made a huge comeback.
– We lost a lot because we didn’t have a full team and had to mix up our positions a bit. When we lost the first map I was just thinking: ”Damn, now it’s just win or lose time”.
In the end, BMG pulled through and then faced 3DMAX again in the deciding game.

”Perform better under pressure”

This time, BMG routed the french team easily on Inferno, winning 16-3. But their opponents bounced back and claimed Cache 16-13. After an amazingly even game on Nuke, which saw triple overtime, Bad Monkey Gaming could finally secure their place in the Katowice tournament in March. Also qualified so far are Alsen Gaming, Ubinited and TBA.female.
Spodek Arena takes 11 500 people in the crowd, a lot more than during ESWC and Copenhagen Games. But Juliano isn’t nervous about the added pressure from the audience.
– We’re all used to playing in front of people, and I perform better when I’m under pressure and a lot of people are watching, Juliano says.