Preview of Intel Extreme Masters XIV – Chicago
Preview of Intel Extreme Masters XIV – Chicago
Intel Extreme Masters Season XIV – Chicago begins tomorrow, on July 18th. The event will feature eight teams from North America and Europe competing for a $250,000 prize pool. It is also the first event of the third season of Intel Grand Slam.
The tournament’s line-up consists of six invited teams, among which are Team Liquid, MIBR, Renegades, ENCE, G2 Esports and Team Vitality, as well as two qualified teams – Team Envy and Heroic (replacing forZe who were unable to secure visas in time).
These teams have been split into two groups: Liquid, G2, MIBR and Envy will compete in Group A, while Vitality, ENCE, Renegades and Heroic will play in Group B. The competition will follow a GSL format with all matches being best-of-three. Top two teams from each group will advance to the playoffs.
Group Stage Schedule (UK Time):
July 18th
- 05:00 PM: Liquid vs Envy (Group A)
- 05:00 PM: G2 vs MIBR (Group A)
- 08:50 PM: Vitality vs Heroic (Group B)
- 08:50 PM: ENCE vs Renegades (Group B)
- 00:40 AM: Group A Winners’ Match
- 00:40 AM: Group A Elimination Match
July 19th
- 05:00 PM: Group B Winners’ Match
- 05:00 PM: Group B Elimination Match
- 10:50 AM: Group A Decider Match
- 00:25 AM: Group B Decider Match
The playoffs stage is scheduled for July 20th-21st and will be held in a single-elimination format with best-of-three semifinals and best-of-five grand finals. Besides that, the final day of the event will feature a show match between North American and European teams.
The official English streams can be found on Twitch (primary, secondary), Youtube (link) and Facebook (link).