Betclic have won Stake Pulse Beat I after completing a 2-1 comeback against Team Liquid in the Grand Final in Stockholm.
Liquid opened the series with a narrow 13-11 victory on Cache and later held a 10-8 advantage on Anubis. Betclic recovered to steal the second map 13-10 before controlling Nuke 13-7 to secure the championship.
The result earned the Polish team $20,000 and helped it climb 34 positions in Valve’s Regional Standings. Liquid, meanwhile, missed another opportunity to end a LAN trophy drought stretching back seven years.
Liquid Let a Major Cache Lead Disappear
Liquid started the final with the stronger individual performances and quickly built a 9-2 advantage on Cache. Their North American core repeatedly found openings, while Betclic struggled to establish its defensive setups.
The map should have ended comfortably. Instead, Liquid lost a five-versus-two situation late in the opening half and allowed Betclic to begin a comeback. Four further clutch defeats after the side switch reduced Liquid’s advantage even further.
Keith “NAF” Markovic later admitted that Liquid had thrown away opportunities and should have closed the map with a more convincing score. The favourites eventually won 13-11, but Betclic had already shown that it could punish their mistakes.
The opening map established the main pattern of the final:
- Liquid repeatedly created strong numerical advantages
- Betclic remained competitive through clutch victories
- The Polish roster improved as each map progressed
- Liquid struggled to convert promising rounds cleanly
Betclic’s ability to survive Cache prevented Liquid from building the momentum expected from an early 9-2 lead.
Anubis Turns the Final Around
Liquid again appeared to be in control on Anubis. The team led 6-2 during its attacking half and recovered from losing the second pistol round to move ahead 10-8.
One successful conversion would have placed Liquid close to the trophy. Instead, a defeat against pistols changed the direction of the map.
Wojciech “Prism” Zięba produced several important multi-kills as Betclic began its late comeback. Konrad “Qlocuu” Klocek then won a decisive one-versus-two clutch, helping the Polish side complete five consecutive rounds and take Anubis 13-10.
| Map | Betclic | Liquid |
|---|---|---|
| Cache | 11 | 13 |
| Anubis | 13 | 10 |
| Nuke | 13 | 7 |
The result forced a deciding Nuke despite Liquid leading for most of the first two maps. Betclic entered the decider with growing confidence, while Liquid had to recover immediately from another missed opportunity.
Betclic Dominate the Nuke Decider
Nuke was far less competitive than the opening maps. Betclic controlled the match from the beginning and repeatedly disrupted Liquid’s default setups and planned executes.
Prism and stand-in Sebastian “fr3nd” Kuśmierz were particularly effective. Their defensive play helped Betclic establish an 8-2 advantage before Liquid collected the final two rounds of the half.
Liquid still had a possible route back after the break, but Prism ended those hopes in the second pistol round. His triple kill converted a two-versus-four situation and allowed Betclic to move rapidly toward championship point.
Betclic closed the map 13-7 and completed the reverse sweep.
The Polish team’s victory was built around:
- fr3nd recording a team-leading 52 kills in the final
- Prism producing critical rounds on Anubis and Nuke
- Betclic winning several low-percentage clutch situations
- Strong defensive reads during the deciding map
EliGE finished as Liquid’s highest-rated player with 51 kills, but the team lacked enough consistent impact once Betclic took control of Nuke.
Liquid’s Rebuilt Roster Still Shows Promise
The defeat is disappointing for Liquid, but the tournament was not entirely negative. The recently reconstructed lineup reached the final after victories over 9INE and fnatic in the playoffs.
Liquid had already shown promise by defeating Vitality and G2 online during the BLAST Bounty qualification process. The team then travelled to Stockholm shortly after losing to Spirit at the Malta LAN, creating a demanding opening schedule for the new roster.
The additions of Georgi “Jorko” Mitev and Johnny “JT” Theodosiou have helped Liquid return to the global VRS top 20. However, the final demonstrated that the team still needs better round conversion and greater control when playing with a lead.
Betclic Gain Momentum Before EWC Qualifier
Stake Pulse Beat I featured 16 teams competing for $60,000 between July 31 and August 5. Betclic reached the final after clean playoff victories over Acend and Johnny Speeds.
The championship also provides valuable momentum before the Esports World Cup Open Qualifier. Betclic’s 34-place VRS rise moves the team into the global top 50 and could improve its access to future ranked events.
Assessment
Betclic’s victory was defined by resilience. The team faced large deficits on Cache and Anubis but continued finding enough clutches and individual moments to keep the series alive.
Liquid will view the final as a major missed opportunity. They led both opening maps and repeatedly held advantageous situations, yet failed to close the tournament.
For Betclic, the result delivers more than a Tier 2 trophy. The ranking gain, prize money and confidence from defeating an internationally recognised roster could strengthen the team’s position during the next stage of the season.
Liquid’s new lineup remains promising, but it must become more efficient under pressure. Betclic exposed that weakness and deservedly left Stockholm as the first Stake Pulse Beat champion.
