Race for the Intel Grand Slam Heats Up with Vitality’s IEM Cologne win

Team Vitality’s IEM Cologne championship couldn’t come at a better time as they have now clinched one of the two requirements for the Intel Grand Slam, a win in an ESL Pro Tour Championship.

This win has greatly improved their chances of nabbing the $1 million prize that’s up for grabs, but their journey to the Intel Grand Slam is far from over; they will still need to win at least 4 tournaments in a 10-tournament window to solidify their chances.

What is the Intel Grand Slam?

The Intel Grand Slam is a special competition that rewards teams for competing and winning prestigious S-Tier tournaments organized by the Electronic Sports League (ESL). The team that manages to win 4 major tournaments within 10 attempts will be crowned victorious and will duly receive a mind-boggling $1 million prize.

The tournament is a great measure of dominance and prowess, as sheer luck is not enough to win it but instead a consistent run of form and drive is required. The competition plays an important role in the league as it creates interesting storylines that weave together a team’s performances throughout a competitive year, making for great drama and entertainment.

Ever since the tournament began in 2017, there have been five winners:

• Astralis
• Team Liquid
• Natus Vincere
• FaZe Clan

After their recent championship win in Cologne, Team Vitality start their campaign towards the IGS with 9 chances to win the Grand Slam. Other teams that have been in the fray for a while, such as G2, are faced with the daunting task of winning two upcoming tournaments in a row, the ESL Pro League and IEM Rio, as their chances dwindle to two.

The Current State of the IGS Championship

Team Vitality’s foray into the Intel Grand Slam race complicates the situation further as their IEM Cologne win means other teams will now need to scramble for the remaining championships in order to win.

Currently, teams like G2 have won two out of their seven eligible tournaments, Mouz two out of their five, FaZe two out of their three, and Spirit has one to their name. Vitality’s entry broke the ‘V’-shaped pattern that had been formed, which is an almost script-like nod to them.

As of Vitality’s latest championship win, the new standings are as follows:

• Vitality: nine chances remaining
• Spirit: five chances remaining
• FaZe: four chances remaining
• MOUZ: three chances remaining
• G2: two chances remaining

The next two events coming up will be crucial for all teams involved, some more than others, as they will decide whether some of the teams competing for the prize pool will lose their eligibility.

The next two significant events are:

ESL Pro League Season 20, which will be taking place this September from the 3rd to the 22nd

IEM Rio 2024, which will be taking place this October from the 7th to the 13th