We take a look at 10 players who have the potential to light up the IEM Dallas 2023 with their mastery
After enjoying an adrenaline-filled Paris Major 2023 joyride, CSGO fans will turn their attention to the US city of Dallas, where 16 teams will battle it out for the Intel Extreme Masters Dallas 2023 crown. The showpiece event will showcase some of the best CSGO talents in action from May 30 to June 4. Here is a list of the top 10 players you should watch out for at IEM Dallas 2023.
Rasmus “sjuush” Beck (Heroic)
Stats (Last 3 Months)
Rating 2.0: 1.06
Kills per round: 0.65
Headshots: 48.2%
Maps played: 40
Deaths per round: 0.64
Rounds contributed: 72.8%
sjuush’s inclusion might come off as a surprise to many since he is the lowest-rated player in the Heroic lineup. Numbers, however, do not always tell the full story. sjuush is the secret weapon of the Heroic team, delivering epic multi-kills on the CT side that turn retakes into a piece of cake!
In the midst of an all-star Heroic roster, soften flies under the radar. As the IEM Dallas approaches, he has the opportunity to emerge as the pivotal player who can make a difference in Heroic’s title chase.
Fredrik “roeJ” Jørgensen (Fnatic)
Stats (Last 3 Months)
Rating 2.0: 1.01
Kills per round: 0.65
Headshots: 53.7%
Maps played: 44
Deaths per round: 0.71
Rounds contributed: 67.4%
roeJ made his name in the Danish CSGO scene before signing for Fnatic. The veteran rifler made his mark with the MAD Lions, clinching the Flashpoint 1 championship. After a brief lull, he resurfaced in the high-stakes tier-one competition alongside Copenhagen Flames. Notably, roeJ has maintained an impressive 1.04 rating on LAN when facing off against top 20 opponents throughout his career.
The 29-year-old joined Fnatic in June 2022 alongside Nico “nicoodoz” Tamjidi and inspired the team to an Elisa Masters Espoo 2022 win.
Dorian “xertioN” Berman (MOUZ)
Stats (Last 3 Months)
Rating 2.0: 1.11
Kills per round: 0.72
Headshots: 52.4%
Maps played: 32
Deaths per round: 0.70
Rounds contributed: 70.3%
xertioN was instrumental in MOUZ’s Paris Major qualification campaign. The Israeli prodigy delivered an astonishing performance during MOUZ’s intense 2-2 showdown against FaZe in the RMRs, securing a coveted spot for his team in the BLAST.tv Paris Major with a 1.40 rating. He also produced some excellent performances during MOUZ’s impressive IEM Rio 2022 campaign.
The 18-year-old came up through MOUZ’s youth system and replaced Aurimas “Bymas” Pipiras in the senior team. xertioN spearheaded MOUZ NXT’s dominant run in the academy league, capturing an astonishing four consecutive season victories.
Rafael “saffee” Costa (FURIA)
Stats (Last 3 Months)
Rating 2.0: 1.03
Kills per round: 0.65
Headshots: 28.9%
Maps played: 38
Deaths per round: 0.60
Rounds contributed: 69.1%
Saffee’s arrival in the North American Counter-Strike scene with paiN in late 2020 caused quite a stir. His outstanding performance against the region’s top teams throughout 2021, with an impressive average rating of 1.27, propelled him into the spotlight. Notably, his stellar play played a pivotal role in securing a championship victory in DreamHack Open January.
Saffee became a FURIA member in 2022 and hit the ground running with a solid ESL Challenger #48 success. He was instrumental in FURIA’s Intel Extreme Masters XVII – Dallas campaign, where FURIA finished third.
Justin “jks” Savage (G2)
Stats (Last 3 Months)
Rating 2.0: 1.10
Kills per round: 0.69
Headshots: 51.0%
Maps played: 22
Deaths per round: 0.59
Rounds contributed: 75.1%
There were concerns that a prolonged period of inactivity might cost jks his form, but he showed no signs of rustiness during his stand-in performances at IEM Katowice 2022. It was enough to convince G2 to make a move for the legendary rifler and he repaid the faith by leading the German outfit to BLAST Premier: World Final 2022, BLAST Premier: Spring Groups 2023, and IEM Katowice 2023 titles within seven months of joining the team.
Earlier, jks had helped FaZe win the IEM Katowice 2022 and made history as the first Aussie to get his hands on an S-tier title. The Australian legend also won a handful of A-tier trophies during his Renegades days.
Helvijs “broky” Saukants (FaZe Clan)
Stats (Last 3 Months)
Rating 2.0: 1.14
Kills per round: 0.73
Headshots: 33.4%
Maps played: 56
Deaths per round: 0.59
Rounds contributed: 75.3%
broky took his time to get to his best self since joining FaZe Clan in 2019. The American giants surprised the world when they announced his recruitment since he clocked barely 6000 hours of Counter-Strike at that time, The gamble, however, paid off and will go down as one of the smartest signings in the history of the game.
The young Latvian has won a plethora of trophies at FaZe Clan and played a significant role in most of those. His LeBron James 2007 Eastern Conference Finals moment, however, would come in the IEM Katowice 2022. During the tournament, he aced 3v3s and 2v4s, making it seem as easy as a leisurely stroll in the park.
Guy “NertZ” Iluz (ENCE)
Stats (Last 3 Months)
Rating 2.0: 1.14
Kills per round: 0.74
Headshots: 47.2%
Maps played: 41
Deaths per round: 0.65
Rounds contributed: 71.6%
Following his success on the Israeli scene, NertZ joined Endpoint in November 2021 and maintained an impressive average rating of 1.14. Although most of his time was spent competing in lower-tier tournaments, he didn’t shy away from facing formidable opponents. He showcased his talent and potential with a noteworthy 1.19 rating during ESL Pro League Season 16 in September, competing against some of the world’s strongest teams.
ENCE added NertZ to their ranks in February 2023, and he made his debut for the Finnish side at ESL Pro League Season 17. He ended the tournament with a 1.12 rating, which is lower than his ESL Pro League Season 16 numbers, but it was enough to take ENCE to the semifinals. The rifler’s explosive form in the Europe RMR for Paris Major earned ENCE a place in the Challengers Stage.
Joshua “oSee” Ohm (Team Liquid)
Stats (Last 3 Months)
Rating 2.0: 1.08
Kills per round: 0.68
Headshots: 29.3%
Maps played: 43
Deaths per round: 0.56
Rounds contributed: 73.4%
Emerging as a standout player in the North American tier-two scene with Extra Salt, oSee showcased his remarkable skills throughout 2021, maintaining an impressive average rating of 1.29. With oSee in charge of the team’s AWPing, Extra Salt achieved a commendable 2nd place finish at Funspark ULTI 2020 and effortlessly progressed through the ESL Pro League Season 15 Conference.
Team Liquid came knocking on his door in late 2021 and he jumped ship to break into the top flight. oSee took a while to adjust to the increased level of competition but he emerged as a key figure in Team Liquid’s success afterward. He averaged a commendable 1.11 in the recently-concluded Paris Major 2023.
Christian Møss “Buzz” Andersen (Astralis)
Stats (Last 3 Months)
Rating 2.0: 1.02
Kills per round: 0.64
Headshots: 49.3%
Maps played: 60
Deaths per round: 0.65
Rounds contributed: 71.2%
Buzz caught the eye of Astralis’ recruitment with his consistent performances for MASONIC. He was a standout player in the team’s Dust2.dk Ligaen Season 21 triumph.
The Danish youngster joined Astralis later on and has established himself as a first-roster mainstay. He has shown glimpses of his abilities after donning the famous red and white shirt, Astralis would hope the 20-year-old would take a big step towards fulfilling his potential at the upcoming IEM Dallas 2023.
Declan “Vexite” Portelli (Grayhound Gaming)
Stats (Last 3 Months)
Rating 2.0: 1.08
Kills per round: 0.71
Headshots: 56.9%
Maps played: 47
Deaths per round: 0.68
Rounds contributed: 70.1%
Greyhound earned admiration for their recent performances in the Paris Major Asia RMR and ESL Challenger Melbourne 2023. Vexite has been at the core of the team’s recent success and the rifler has improved his game significantly over the last 12 months.
The 18-year-old caught our eye during the ESL Challenger Melbourne 2023. He averaged 1.20 across five maps, which is a pretty remarkable return. Vexite recorded a jaw-dropping 1.67 on Vertigo as Grayhound beat North American powerhouse Complexity 16-11 in the competition.
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