Rocky start for Asian sides as BLAST Rivals Hong Kong kicks off at AsiaWorld-Arena
The HKD$7.7 million Counter-Strike tournament will be watched by sold-out crowds at the weekend
The MongolZ were left on the brink of elimination after being upset by Passion UA as BLAST Premier Hong Kong Rivals, the first A-Tier esports event in Hong Kong’s history, began at the AsiaWorld-Arena on Wednesday.
The HK$7.7 million (US$990,000) Counter-Strike tournament got under way behind closed doors, with the event switching to the arena on Friday. Saturday and Sunday will be played in front of sold-out crowds.
Counter-Strike is a first-person shooter esport, involving teams of five players in objective-based rounds. There are two halves of 12 rounds, with each team spending one half attacking the bomb site, and the other defending it.
Rounds can be won by the attacking team planting and detonating the bomb, while the defenders can win by defusing it. Both sides can also win the round by eliminating all five players from the opposing team before time runs out.
The team first to 13 rounds wins the map – with teams picking and banning maps before the game. If the map count is 12-12 after 24 rounds, the game goes into overtime, over the best of seven rounds.