OPL Split 2 Gauntlet Guide – Week 10

This week, the matches will decide the final team in the gauntlet and who will be forced to play in the promotion tournament.

Teams who have secured Gauntlet

Dire Wolves are 4 points ahead of the Chiefs. With one match to go and a maximum of 3 points available, this means that Dire Wolves are locked in for first place and a spot in the final at the Melbourne Esports Open.

Chiefs are locked in to second place, which means they move straight to round 3 of the gauntlet and battle for a place in the Melbourne Esports Open.

ORDER are locked in to third place, which means they move straight to round 2 of the gauntlet.

Bombers are locked in to the gauntlet – they are now playing for the fourth seed (which gives the team side selection preference in round 1 of the gauntlet). If they pick up 3 points in their match against Chiefs this week, they secure that for themselves. If they pick up two points, MAMMOTH could pass Bombers (on head-to-head game win%) result if they defeat Legacy 2-0. If they pick up 1 point, MAMMOTH could pass Bombers if they defeat Legacy with any result (on head-to-head game win%). If they pick up 0 points;

– Legacy can pass Bombers (on head-to-head game win%) if they defeat MAMMOTH 2-0.
– MAMMOTH can pass Bombers if they win with any result against Legacy.
– MAMMOTH can pass Bombers if they lose 2-1 to Legacy.

Bombers cannot place lower than fifth.

Teams fighting for a spot in the Gauntlet

Legacy play against MAMMOTH for the final playoffs spot. MAMMOTH currently lead Legacy by 2 points.  This means that even though both teams are currently playing for fourth or fifth place at the end of the regular split, only one of these teams can qualify for the gauntlet. Here are the possible outcomes and the implications of their match against each other:

– MAMMOTH defeat Legacy 2-0; MAMMOTH progress to the gauntlet
– MAMMOTH defeat Legacy 2-1; MAMMOTH progress to the gauntlet
– Legacy defeat MAMMOTH 2-1; MAMMOTH progress to the gauntlet
– Legacy defeat MAMMOTH 2-0; Legacy progress to the gauntlet

Teams fighting to avoid the Promotion Tournament

UPDATE:  Avant and Tectonic cannot earn enough points in the final week to qualify for the Gauntlet. They are currently seventh and eighth place respectively and will face each other in the final week. This match has implications for eighth place – the auto qualifying Promotion tournament spot – however, regardless of result, Tectonic will still be playing in the Promotion tournament?

Why? That’s because of the Promotion points system. The two OPL teams who qualify for the Promotion tournament are the eighth placed team in Split 2, and the team who earns the most Promotion points over the year.

Tectonic no matter the result will finish either auto qualifying in eighth, or with a seventh place finish with an unassailable 150 points.

Avant can still avoid the Promotion tournament in 2 situations, while the Bombers are not out of the fray just yet.

If Avant 2-0 Tectonic, and MAMMOTH beat Legacy, and Bombers lose their Gauntlet match against MAMMOTH, Bombers qualify for the Promotion tournament. This is because Avant will finish sixth with 90 promotion points over the year, while Bombers will finish fifth with 110 points over the year.

If Avant 2-1 Tectonic, and MAMMOTH 2-0 Legacy, and Bombers lose their Gauntlet match against MAMMOTH, Bombers again qualify for the Promotion tournament due to Avant finishing sixth again and Bombers finishing fifth.

If Legacy win (leaving Avant with a seventh place finish at best), or Bombers win their Gauntlet match (leaving them with a maximum of 90 points), Avant cannot avoid the Promotion tournament. The former is because they’ll finish at best equal points with Bombers at 110, and because they finish below Bombers in Split 2, they qualify. The latter is because Avant can get a minimum of 90 points, and because they finish below Bombers in Split 2, they qualify.

To summarise, Tectonic are in the Promotion tournament no matter what, while Avant are now massive MAMMOTH fans heading into the final few matches of the split.

Thank you to Nathan from the Bombers for pointing out these scenarios on Twitter.

Who will clinch the final spot in the Gauntlet? And who is at risk of entering the promotion tournament? Find out when Week 10 of the OPL kicks off this Friday evening. Games start at 5pm on Twitch. Get involved in the discussion by using #IAMOPL on Twitter.