Aalto Gamers

AG CS2 Masters 2026

AG CS2 Masters 2026

Prizes

1st place 300€
2nd place 100€
There might be additional prizes for the audience & MVP!

Format

Qualifiers

Online on the AG Discord server
Max 32 teams → Swiss best of 1 (3 games) → 16 teams → Single elimination best of 1 (4 games) → 2 teams
All games BO1

Finals

Live at Design Factory, Puumiehenkuja 5, Espoo.
Single BO3 game between finalists

Schedule

Qualifiers 7.11.

Captains ready on Discord 11:30
Swiss stage 12:00-15:00
Break 15:00-15:45
Round of 16 15:45-16:45
Quarter finals 16:45 - 17:45
Semi-finals 17:45 - 18:45

Finals 14.11.

Players ready at the venue 13:00
Matches start at 14:00
Matches end at ~17:00

Times are not exact, and may vary by multiple hours in both directions.

Rules

1. General Rules

1.1 Game: Counter-Strike 2, latest version.

1.2 Team size: 5 starting players, up to 2 substitutes, and a coach. At least 3 of the 5 players playing for the team at any time must be currently studying at a university or university of applied sciences (UAS), or have graduated during the current or previous calendar year. Players' student status may be checked at any time during the tournament.

1.3 An individual player or coach may only be part of one team during the tournament.

1.4 Aalto Gamers provides a Discord server, which is mandatory to use for all communication with the tournament organizers and referees during the tournament.

1.5 Any software that modifies game files or provides an unfair advantage in the game is prohibited and constitutes grounds for immediate removal from the tournament.

1.6 Equipment

  • 1.6.1 At offline tournaments, the tournament organizer will provide PCs, monitors and headphones. Players must bring their own keyboard, mouse and mousepad.
  • 1.6.2 At online tournaments, players arrange their own PCs, monitors, peripherals and internet connections and are responsible for their functionality. The tournament organizer is not responsible for any technical issues.

1.7 Players must have Prime Status on their personal Steam accounts, unless otherwise stated.

1.8 Nicknames and images

  • 1.8.1 Teams and players must use non-offensive nicknames in the tournament and its matches, preferably their official ones. Team and player names must not feature sponsors related to alcohol or tobacco products, betting/gambling, adult entertainment, or anything else unsuitable or offensive.
  • 1.8.2 Players must use a broadcast-appropriate Steam avatar that is not offensive.
  • 1.8.3 In-game items (e.g. skins, name tags, stickers) must not feature anything prohibited under 1.8.1.

1.9 A player with a Counter-Strike VAC (Valve Anti-Cheat) ban less than two years old on any of their game accounts may not participate or play in the tournament.

1.10 Coaching

  • 1.10.1 At offline tournaments, the team's coach is entitled to watch the match from behind the players, but may not communicate with the players in any way except during halftime, during a tactical timeout, or when calling a timeout.
  • 1.10.2 At online tournaments, the coach may communicate with the players at any time.

1.11 During an offline match, the team's players and coach may only communicate with persons involved in the match: the team's players, the team's coach, tournament organizers, referees (admins), and the opposing team via the in-game chat. Communication must comply with rule 7.1.

1.12 Schedule

  • 1.12.1 At offline tournaments, the whole team, including the coach, must be present 30 minutes before the official match start time to receive tournament and match information. Setting up the station and in-game settings must be completed before this, if the tournament schedule allows.
  • 1.12.2 At online tournaments, the team captain must be available on the Aalto Gamers Discord server 30 minutes before the official first match start time to receive tournament and match information.
  • 1.12.3 If a team is not ready when the match is scheduled to start, the team first receives a warning, followed by penalties as determined by the referee.
  • 1.12.4 The tournament organizer and referees must inform teams of the length of breaks between maps and between matches.
  • 1.12.5 The tournament organizer and referees reserve the right to change the times stated under rule 1.12 if circumstances require.

1.13 In extreme situations, the referees have the final say on all matters. The organizers reserve the right to apply and modify these rules as they see fit.

2. Match Rules

2.1 Matches are played with the standard competitive settings of the tournament servers: MR12, with MR3 overtime played until a winner is decided.

3. Other Rules

3.1 Binds that work in the unmodified game client are allowed. Macros, and external software or hardware that automate inputs, are prohibited. If you are unsure whether something is allowed, ask a tournament referee before matches begin.

3.2 External programs that affect the game state or perform actions within the game are prohibited.

3.3 Intentionally disconnecting during a match is prohibited.

3.4 Exploiting bugs or unintended game or map behavior is prohibited (e.g. spawn bugs, pixel walks, planting the bomb where it cannot be defused, or defusing through a wall without line of sight).

3.5 Boosting is allowed, except where game textures, walls, ceilings or floors become see-through or passable.

3.6 If a team or player has found a new position and is unsure whether it is allowed, they must contact a tournament referee before using that position to confirm that it complies with the rules.

4. Pauses

4.1 Pausing the match is only allowed for a tactical timeout or a technical issue.

  • 4.1.1 Players must state the reason for the pause in the in-game chat before, or immediately after, calling the pause. For a technical pause, also contact an admin through Discord.
  • 4.1.2 At online tournaments, each team has a total of 10 minutes of technical pause time, which may only be used in the case of technical difficulties, including a disconnected player. If the technical issue cannot be resolved within this time, the team must use a substitute player, play with fewer players, or forfeit the map and/or match.

4.2 The match resumes when both teams are ready, when the timeout timer runs out, or when the referee decides the match continues.

4.3 Admins will choose the latest backup round from which the game is continued, if needed.

5. Maps

5.1 Map pool: The current Active Duty map pool at the time of the games.

5.2 Map veto: Matches use Valve's map pick & ban system inside the tournament platform (i.e. Challengermode), which also determines the starting sides. The veto begins after the players have readied up.

6. Protests and Penalties

6.1 All protests must be filed within 10 minutes of the end of the match. Timeouts may not be used during the match to file protests. Cases are handled by the referees after the match.

6.2 When a protest has been filed regarding a match, the teams involved may not continue in the tournament until the protest has been resolved.

  • 6.2.1 The head referee may rule that a team may continue in the tournament before the protest is resolved.

6.3 Penalties

  • 6.3.1 Warning, round loss, map loss, match loss, disqualification of a player or team from the tournament, ban of a player or team.
  • 6.3.2 Round losses are deducted from the final score of the map.
  • 6.3.3 Tournament referees apply penalties as they see fit.

7. Fair Play

7.1 Racism, sexism, transphobia, and all other behavior that harasses others is prohibited and will result in penalties from the tournament organizer. Trash talk that crosses the line of good taste is also prohibited and will result in a warning, followed by penalties if the behavior continues.

7.2 Tournament participants must always communicate politely and respectfully with the tournament organizer and referees.

7.3 If a participant intentionally attempts to sabotage matches, other players or the tournament organizers in any way, the participant will be disqualified.

7.4 All Aalto Gamers events follow the AG Safer Space Policy.

8. Broadcasts

8.1 If a match has an official AG broadcast, teams and players must wait until production is ready before starting the match.

8.2 The tournament organizer reserves the right to decide who may broadcast the tournament and its matches.

8.3 In online tournaments, players and teams may stream their own matches. We recommend a delay of at least 90 seconds, but this is not required. Watching streams is allowed, so a team that streams without a delay does so at its own risk.

8.4 In offline tournaments, players and teams may not stream their own matches.

All AG events follow the AG Safer Space Policy.