Six games played, three to go. We're in round 7 of the regular season where teams will be looking to consolidate their place in the season. Since the introduction of the Swiss system, the table's been tight as ever and epic matches will be played to determine who will go on to represent division 3 in the Heroes Lounge Cup.
Race To the Playoffs
The race to make it to the Heroes Lounge Cup playoffs is heating up in division 3 as we approach the final 3 weeks of the regular season. With six spots available for division 3, there is everything to play for with only one game separating the 6th and the 16th. What's more, 14 of the top 15 teams are playing each other this week, which will determine who will stay in the race for the penultimate showdown.
At the top of the table sits the undisputed division 3 regular season and Heroes Lounge Cup favourites Twisted Gaming. Twisted Gaming have not dropped a single map this season have already played half the playoff contenders this season. They are a single win away from guaranteed spot. They will face off Ping Pls, which should prove to be their toughest opponent yet. Ping Pls is another team with an undefeated run until round 6 where they lost 2-0 to Leipzig eSports. LeipZig eSports, along with MILFits and Ping Pls are the only teams who have dropped a single match this season. Whilst Ping Pls have the eventual top of the table clash, MILFits and LeipZig eSports are both taking on slightly easier opponents in the form of The Forever Alones and Team Baguette. Both teams stand an outside chance of making it into the playoffs, given their weaker head to head record (losses are against other contenders) with other contenders will look towards securing a victory to stay in the race with anything but a victory will certainly spell the end of the road for both these teams.
Abatheurs (4 wins) will face off CrazyPantKeepers (4 wins) to climb up the ladder and guarantee themselves a move to the 5th - 8th spot running into round 8.
Elsewhere Team snOr fresh from their victory against fellow contender We are Not Prepared are also sitting at 4 wins, is playing Dwarf Toss Into Haymaker who stand an outside chance of making to the playoff (3 wins). We Are Not Prepared face fellow contender Infinity (4 wins) who will look to bounce back from their sixth round defeat. CrocoDocs (4 wins) will face NiceTricks (3 wins) who have an outside chance of making the playoffs.
Finally, Senpai's Groupies will play CoB Saltshakers who will be running their own race to steer clear off the relegation zone.
The Flight From Relegation
30 Seconds to Mosh (3 wins) was 30 seconds too late to schedule a match with "Apocalypse, Now?" (2 wins), both failed to rack up a vital win. As a result, they've now also forfeited round 7, and with only two games left to play, 30STM have missed the two vital wins needed to make it to the playoffs. They *could* in theory stand a chance to make it, but it is currently out of their hands. They are unlikely to relegate should they play their remaining matches given their power level is closer to the top tier of the division.
It is however, arguably worse for Apocalypse as they're very just inside the relegation zone, will definitely need to win their remaining two games (round 8 and round 9) to stay in the division. !YES SIR! (0 wins) will look to clock their first win of the season against Black Arrows (2 wins). The Teaclub will face off fellow relegation battler Manner-Mule (2 wins). The Teaclub has yet to play their 6th around match against Elektronik Generation (EGN) where both will be looking to clock their second win here. EGN will face off Erase Me Gaming (2 wins) in another relegation battle.
Saltshakers, despite only racking up 2 wins, have barely lost their games against other playoff contenders and will unlikely face relegation.
Playoff Predictions
(warning: below are your editor's predictions - completely biased)
As far as predictions go, Twisted Gaming, Ping Pls, Leipzing eSports, MILFits have all had extremely strong showing this season and will most likely make it to the Cup. That realistically leaves two spots up for grabs for the remaining 11 teams. Team snOr and Abatheurs look to be favourites to round up the top 6 based on their past performance against other contenders and the fact their losses have only come from the top 3 of the division.
Team Baguette, CrocoDocs, We Are Not Prepared stand an outside chance looking in, rely on massive improvements in their play to make the cut. Infinity, despite sitting at 4 wins have had zero luck against any of the contenders this season will have an even taller order.
CrazyPantsKeepers have not really been tested as their only significant victory came against TFA. This week will be vital for them to prove their credential as a playoff contender. TFA is a virtual unknown at this point as 3 of their victories came from defaults, and a potential role swap within the team might prove to the medicine required for them to make it. NiceTricks, Dwarf Toss and Senpai's Groupies (all 3 wins) chances of making it are at this point fairly slim according to relative power levels of the teams.
30STM should have been in the running, the table standings currently not reflecting the true strength of this team. Unfortunately, for non performance related reasons they've defaulted 3 matches this season so far (rounds 4,6,7).
Swiss about it
It is certainly possible for teams staring at the relegation zone to barely make it to the playoffs, should they win their remaining 3 games to make it to 5 wins. With the teams facing off each other at the top and middle, the top 6 will be dominated by teams with 5 wins and will likely face each other, where round nine will clock in most teams for the 6th win to make it to the playoff.
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