BLAST Playoffs - Friday, 3/27/2026 CS2 Picks

It’s the BLAST Open quarterfinals! Six of the best teams in Counter-Strike will do battle in the Netherlands for their share of the big money, and it all starts on Friday, March 27th, 2026.

Vitality and Na'Vi have already booked their spots in the semi-finals, which will be on Saturday.

Falcons vs PARIVISION

Falcons are the favorites in the odds, but PARIVISION does not make it easy. This team is extremely structured and disciplined, and opponents tend to look worse against them than the on-paper matchup suggests. Falcons have the individual talent to close it, with m0NESY, NiKo, and kyousuke the three most consistent performers. If Falcons win, those three are likely carrying the output. Just know the upside is a bit more capped in this kind of matchup.

PARIVISION for sure has upset potential, considering Jame is one of the most well-respected, experienced in-game leaders in Counter-Strike. There is some exciting young firepower surrounding him, as well.

Aurora vs The MongolZ

MongolZ are without their coach for this event, which matters more in an elimination battle on stage, where the stakes will be high.

XANTARES is still the key variable on Aurora's side. If he is taking over maps, Aurora should get the W. MongolZ are capable of taking at least a map, and we wouldn’t be surprised to see this go three full maps, but operating without coaching support in a pressure series is a meaningful disadvantage.

Check back later for more picks and analysis.

Good luck!

And so it begins…

Welcome to v1 of GAME OF SKILL, a new Counter-Strike analysis offering. In this free blog, we’ll be doing a ton of content on upcoming matches and events. This is a true passion product , and I hope you enjoy what you read! Check back soon for more.