Gaimin Gladiators downed 9Pandas 2-0 to grab an early first-place tie atop the standings during group stage play at BetBoom Dacha in Yerevan, Armenia.
Joining them as first-day winners were beastcoast and TSM.
Two round-robin groups of four teams apiece will stage best-of-two matches over three days to set the playoff bracket, which begins Wednesday.
The top two teams from each group will be seeded into the upper bracket, while the third-place team in each group will be slotted into the lower bracket. The playoffs will be best-of-three, double-elimination, with a best-of-five grand final.
The winning team will receive $150,000 as part of an overall $250,000 prize pool.
Gaimin Gladiators defeated 9Pandas in 35 minutes and 23 minutes, both times playing on green. They were paced by Anton “dyrachyo” Shkredov of Russia, who averaged eight kills and 8.5 assists.
The European squad took home a $1.2 million fourth-place prize at the Riyadh Masters series over the summer.
Beastcoast dumped Nigma Galaxy 2-0, winning on red in 28 minutes and on green in 44 minutes.
TSM outlasted Evil Geniuses, winning on red in 35 minutes and on green in 45 minutes.
BetBoom Team and Team Secret played to stalemate. Secret won in 33 minutes on red before BetBoom answered with a 33-minute victory playing on green.
Group A standings:
1. TSM 1-0-0 (2-0)
T2. BetBoom Team 0-1-0 (1-1)
T2. Team Secret 0-1-0 (1-1)
4. Evil Geniuses 0-0-1 (0-2)
Group B standings:
T1. beastcoast 1-0-0 (2-0)
T1. Gaimin Gladiators 1-0-0 (2-0)
T3. 9Pandas 0-0-1 (0-2)
T3. Nigma Galaxy 0-0-1 (0-2)
BetBoom Dacha prize pool:
1. $150,000 — TBD
2. $62,500 — TBD
3. $25,000 — TBD
4. $12,500 — TBD
5-6. no prize money — TBD, TBD
7-8. no prize money — TBD, TBD
–Field Level Media