Draft:HellCup Tournament

HellCup Tournament
HellCup is an esports tournament series focused on Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) and Counter-Strike 2 (CS2). Sponsored by Hellcase, a prominent CS:GO skin trading and case opening platform, HellCup has hosted multiple seasons, attracting professional and amateur teams from around the globe.

History
HellCup was initiated by Hellcase to engage the gaming community and promote their brand. The tournament has evolved significantly since its inception, becoming a staple event in the CS:GO and CS2 esports scenes.

Tournament Format
HellCup generally includes several stages:


 * Qualifiers: Open to numerous teams, allowing broad participation.
 * Group Stage: Teams are divided into groups to compete in a round-robin format.
 * Playoffs: The top teams from the group stage advance to a single-elimination bracket.
 * Grand Finals: The final match determines the tournament champion.

Seasons
HellCup has hosted several seasons, each with unique highlights and competitive matches. Below is an overview of each season:

HellCup 1-9

 * HellCup 1: Marked the beginning of the HellCup series, setting the stage for future tournaments.
 * HellCup 2: Expanded participation with more teams and higher stakes.
 * HellCup 3: Introduced live streaming and broader community engagement.
 * HellCup 4: Increased prize pool and featured international teams.
 * HellCup 5: Notable for intense competition and upsets.
 * HellCup 6: Focused on providing a platform for emerging teams.
 * HellCup 7: Saw the return of previous champions and new challengers.
 * HellCup 8: Featured advancements in tournament organization and viewer experience.
 * HellCup 9: The most recent iteration, highlighted by high-level gameplay and a significant prize pool. The group stage and grand finals received notable coverage.

HellCup 9
Group Stage: HellCup 9 featured 16 teams in the group stage, including ARCRED, Insilio, brazylijski luz, VP.Prodigy, Endpoint, ALTERNATE aTTaX, 1win, and 500. Eight of these teams advanced to the playoffs, where they faced eight invited teams: 9Pandas, BLEED Esports, Grannys Knockers, Gaimin Gladiators, Guild Eagles, Nemiga Gaming, Sashi Esport, and SINNERS Esports.

Playoffs: The playoffs saw intense matches, with standout performances from teams like Grannys Knockers and Sashi Esport. In the quarterfinals, Grannys Knockers defeated Gaimin Gladiators, Sashi Esport overcame 9Pandas, 1win triumphed over BLEED Esports, and Nemiga Gaming beat SINNERS Esports. The semifinals featured Grannys Knockers versus Sashi Esport and 1win versus Nemiga Gaming.

Grand Final: The grand final was a best-of-three series between Sashi Esport and 1win. Sashi Esport emerged victorious, winning the first map, Ancient, and the second map, Vertigo, securing their place as the champions of HellCup 9.

Sponsors and Partners
HellCup is primarily sponsored by Hellcase and collaborates with various other entities within the esports industry to enhance the tournament experience.

Community Engagement
The tournament features interactive elements for viewers, including live streams on platforms such as YouTube and regular giveaways.

Reception
HellCup has received positive reviews from the community and participants praised for its organization and competitive integrity.