The first major event of the Counter Strike: Global Offensive season - the BLAST Premier Spring Groups - is underway and there is more action in the S-Tier tournament on Friday.
Taking place in Copenhagen, the BLAST Premier Spring Groups features 12 teams partnered to the BLAST organisation competing for the major share of a prize pool of $177,500.
The event begins with three double-elimination format groups with the winners of each section advancing directly to the BLAST Premier Spring Finals which take place later in the year.
The remaining teams will move to a play-in stage which features three single-elimination gauntlets and the three winners of those gauntlets will also progress to the finals, while the rest of the sides in action will have to go through the European and American showdowns.
Thursday marked the beginning of the tournament with the start of the Group A bracket and on Friday attention turns to two games in Group B as well as the first match in Group C.
Juggernauts FaZe Clan should encounter few issues against Complexity
| What | FaZe Clan v Complexity, BLAST Premier Spring |
| Where | Copenhagen, Denmark |
| When | 06:00 ET, Friday January 20th 2023 |
| How to watch | BLAST Twitch & Youtube channels |
| Odds | FaZe Clan -600, Complexity +350 |
The first match in Group B looks likely to be a one-sided affair with CS:GO juggernauts FaZe Clan taking on Complexity Gaming.
It was a pretty tumultuous 2022 for FaZe Clan, who started last season strongly with titles in the IEM Katowice, the ESL Pro League and the PGL Major Antwerp before dipping in later events like the IEM Rio Major.
But that seemed to merely be a blip as they finished the year strongly with a runners-up spot at the BLAST Premier Fall Final and a top-four spot at the end-of-season BLAST Premier World Final.
As a result, they head into the new year fourth in the HLTV world CS:GO rankings and are a cut above Complexity, who are down in 23rd spot and were last involved in a major event when competing in the BLAST Premier Fall Showdown North America back in October.
FaZe's roster looks settled and as strong as ever, so they are worth a bet to win this one 2-0 at -138.
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OG can build on strong finish to 2022
| What | Team Liquid v OG, BLAST Premier Spring |
| Where | Copenhagen, Denmark |
| When | 09:00 ET, Friday January 20th 2023 |
| How to watch | BLAST Twitch & Youtube channels |
| Odds | Team Liquid -188, OG +137 |
Team Liquid are another side who ended 2022 on a high note, placing second in the BLAST Premier World Final after a top-four finish at the BLAST Premier Fall Final.
Their run at the BLAST Premier World Final in December featured a 2-1 win over OG and, although they are -188 favorites to win when the teams reconvene, they could again face some resistance.
OG are a respectable 12th in the HLTV world CS:GO rankings as it stands and despite their roster featuring four players who have been with them less than a year, they have gelled fairly quickly.
As well as impressing with a run to the final four of the BLAST Premier World Final, OG also made the top three at the last BLAST Premier Fall Groups and they will not go down without a fight in this one, so back over 2.5 maps at -120.
Expect a comfortable win for G2 Esports against BIG
| What | G2 Esports v BIG, BLAST Premier Spring |
| Where | Copenhagen, Denmark |
| When | 12:30 ET, Friday January 20th 2023 |
| How to watch | BLAST Twitch & Youtube channels |
| Odds | G2 Esports -350, BIG +250 |
Group C looks fascinating at the CS:GO BLAST Premier with G2 Esports, Natus Vincere, Ninjas in Pyjamas and BIG all competing to come out on top.
The first match in the section takes place on Friday and G2 are -350 favorites to overcome BIG, who are +250 to win.
It would certainly be a bold move for anyone to oppose G2 Esports, who are second in the HLTV world rankings and finished 2022 by winning the BLAST Premier World Final.
They also finished in the top four in season 16 of the ESL Pro League back in October and were looking pretty sharp as the season drew to a close.
The likes of Rasmus "HooXi" Nielsen and Justin "jks" Savage are relatively new roster members still finding their feet but there is enough firepower in the team to get the better of 15th-ranked BIG, who can only really count a runners-up spot at the Elisa Masters Espoo among their achievements in the last few months.
Go with G2 Esports to win this 2-0 at +100.
