1. Introduction

Welcome to the X2ONE Masters. This document outlines the official rules, format, and regulations for all participating teams. X2ONE Masters is a series of events produced by IE LORTKIPANIDZE, The Small Business in Georgia (Republic of).
This tournament is a Tier 2 VRS-Ranked Event. While it does not feature direct VRS invites and relies on an open qualifier format, its results will generate data used by the Valve Regional Standings to determine the relative performance of Rosters. All participants are expected to read, understand, and abide by the rules laid out in this document.

2. Event Overview

• Tournament Name: X2ONE Masters 1
• Tier & Sanctioning: Tier 2 VRS-Ranked Event
• Total Teams: 64
• Stages:

Online Open Qualifier: November 10 - 11, 2025
LAN Finals (Group Stage & Playoffs): November 24 - 26, 2025

• LAN Location: Tbilisi, Georgia
• Prize Pool: $20,000 USD

3. Registration & Eligibility

3.1. Registration Process

A team is considered successfully registered for the event only after they have:

1. Completed the official registration form provided by the Tournament.
2. Fully paid the required entry fee.
3. Each team must designate a single representative to serve as the main point of contact for all tournament communications.

3.2. Team & Player Eligibility

• The tournament is open to teams regardless of nationality or gender.
• All players must have valid CS2 accounts in good standing and be free of game-specific bans on Steam, FACEIT, ESEA or ESIC.

3.3. Roster Rules

• A team's roster consists of 5 core players.
• Each team may optionally register 1 substitute and 1 coach.
• Upon registration, every person on the team’s roster must provide their:

Real name (as it appears on an official ID)
Date of birth
Country of citizenship
Commonly known in-game nickname
SteamID

• Rosters are locked at the moment of registration.
• In case of a verifiable emergency, the Tournament may, at its sole discretion, allow a roster change.

3.4. Substitutions

Each team can substitute a player with their registered substitute once during the event.

• A team may make a substitution in-between matches for any reason.
• A team may make a substitution during a match or in-between maps only in the case of a medical emergency.
• Once a substitution has been made, the team can continue to play with the substitute player until they choose to revert to their Initial Core Lineup.
• The substitution rules above apply if a team chooses to revert to their Initial Core Lineup.
• Once the team reverts to the Initial Core Lineup, it may not substitute again for any reason and must play shorthanded or forfeit if the situation arises.

4. Tournament Format

The tournament is divided into three stages:

Stage 1: Open Qualifier - Online (November 10-11)

• Participants: Up to 64 registered teams.
• Fee: $999 USD
• Format: 64-team Double-Elimination bracket.
• Registration opens: November 3rd, 11:00am CET
• Match Format:

All matches in Upper Bracket, except Upper Bracket Ro16, are Best-of-1 (Bo1).
Qualification and Elimination matches (Upper Bracket Ro16 and Lower Bracket) are Best-of-3 (Bo3).

• Advancement: The top 16 teams from the qualifier advance to the LAN Main Group Stage.
• Seeding: The latest VRS Ranking released by Valve will be used for initial seeding purposes.
• X2ONE Masters 1: November 3rd, 2025
• Servers: Teams will be able to draft a server location from three available:

Netherlands
Germany
France

Stage 2: Main Group Stage - LAN (November 24-25)

• Participants: 16 teams advancing from the Online Open Qualifier.
• Format: Four GSL-style groups of 4 teams each.
• Match Format: All matches are Best-of-3 (Bo3), including Opening, Winners', Elimination, and Decider matches.
• Seeding: The same VRS Ranking used in Stage 1 will be used for seeding purposes.
• Advancement: The top 2 teams from each group (group winner and runner-up) advance to the Playoffs.

Stage 3: Playoffs - LAN (November 25-26)

• Participants: 8 teams advancing from the Group Stage.
• Format: Single-Elimination bracket.
• Match Format: All matches, including the Grand Final, are Best-of-3 (Bo3).

5. Game Rules & Match Settings

5.1. General Settings

• Game Version: The competition will be played on the latest available version of Counter-Strike 2.
• Map Pool: The tournament will use the up-to-date Active Duty Map Group.
• Server Settings: The competition will use server settings that are as close as possible to Valve’s Premier Matchmaking, with MR12 format.

5.2. Match Parameters

• Regulation: A map ends when a team reaches 13 rounds (MR12).
• Overtime: If a map is tied 12-12, overtime will be played with MR3 format and $10,000 start money until a winner is decided.

5.3. Map Veto Process

The higher seed (determined by VRS) chooses to be Team A or Team B.

• Best-of-1 (Bo1) Veto:

1. Team A removes 1 map.
2. Team B removes 2 maps.
3. Team A removes 2 maps.
4. Team B removes 1 map.
5. The remaining map is played.

Staring side will be determined by a knife round

• Best-of-3 (Bo3) Veto:

1. Team A removes 1 map.
2. Team B removes 1 map.
3. Team A picks Map 1; Team B chooses the starting side.
4. Team B picks Map 2; Team A chooses the starting side.
5. Team B removes 1 map.
6. Team A removes 1 map.
7. The remaining map is Map 3 (decider); Team B chooses the starting side.

Starting side will be determined by a knife round during the Online portion of the event.

6. Match Procedures & Conduct

6.1. Punctuality & Check-in

• Online Portion: Teams must follow all rules and directions outlined on the competition platform. A no-show will result in a forfeit loss for that match.
• Offline Portion: All roster members must be present at the venue and check in with tournament officials at least 60 minutes before their scheduled match time. Failure to check in on time may result in disqualification. Teams must be on the server and ready to play 15 minutes before the scheduled start time.

6.2. Pauses & Timeouts

• Tactical Pauses: Each team is allowed three 30-second tactical timeouts per map, plus one additional timeout per overtime period.
• Technical Pauses: A pause may be called for a legitimate technical issue (e.g., hardware failure, disconnect). Players must immediately type !tech in chat. The coach is not permitted to speak during a technical pause. Admins may enforce a time limit to resolve the issue, typically 10 minutes.

6.3. Match Interruptions

In the event of a server crash or mass disconnect, the round in progress will be nullified and replayed. Admins will use CS2’s match recovery tools to restore the score to the last completed round whenever possible. If an individual player disconnects, the round will typically continue 4v5 unless the disconnect occurred before any significant action.

6.4. Bugs and Exploits

The intentional use of game-breaking bugs or exploits is strictly prohibited. This includes clipping, pixel walking, or any boost that allows a view through unintended areas of the map. Using a forbidden exploit will result in penalties, which may include round forfeiture, map loss, or disqualification.

6.5. Fair Play and Sportsmanship

• Any form of cheating, including hacks, scripts, or ghosting, will result in immediate disqualification and a potential ban from future events.
• All participants are expected to maintain sportsmanlike conduct. Harassment, bullying, toxic behavior, or disrespect towards opponents, staff, or spectators will not be tolerated and may result in penalties.
• All decisions made by tournament administrators are final. Arguing with or disrespecting an official may lead to penalties.

7. LAN Equipment & Setup

• Provided Equipment: The tournament will provide each player with a Desk, Chair, PC, Monitor and over the ears headphones for all LAN matches. Some matches will be played in the louder-than-other areas. Those matches will be selected randomly and both teams will be required to use provided over the ears headphones.
• Player-Provided Gear: Players are required to bring their own peripherals, including mouse, keyboard, mousepad, in-ear earphones or other gear they need.
• Setup Time: After the team is seated, players will have at least 30 minutes to set up their gear, adjust settings, and confirm their equipment is working properly before the match begins.

8. Prize Distribution

The total prize pool of $20,000 USD will be distributed as follows:

• 1st Place: $8,000
• 2nd Place: $4,000
• 3rd-4th Place: $2,000 each
• 5th-8th Place: $1,000 each

Prizes will be paid via bank transfer or, upon team's request, other ways within 90 days of the event's conclusion, subject to the submission of any required invoices or tax documentation. The prize money will be sent to the team's designated representative. All tax obligations are the responsibility of the recipients.

9. Additional Provisions

• Travel and Accommodation: The tournament organizer is not responsible for any transportation, accommodation, or other related expenses for participating teams. All travel and lodging arrangements are the sole responsibility of the teams.
• Media Obligations: When requested, teams must provide one player or their coach for televised interviews or other media activities.
• Rule Changes: The event organizers reserve the right to amend this rulebook at any time. Any changes will be communicated to all participating teams. By participating, all teams agree to abide by these rules and the final decisions of the tournament officials.