Much like the dinnertime entertainment at a cheap cruise - the magic show just keeps going and going.

Stake Ranked is underway in Barcelona, with the classic hodgepodge of teams only an invitational cup just before the Major can provide. There are no easy warmup wins to get here, though, no matter what your rank is.

Fresh off their miracle run in Astana, the opening win against 3DMAX was nice, but we were certain the jig was up when FaZe took the first map against them 13-4. But despite karrigan moving the other way, a little bit of Falcons’ choking seems to have backwashed onto FaZe in the process.

Well, to be fair, FaZe have had their fair share of chokes as well.

Come to think of it, this might be the most classic FaZe game ever. frozen and Twistzz look like they should be winning trophies, broky drops a 0.89, and FaZe lose a close 1-2 game to an embarrassingly low ranked opponent.

And these Russian kids are starting to win games at a rate where we’re running out of magic-puns - we might need to start learning card tricks to keep up.

Alliance started their campaign with MaiL09 dropping “the worst official in his life” against FaZe, before relegating 3DMAX to last place with a close three map win. Sharks started the event with winning the South American derby with 9z, the two of them trying to warm up for the Major, before being taken down a peg by NIP late last night.

HEROIC were forced to join them in last place, largely through individual brilliance on the side of their opponents. stavn was, once again, annoyingly good on the AWP in the opener to send them down, before 9z snatched the tournament life away from them with a match-winning 1v3 clutch from dgt.

Honestly, OverDrive’s analysis of 9z was at least right about one thing: **the aim is donk-level. We’re not sure if he’s right about the rest, though…

This means 9z meet FaZe today with elimination on the line, while Sharks will square off against Alliance. In the upper bracket Snappi and his men will take on magic for a spot in the final.

For those of you struggling to stay awake reading about this event, hold out - the Major starts very soon.