IEM Rio Major Pick ‘Em selections from the top CS:GO pros and personalities

The diamond event coin for the CS:GO Major Pick ‘Em challenge is the ultimate badge of honor for the competitive CS:GO fan. For each Major, fans can purchase the viewer pass in-game and play the Pick ‘Em challenge during each stage, and if they nail enough of their predictions, they can upgrade the event coin they receive all the way up to the diamond level.

To reach diamond, players must complete all nine challenges. This means getting five correct picks during the Challengers and Legends stage predictions, correctly guessing two quarterfinals results, one semifinal result, and the grand final result.

The beauty of the Pick ‘Em Challenge is that virtually everyone in the CS:GO scene is playing, so if you’re unsure about your picks for the IEM Rio Major even after reading our helpful guide, you can always look to one of your favorite pros or personalities.

GeT_RiGhT

Christopher “GeT_RiGhT” Alesund is an all-time Counter-Strike legend. A member of the legendary NiP roster, he’s one of only four players to receive HLTV’s Player of the Year award twice. While he’s not actively competing at the IEM Rio Major, he will be participating in the Brazil vs. Sweden showmatch of legends alongside some former Swedish teammates and longtime rivals.

Here are his picks for the Challengers Stage:

• 3-0: Imperial
• 0-3: Greyhound
• To advance: Vitality, Cloud9, Fnatic, Outsiders, OG, 00 Nation, FURIA

kennyS

Kenny “kennyS” Schrub is a legendary French CS:GO player, often regarded as one of the best AWPers of all time during the peak of his powers. He won a Major with Envy in 2015 and last played for G2 in 2021.

Here are his picks for the Challengers Stage:

• 3-0: Outsider
• 0-3: Greyhound
• To advance: Vitality, Imperial, Fnatic, Bad News Eagles, FURIA, Cloud9, OG

Pimp

Jacob “Pimp” Winneche is a former player, having previously played for the likes of Dignitas, SK Gaming, and Team Liquid. He last played professionally in 2017 but successfully moved into the field of analyst work and content creation. He’s served as an analyst at numerous Majors and will likely repeat this role at IEM Rio. As an important note for his selections, he is currently a streamer under contract with 00 Nation.

Here are his picks for the Challengers Stage:

• 3-0: 00 Nation
• 0-3: Greyhound
• To advance: FURIA, Cloud9, Vitality, Outsiders, OG, Fnatic, MOUZ

Fl0m

Erik “fl0m” Flom is a longtime NA pro player and popular streamer. He’s a foundational member of the orgless NA team Mythic. He will be co-streaming the IEM Rio Major on his Twitch channel.

Here are his picks for the Challengers Stage:

• 3-0: Evil Geniuses
• 0-3: Greyhound
• To advance: Vitality, Cloud9, FURIA, Outsiders, Fnatic, OG, MOUZ

The Pick ‘Ems for more pros and personalities will be added here over time, plus the later-stage picks for the above players.