With one day left until Week 1 at VCS Winter 2021, we will be looking at some of the best matches for this first week of action. We’ll go over the teams and make predictions of our own on the series.
Our point of focus is Cerberus Esports and their two opening matches versus GAM Esports and Team Secret. Both series will likely set the tone for the entire split and are key measures on how teams stack up in the competition after a prolonged hiatus.
GAM vs Cerberus Esports
This series will be one of the most important ones to understand whether the competition has stepped up its game over the course of the year. Cerberus will be going up against the current champions GAM Esports, led by their insane jungler Levi.
GAM, however, can also heavily rely on their two strong solo lanes to build an advantage. With their new marksman Divkid, GAM has found a very formidable trio that can take GAM to even greater highs. While their macro game can be improved, GAM can win through pure individual talents and will be the team to beat this season.
On the other hand, we have CERBERUS, who ended 4th in the 2025 spring split. Seen by many as the Vietnamese Gen.G, CERBERUS has a much slower approach to their game. Not only that, but they enjoy playing through the bot lane, just like the LCK team that got to semis at Worlds. Their ADC Artemis has been on the rise, reaching high ranks in the Korean server. He will be CBS’s core element for success.
There are still some doubts regarding the rest of the roster, but at least jungler EGO will be back as the starting player in the team. He will also become a crucial factor, as he can match Levi when he’s in peak form.
Based on recent performances, however, GAM Esports is still the number one favorite for this game. Their roster got even better now with Divkid and the team has all top-tier talents in their respective role. Now that there are still question marks around CBS’s full roster, GAM Esports should be the favorites and dominate the game.
I still think the nature of the meta allows for each team to take a map, meaning an over 2.5 Total maps bet is reasonable and will net you x2.63 in return.
Team Secret vs Cerberus
While the game against GAM Esports may be close, the series against Team Secret should be a even closer. Both teams finished in the top 4 last split, but they were still a tier below Saigon Buffalo and GAM. If Cerberus still hasn’t confirmed their roster yet, there is even more curiosity on this split’s Team Secret.
Apart from their jungler DNK, known for his early-game presence, the organization has parted ways with all the other starters. Substituting players can always create a lot of chaos and shift of performance, even more, when you’re re-building 4/5 of the roster. Not all is bad, though. TS created a new team full of talented rookies, hoping to exploit the players and grow them over the split. If they can meet the expectations, Team Secret might become a potential contender for the VCS Winter 2021.
With that being said, Cerberus should have the upper hand in the first week of the split. Fully changing a roster requires a little more time to make the individual pieces work, and I highly doubt TS will magically overcome the hurdle immediately. Also, considering that Cerberus have picked up Kim “Poss” Min-cheol, a former LPL player, they should have the tools to come out victorious.
CERBERUS Esports should win this series outright (x1.57) if all goes according to plan.
