Astralis Top Stake Pulse Beat III Group in siuhy and cmtry Debut

Astralis made a winning start to their rebuilt CS2 roster at Stake Pulse Beat III, defeating Sashi and HOTU on October 14 to finish first in Group C and qualify directly for the playoffs.

The Stockholm event marked the first official matches for Kamil "siuhy" Szkaradek and Nikita "cmtry" Samolotov, who had been announced as replacements for Rasmus "HooXi" Nielsen and Jakob "jabbi" Nygaard just one day earlier. 

Astralis swept Sashi 2-0 before surviving a 2-1 series against HOTU. Gytis "ryu" Glušauskas led the team statistically in both series, posting a 1.41 rating against Sashi and 1.55 against HOTU according to HLTV. 

Quick Summary

What Happened: Astralis Win First Two Series With siuhy and cmtry

Astralis arrived at Stake Pulse Beat III with one of the newest lineups at the tournament.

The organization officially signed siuhy and cmtry on October 13. Less than 24 hours later, the pair made their competitive debut against Sashi. 

Astralis passed the first test without dropping a map, winning the series 2-0. ryu led the team with a 1.41 rating. 

That victory moved Astralis into Group C's winners' match against HOTU.

The second series proved more difficult, but Astralis prevailed 2-1 to secure first place in the group. ryu was again their highest-rated player, this time recording a 1.55 rating. His performance also placed him second in the tournament's overall rating chart at that point. 

Two series, two victories and a playoff berth represented a positive opening for a lineup assembled immediately before the event.

Why Astralis Changed Their Roster

The strong start carried additional significance because of the circumstances surrounding Astralis' rebuild.

Astralis benched HooXi and jabbi shortly before Stake Pulse Beat III as the pair entered the final months of their contracts. The organization then brought in siuhy and cmtry, making the changes ahead of the upcoming Major cycle. 

The new lineup also represented a major break with Astralis' history.

With the additions of Polish IGL siuhy and Ukrainian player cmtry, Astralis no longer fielded a Danish-majority starting lineup for the first time. 

The roster became:

HooXi and jabbi remained listed on Astralis' bench following the change. 

Astralis, siuhy and cmtry: How the New Pieces Fit

The two signings address very different parts of the lineup.

siuhy takes over leadership

siuhy joined Astralis as the team's new in-game leader after becoming a free agent on October 2 following his spell with Liquid.

His arrival gives Astralis another established IGL after the organization moved HooXi to the bench. 

Stake Pulse Beat III therefore provided the first live test of how quickly siuhy could begin implementing his approach with phzy, Staehr and ryu.

Two series are far too small a sample to evaluate the long-term success of that system. Winning both, however, meant Astralis avoided an immediate adjustment-period setback.

cmtry switches from AWP to rifle

cmtry's situation is particularly notable.

The Ukrainian had primarily been AWPing before joining Astralis, but the organization retained phzy as its main AWPer. HLTV reported upon the signing that cmtry would give up the sniper role and transition back to rifling. 

That makes his adaptation one of the biggest long-term questions surrounding the new roster.

His early numbers should therefore be viewed in context. Stake Pulse Beat III was not simply cmtry's first tournament with Astralis; it was also the beginning of a meaningful role transition.

Astralis' Stake Pulse Beat III Timeline

The original group-stage story ended with Astralis undefeated and heading into the playoffs. Their tournament run subsequently ended against MIBR in the quarter-finals, where the Brazilian-majority side recovered from losing the opening map to win 2-1 behind a 1.78-rated series from insani. 

That later result provides important context when evaluating the new lineup's debut: the group-stage start was encouraging, but it did not immediately translate into a deep playoff run.

Key Details

Stake Pulse Beat III ultimately ended with Ninjas in Pyjamas defeating MIBR to claim first place and $30,000. Astralis shared the 5th-8th placement bracket after its quarter-final exit. 

Why the Strong Astralis Start Mattered

The immediate importance was stability.

Astralis made two changes just before the tournament, including replacing their in-game leader. Leadership changes can affect calling, communication, map preparation and the distribution of responsibilities across an entire lineup.

Winning both opening series meant Astralis earned competitive breathing room while those relationships were still developing.

The second reason was the unusual timing.

Astralis made the rebuild roughly one month before the Major, according to HLTV's report. That left comparatively little competitive runway for siuhy and cmtry to integrate into the lineup. 

Stake Pulse Beat III consequently mattered as more than an isolated $80,000 tournament. It offered Astralis valuable official match experience with the new five.

Tactical Impact: What siuhy Changes

The clearest tactical change is leadership.

siuhy's arrival means Astralis have changed the player directing their game after benching HooXi. That can eventually affect everything from T-side structure and mid-round decision-making to how individual players are positioned within the system.

The initial results were positive: Astralis won five of six maps across their first two series.

But it would be premature to attribute that record entirely to siuhy's calling.

ryu was the statistical standout in both group-stage matches, and Astralis had played only two series with the new roster when they secured the playoff berth. 

The quarter-final defeat to MIBR further demonstrated why a larger sample is needed before drawing conclusions about the new team's ceiling. 

Player Role Impact: cmtry's Transition Could Be Crucial

cmtry may require more adaptation than anyone else in the lineup.

Astralis signed him after FUT moved him to the bench in early October to make room for Álvaro "SunPayus" García. Rather than competing with phzy for the AWP, cmtry transitioned to rifling.

That creates a different evaluation framework.

His value cannot be judged solely by comparing his Astralis output with the numbers he produced while holding a primary sniper role elsewhere. Positioning, weapon allocation and responsibilities are different.

Whether cmtry can establish himself as a consistent high-level rifler is therefore one of the central questions of this Astralis project.

Tournament Impact

Astralis' two victories guaranteed a place in the eight-team Stake Pulse Beat III playoff bracket.

Finishing first in the group meant they avoided the additional pressure of a decider match and advanced directly to the quarter-finals.

Their run ended there.

MIBR defeated Astralis 2-1 on October 16, with Felipe "insani" Yuji delivering a 1.78 series rating. He went 36-20 during MIBR's overtime victory on Cache before producing another strong performance on Mirage. 

Astralis consequently finished 5th-8th and earned $4,000.

For the new lineup, the tournament can therefore be split into two conclusions: a successful group-stage debut followed by an immediate playoff elimination.

VRS and Major Context

Stake Pulse Beat III was a ranked event, meaning the competition formed part of the Valve Regional Standings ecosystem. 

However, no specific VRS-point gain attributable to Astralis' two group-stage victories is provided in the source material used for this article, so no exact ranking impact should be claimed.

Astralis had already put themselves in a strong Major position before signing siuhy and cmtry. HLTV reported when the pair joined that Astralis had clinched an invitation to PGL Major Singapore according to its simulation page after winning Stake Ranked Episode 4. 

That reduced some of the immediate qualification pressure surrounding the rebuild.

Historical Context: Astralis Move Beyond Their Danish Identity

The roster change carries significance beyond results.

Astralis became synonymous with Danish Counter-Strike during the organization's most successful years. The legendary core that dominated CS:GO established Astralis as one of the defining teams in the game's history.

The 2026 lineup is structurally different.

With siuhy, phzy, ryu and cmtry joining Staehr, the active five contains only one Danish player. HLTV specifically noted that the siuhy/cmtry roster would be the first Astralis lineup without a Danish majority. 

That makes the rebuild an important organizational milestone regardless of whether this specific five ultimately succeeds.

Astralis is now operating as a genuinely international Counter-Strike project rather than primarily a Danish one.

What Changes Now for Astralis?

The immediate roster hierarchy is clearer.

siuhy leads the team. phzy remains the primary AWPer. cmtry rifles. NEO remains head coach.

For Astralis, the challenge is turning that structure into something sustainable.

Stake Pulse Beat III showed that the lineup could win matches almost immediately. It did not establish whether Astralis can consistently defeat higher-level opposition or make deep runs at major tournaments.

The 1-2 playoff loss to MIBR reinforced that distinction.

The roster's development should therefore be evaluated across several events rather than through either extreme: neither the 2-0 group-stage record nor the quarter-final defeat provides enough evidence on its own.

What to Watch Next

The most important storyline is siuhy's T-side development. His previous Liquid tenure ended after a difficult period that included early exits, cohesion problems and disappointing T-side performances. Astralis gives him a new environment in which to rebuild his reputation as an IGL. 

cmtry's rifle transition is equally important. If he adapts successfully, Astralis may have converted an experienced AWPer into a useful secondary piece while retaining phzy on the primary sniper.

ryu is another player worth monitoring. His 1.41 and 1.55 ratings in the lineup's first two series made him the immediate statistical standout. 

Finally, the Major remains the most important test. A short adjustment period means Astralis need to turn early signs of promise into a stable map pool and team identity quickly.

Related Teams, Players and Events

Astralis — The organization entered a new international phase with the additions of siuhy and cmtry.

siuhy — Astralis' new Polish in-game leader. He joined as a free agent after his Liquid tenure ended on October 2. 

cmtry — Ukrainian player signed from FUT's bench. He has moved away from primary AWPing to play as a rifler for Astralis. 

phzy — Remains Astralis' primary AWPer despite cmtry's previous experience with the weapon.

ryu — Led Astralis statistically against both Sashi and HOTU during the new lineup's first day. 

HooXi and jabbi — Benched as Astralis moved forward with siuhy and cmtry.

Stake Pulse Beat III — $80,000 ranked LAN held in Stockholm from October 12-17. Ninjas in Pyjamas ultimately won the tournament. 

PGL Major Singapore — The upcoming Major represents a much more consequential test for Astralis' rebuilt roster.

FAQ

Who did Astralis sign before Stake Pulse Beat III?

Astralis officially signed Kamil "siuhy" Szkaradek and Nikita "cmtry" Samolotov on October 13, 2026. They replaced HooXi and jabbi in the active lineup. 

How did Astralis perform in their first matches with siuhy and cmtry?

Astralis beat Sashi 2-0 and HOTU 2-1 on October 14, winning Group C and advancing directly to the Stake Pulse Beat III playoffs. 

Is siuhy the new Astralis IGL?

Yes. siuhy joined the lineup as Astralis' in-game leader following HooXi's move to the bench. 

Is cmtry AWPing for Astralis?

No. Astralis retained phzy as the primary AWPer, while cmtry transitioned to rifling after joining the team. 

How did Astralis finish at Stake Pulse Beat III?

Astralis finished 5th-8th. After topping their group, they lost 1-2 to MIBR in the quarter-finals and received $4,000 in prize money.