xenn identifies CT-side breakdowns as BIG’s main issue after FISSURE Playground 3 exit

Sebastian "xenn" Hoch did not need to search far for the main reason behind BIG’s early exit from FISSURE Playground 3. After a 1-2 elimination loss to G2 in Suzhou, the German coach pointed directly at BIG’s defensive halves, where communication problems repeatedly stopped the team from converting reads into rounds.

"CT side was the main problem today," xenn said after the series.

The defeat ended a short and disappointing stay in China for BIG. They opened the $1 million event with a 0-2 loss to BETBOOM before dropping into the lower bracket, where G2 eliminated them despite BIG taking the opening map. The result leaves xenn and his players with another period of review and practice ahead of a crucial stretch in their race toward the next Major.

Quick Context

BIG’s current five consists of Johannes "tabseN" Wodarz, Jon "JDC" de Castro, Josef "faveN" Baumann, Benjamin "blameF" Bremer and Gleb "gr1ks" Gazin, with xenn behind them as coach. HLTV currently lists BIG at No. 24 in its world ranking, while the September 8 Valve Global Ranking placed them 16th overall with 1,479 points.

BIG read G2 correctly — but could not convert it

What frustrated xenn most was not an inability to understand G2’s approach. BIG frequently anticipated where the attack was heading, according to the coach, and were able to position several defenders at the correct bombsite.

The problem came after the read.

xenn explained that BIG were repeatedly getting themselves into situations that should have favored the defense, only to lose control once the execute arrived. Communication was one of the areas he highlighted, with the coach describing situations that had not been appearing in practice before the tournament.

That distinction matters. A tactical read can put a defense in the right place, but it does not guarantee the round. Utility timing, crossfires, spacing, target selection and the speed of the information exchanged between players still determine whether the advantage is converted.

Against G2, BIG had enough successful sequences to make the series competitive, but not enough consistency once they moved away from their strongest map.

Cache showed what BIG can still do

BIG’s best Counter-Strike of the series came immediately.

They won their Cache pick 13-8 after building an 11-1 advantage in the opening half. tabseN was particularly influential, posting an 18-9 K-D record, 96.1 ADR and a 1.75 Rating 3.0 on the map. JDC and gr1ks also finished above a 1.20 rating as BIG established control of the series.

That performance made what followed more frustrating.

G2 answered 13-7 on Mirage before closing Ancient 13-10. BIG attempted to recover from a 3-9 half on the decider and won seven rounds during the second half, but G2 had created too much room for error. NertZ led the winners on Ancient with 18 kills, 88 ADR and a 1.59 rating.

Across the entire series, NertZ finished with 48 kills, 90.7 ADR and a team-leading 1.32 Rating 3.0. tabseN was BIG’s highest-rated player at 1.16, while JDC ended the three maps at 0.81.

The numbers fit xenn’s broader assessment: BIG could create strong stretches, but they could not sustain them across all three maps.

A last-place finish puts more pressure on BIG’s next events

FISSURE Playground 3 was supposed to provide another opportunity for BIG to build momentum after a mixed summer.

Instead, their tournament lasted only two matches.

BETBOOM beat them 13-8 on Cache and 13-9 on Nuke in the opener. BIG then had to face G2 immediately in the lower bracket, leaving little margin for another uneven performance.

xenn acknowledged the difficulty of their opposition, but did not use the draw as an excuse. The coach’s focus was instead on correcting the problems exposed in Suzhou before BIG return to competition.

The importance extends beyond one disappointing LAN. Major qualification remains a central objective for BIG. The latest Valve ranking has the German organization 16th globally, while HLTV noted around the time of the interview that BIG were 10th among European teams and held roughly a 100-point buffer over the relevant cutoff.

"We can still qualify for the Major," xenn stressed.

That makes the coming events more than simple opportunities to rebuild confidence. Every strong finish can influence BIG’s VRS position ahead of the PGL Major Singapore qualification process.

G2 have become a recurring obstacle

There is also a clear recent history behind the FISSURE Playground 3 result.

G2 have now beaten BIG at three major events in 2026. They swept them during Stage 2 of the IEM Cologne Major, won another three-map series at the Esports World Cup in August, and repeated the result in Suzhou less than a month later.

The Esports World Cup meeting followed a surprisingly similar pattern in terms of competitiveness. G2 won Cache 13-5, BIG answered with a 16-13 overtime victory on Ancient, and G2 then demolished them 13-1 on Inferno.

This time BIG were closer. They took Cache convincingly and remained alive deep into Ancient, but the end result was unchanged.

That recent head-to-head makes the G2 matchup more relevant than an isolated historical statistic. These are repeated meetings within the same competitive season rather than results involving completely different generations of the two teams.

xenn wants practice focused on the CT side

BIG will at least have something they did not have immediately after the player break: time.

xenn said the team returned from the break with only six or seven practice days before beginning their Esports World Cup qualification run. BIG still fought through the open qualifier and reached the main event, where they beat Aurora before losses to G2 and Spirit ended their campaign.

Their September results have been more troubling. BIG lost to Nemiga in the IEM Beijing closed qualifier, recovered with a 2-0 victory against paiN, but were then eliminated 0-2 by magic. The subsequent defeats to BETBOOM and G2 extended a difficult run.

xenn now expects a short break followed by approximately two weeks of practice. Reviewing the CT sides from FISSURE Playground 3 will be the immediate priority, particularly the unusual communication mistakes that the coach said had not been showing up in practice.

"We need to keep working," he said.

For BIG, that work has a fairly clear target. Their T sides gave xenn enough to build on in China. The defensive structure is where he believes the largest gains can be made.

BIG’s roster has stability despite Krimbo’s recent move

There is no indication that xenn is approaching these problems as a roster issue.

BIG’s active lineup remains tabseN, JDC, faveN, blameF and gr1ks. The organization did make a transfer-related move shortly before FISSURE Playground 3 when Karim "Krimbo" Moussa joined Ninjas in Pyjamas on loan, but Krimbo had already been on BIG’s bench since October 2025 and was not part of xenn’s current starting five.

The current lineup has been together since January, when faveN returned and blameF joined the organization. That makes the problems xenn described more about execution and refinement than integrating a new player days before an important tournament.

Interesting Facts

• BIG beat G2 on Cache at FISSURE Playground 3 despite losing Cache 5-13 to them at the Esports World Cup less than a month earlier.
• tabseN was BIG’s highest-rated player in the elimination series with a 1.16 Rating 3.0 and 89.4 ADR.
• G2 have beaten BIG at the IEM Cologne Major, Esports World Cup and FISSURE Playground 3 during 2026.
• BIG’s FISSURE campaign contained just five maps: two against BETBOOM and three against G2.
• The September Valve ranking placed BIG 16th globally, creating extra importance around every remaining VRS opportunity before the next Major cycle.

What comes next for BIG?

BIG’s next confirmed tournament is Stake Ranked Episode 4, scheduled for October 1-4 in Barcelona. The $100,000 event also features FaZe, Astralis, B8, Luminosity, Alliance, fnatic and Nemiga.

No specific opening opponent for BIG had been confirmed in the sources checked at the time of writing.

That gives xenn and the team a useful practice window after Suzhou. The immediate task is straightforward: review why correct defensive reads were still turning into lost rounds, clean up the communication problems that appeared on stage, and turn competitive maps into complete series wins.

With Major qualification still within reach, BIG do not need a complete rebuild. They do, however, need the improvement xenn believes is available to show up quickly.

FAQ

Who is xenn?

Sebastian "xenn" Hoch is BIG’s 30-year-old German CS2 coach. HLTV lists him as having coached the organization for approximately one year.

What did xenn say was BIG’s main problem against G2?

He identified BIG’s CT sides and communication as the main problems, arguing that the team often had correct reads but failed to convert favorable defensive situations.

What happened in BIG vs G2 at FISSURE Playground 3?

G2 won the series 2-1. BIG took Cache 13-8 before losing Mirage 7-13 and Ancient 10-13.

Have BIG and G2 played before recently?

Yes. G2 also defeated BIG at the IEM Cologne Major 2026 and at the Esports World Cup 2026 before their FISSURE Playground 3 meeting.

What is BIG’s next tournament?

Their next currently confirmed event is Stake Ranked Episode 4 in Barcelona from October 1-4.