IEM Rio Major profil: IHC

IHC became the first ever Mongolian team to qualify a Major, CS:GO’s premier competition, when they made it to the PGL Major in Antwerp earlier this year. Their time in Antwerp was cut short when they were knocked out in the Challengers Stage with a 1-3 record, but it was far from a disappointment as their lone victory over renegátok came alongside competitive, narrow defeats to Bonyolultság és a császári. They currently sport a litany of top placings in Asian tournaments and have won the last two iterations of the Asian RMR, which makes them one of the region’s powerhouses.

Four players from the squad that took IHC to their first Major remain, with the only new addition being AWPer Tuvshintugs "Megsemmisülés" Nyamdorj. That means there is precious little Major experience amongst the roster and little experience in the upper echelons of Counter-Strike in general. Only Bat-Enkh “⁠kabal⁠” Batbayar can trace his first HLTV game back as far as 2016, while the rest of the squad count their first appearances on HLTV from 2019 onward. Furthermore, taking into consideration that they have seldom left the Asian region, few of these games have been in international competition against top opposition.

Fighting for regional supremacy

IHC is steadily establishing itself as one of the best teams in the APAC region, regularly battling in the later stages of Asian tournaments amongst the likes of TYLOO, Ritka Atom és a Wings Up. Since appearing in Antwerp, IHC has not finished outside of the top-two at a single HLTV event it participated in, although the team has struggled to take the next step and establish itself as the outright best in Asia.

The Mongolians won the MESA Pro Series against national opposition in June, but did not win any regional events until their Asian RMR triumph. They did, however, bring their best form when it truly counted, marching through the Asian RMR without dropping a single map. Their most impressive feat was beating Grayhound in the final, the squad that has historically dominated the APAC region.

An Asian team with European flair

A Mongolian team turning out in elite level LAN play is, in itself, a unique prospect. Mongolia is a country with precious little pedigree in international play, with their only other notable side being A mongolok squad that won the Asia Minor at IEM Taipei in 2016 and participated in a smattering of international LAN events. Nothing serves as a better advert for the open Major circuit than seeing teams from under-represented nations and regions defeating the odds and earning a chance to test their mettle against the best in the world.

A IHC‘s play that has turned heads in its two runs to the Major is the apparent maturity in its style. The Mongolian side approaches the game much like European teams do, in a methodical and controlled fashion, contrary to the often fast-and-loose approach of other Asian squads. TYLOO was the first Asian team to capture the imagination of the wider Counter-Strike fanbase, but years on it is IHC who is forging a different path.

IHC’s CT sides are built upon strong fundamental CS featuring a deep playbook of cross-fires and setups with an emphasis on variety, as well as an ability to play aggressively or passively depending on the situation. The element of their defensive play that truly separates them from their regional peers is excellent mid-round calling. The way IHC reacts to losing a man is more often than not the right way, displaying quality decision making and rotational play.

27-year-old kabal is the veteran in a team with an average age of 21.9

IHC’s Terrorist halves are not quite to the same level as their defense, but they are still a dangerous prospect. The playbook does not appear as deep as often displayed by European sides, but Garidmagnai “bLitz” Byambasuren and his men can be counted on for some potent site hits, well-timed and well-executed in terms of spacing and trading.

By far the most exciting aspect of watching IHC is the incredibly high level of mechanical skill on display, which is much like TYLOO in this regard. The two highest rated players at the Asian RMR were bLitz és a tengis "sk0R" Batjargal, who posted 1.33 and 1.32 ratings, respectively. The young AWPer, Megsemmisítés, also often finds himself towards the top of the scoreboard and kabal has stand-out maps as well. This combination of a European style of gameplay alongside an incredibly impressive mechanical level makes IHC a dangerous proposition for all who play them.

Striving to upset on LAN

Representing Mongolia will be a strong motivating factor for IHC, and it was summarized best by their ex-AWPer Yesuntumur “nin9” Gantulga when they qualified for the Antwerp Major: “…being the first Mongolian team to do it, it just feels so good, man. Now we just want to do better than that. We want more.”

Not only does this upcoming Major give IHC another chance to raise the profile of their country and region, but it gives them further exposure to the upper echelons of CS. Teams from the APAC region get precious few opportunities to test themselves against top-20 sides, which is something the squad referenced when they qualified last time around, revealing that they had often practiced with over 100 ping against European squads online in an attempt to gain experience and top-quality practice. Mongolian teams struggle to play on fair grounds due to high latency even within Asia at times, so playing on LAN and running without a weight vest will be a point in their favor.

IHC’s expectations will be modest, as they are coming from what is considered a minor region, but bearing in mind the fact they took map wins in Antwerp, it could be realistic for them to grab further scalps when they arrive in Rio. If they have refined their play and can take advantage of a bootcamp ahead of the Major, then there is a world in which IHC can mount a challenge to smash yet another historical barrier and become the first Mongolian team to make it through the first Swiss group stage. The chances are low and such success unlikely, but with the strong foundation of a high-level playstyle and fantastic individuals, IHC will fight against the odds to be a dark horse and crash the Euro-centric party that is the Major’s Legends Stage.

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