CounterStrike: GO confirmed for IeSF's 9th World Championships - Busan

IeSF's 2017 9th World Championships is to be held in Busan, South Korea,

With just days to go before MSSA's Online Provincial Championships IeSF has disclosed the first official game title of '9th Esports World Championship':

The game title is - "Counter Strike: Global Offensive"

Even though IeSF has successfully held its World Championships since 2009, CS:GO only made its debut at the 8th World Championships - Jakarta in 2016.

Needless to say the competition was fierce, South Africa found itself in a group of 'death', but the brave Protea eSports Team soldiered on and gave of their best to win the hearts of all the nations present.

However the gold was taken by Finland (ENCE eSports), silver China, and bronze was taken by South Korea. According to IeSF officials, the CS:GO games recorded the highest viewership figures out of all the games played.

MSSA is confident that it will be able to put a squad together for 2017 that will be able to successfully challenge the other nations.

Already MSSA's Ladders, Rankings, and championship results show an ever improving level of competitiveness and skill.

There is no doubt that the Online Provincial Championships, the Mpumulanga Championships, and the National Team Trials will bring out the very best of South Africa's true competitive gamers as they battle for the prize of being selected for the Protea eSports Team that will travel to IeSF's 2017 9th World Championships - Busan.

Meet MSSA's stars: Jessie 'JoobJoob' Joubert

Captain of the Protea eSports CounterStrike: GO team: Jessie 'JoobJoob' Joubert

There is no doubt that IeSF's World Championships prove to be one of  the greatest tests of character.

The  level of competition at the world's greatest esport championships for national teams ensures that every player is tested to the extreme.

Captains of teams are known to buckle, and only the strongest survive with  many falling along the way.

Jessie Joubert has now proven his calibre.

Although Jessie is the youngest team captain of a South African CounterStrike: GO team, and still a learner at Rondebosch Boys High, Jessie proved his mettle by continually marshalling and rallying his players in the face of some of the world's finest teams.

His 'never-say-die' attitude allowed the team to continually launch assault after assault on the much more experienced opposing teams.

South Africa faced off against Romania, Azerbaijan, Russia, and China.

In any other sport those opponents would be seen as lethal, and in esports, such opponents are absolutely deadly.

Yet Jessie rose to the challenge and proved  himself to be a worthy captain, a worthy Protea team member, and most  of all, a worthy South African.

MSSA's Athlete's Representative is off to Shanghai

Jason Batzofin - MSSA's Athlete's Representative

Jason Batzofin (St John’s Mind Sports Club) will, on Monday, 25 July 2016, fly off to Shanghai in China to attend the IeSF's Global eSports Summit on behalf of Mind Sports South Africa.

While at the Global eSports Summit, Jason will be thrown in among many of the movers and shakers in the eSports world, and will carry South Africa’s hopes, dreams and aspirations on his shoulders.

However, not all will be work.

While there, Jason will be able to attend ‘ChinaJoy’ and see all that China has to offer the gaming world. ChinaJoy is China's largest and most  prestigious digital entertainment expo whereat it is  expected that there will  be intent transactions contracted totalling USD350,000,000.00.

Jason was elected by South Africa’s senior players (those that have at least senior Provincial Colours) at MSSA’s 2015 Annual General Meeting. The position is a three year term, and may only be held by a Registered Player who has earned Protea Colours and has represented South Africa in International Competition.  

22nd Annual KwaZulu Natal Championships - 9 & 10 July 2016

The 2010 MSSA Protea COD 4 team - all from KZN.

Maritzburg College in Pietermaritzburg shall be hosting the 22nd Annual KwaZulu Natal Championships on 9 & 10 July 2016.

KwaZulu Natal Championships has always been popular among gamers  and has helped many  a gamer  achieve both provincial and national colours.

Since 2000, over 15 gamers from KwaZulu Natal have been called up for duty in various Protea teams. Such players/gamers have travelled to the USA, South Korea, China, Namibia, Botswana, Greece, the United Kingdom, and Finland in order to officially represent South Africa  in international competitions.

MSSA's KwaZulu Natal Championships counts towards eligibility to the 2017 National Team Trials (NTT) and, as such, there is much interest by a number of clubs and teams in such event.

All readers are reminded that the closing dates for entries is 1 July 2016.

Details for each of the disciplines may be found on:

Board games
eSports 
Wargames

At such championships the KwaZulu Natal Provincial Team shall be selected to represent the KwaZulu Natal in the Inter-provincial Test Matches.

For the first time: a Pan American Championship !

City of Águas de Lindóia

Águas de Lindóia, inside São Paulo State, Brazil, will host the 13th World 64 Squares International Championship and the 19th Pan American Championship 100 squares, from 22 to 30 September.

See more informations in the websites:

www.padcc.org and www64fmjd.org.

The WC 64 International (Brazilian) will qualify 6 players for the World Mind Games in China.

And the 19th Pan American Championship will qualify players for the WC 2017 and also 1 player to World Mind Games in China.

We will keep you informed about these 2 beautiful competitions !!

WCA 2016 promotes e-sports in China

South Africa's Thomas Brown opening the WCA2016

The World Cyber Arena 2016 (WCA2016) China and APAC Pro Qualifiers Season 1 (S1) finals took place at the China National Tennis Center in Beijing on May 21.

Fifty-seven players in teams from China, Australia, South Korea, Malaysia and Philippines won in the six official games, including CS:GO, Hearthstone, Dota II, StarCraftII, Warcraft 3, and COS, have advanced to WCA2016 global finals that will be held in Yinchuan, capital of northwestern China's Ningxia Hui autonomous region this December.

The event was opened by Thomas Brown (from All Stars Club, Witbank, South Africa) who is the first South African to referee an international eSports event on foreign soil.

The WCA, held by Yinchuan government and Yinchuan International Game Investment Co Ltd, is an international e-sports event that has been held thrice. Under the slogan "Hero's Arena, Player's Dreamland", it is committed to promoting the developments of e-sports events and the sector and attracting more people to participate in e-sports.

China's e-sports sector has boomed in recent years under positive policy and social environment. The number of e-sports users has reached 124 million and the output value of the e-sports sector has reached 27 billion yuan by the end of 2015, and the overall market of e-sports in China is expected to exceed 50 billion yuan in the future, according to the 2015 China e-sports Game Analysis Report released by iResearch, a Chinese consultancy company.

According to WCA spokesman Li Yanfei, the E-Sports industry has a large amount of enthusiastic young fans that should not be underestimated.

As the titled sponsor of WCA2016, Lesports of LeEco Holdings Co, enters the field to create an e-sport ecosystem, Lei Zhenjian, founder and Chief Executive said with the government's positive promotion and capital pouring into the sector, e-sports is rapidly rising in China.

"The standards and business model of e-sports still needs to mature. And as a young sector, e-sports has diverse possibilities in its profitability," said Lei.

Thomas Brown to referee at WCA

On 27 April 2016, Mind Sports South Africa reported that Thomas Brown would be sent by MSSA to China for further training.

Thomas Brown

Like all benefits, they do not just fall out of the blue. Years of dedication, loyalty, hard-work and perseverance all have a part to play in the rewards and benefits that a person earns.

So it is true for Thomas as well,

Thomas has officiated at no less than 15 Mind Sports South Africa's eSport events and has run 22 of his own events while he has been a member of MSSA.

But now, there is even something greater in store for Thomas.

After attending the International Referee Conference in Yinchuan, China, Thomas shall move to Beijing where he will be the first ever South African to referee at a major international event.

Thomas will, in Beijing, referee at the WorldCyberArena 2016 Season 1 final.

WCA tournament is a platform to promote the role of Chinese E-sports development which cannot be ignored. WCA started in 2014 to access overseas markets for China's outstanding gaming platform products, but also to provide for the exchange of game products at home and abroad.

With a huge following, WCA will no doubt prove an interesting starting block for Thomas to launch his career as an international referee.

Thomas Brown off to China.

Thomas Brown

MSSA has selected Thomas Brown (of the All Stars Club in Witbank) to attend the International Referee Conference in Yinchuan, China.

The International Referee Conference is separate from the International e-Sports Academy.

A number of topics will  be dealt with at the Conference, and Thomas, who has officiated at no less than 15 MSSA events, as well as running 22 of his own, is a perfect  candidate for such conference.

The Conference will start on 12 May 2016 and end on 16 May 2016.