Gambit Youngsters have qualified for MSI MGA 2019 after raregods were forced to forfeit the grand final due to an underage stand-in.

The CIS closed qualifier saw Gambit Youngsters find their spot in the grand final after two flawless victories over Se7en and Espada. Meanwhile, raregods set up a matchup with Gambit Youngsters after picking up wins over Syman and pro100 on the other side of the bracket.

raregods found themselves in difficulties before the grand final had even begun, with the Russian squad having to field two stand-ins. Aleksandr "⁠ssh1sha⁠" Alekseev and Vladislav "⁠unknownamez⁠" Gorchakov, who had played the previous matches of the tournament, were replaced by Nikita "⁠3am6es⁠" Tyazhev and Artem "⁠A1mFlex⁠" Kykyshkin.

Gambit Youngsters had already secured the opening map in a swift fashion before raregods forfeited in the early stages of the second map. It was revealed that raregods' fielding of A1mFlex was illegitimate as the player is under the age of 16, which breaks tournament rules. Subsequently, Gambit Youngsters were handed a 2-0 victory and secured themselves a spot at MSI MGA 2019.

Gambit Youngsters' qualification means there is one place left at the $60,000 event, which will be decided in the ongoing North American closed qualifier.

The participants' list for the event taking place on September 28-29 in New York looks as follows: