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Valorant Champions Tour Stage 3 Masters is underway and the Valorant community is witnessing some jaw-dropping action. Lately, the playerbase and streamers alike have been talking about something called the "9-3 curse".
Valorant is a game that relies a lot on individual skill, strategizing, quick decision-making on the go and mental strength. There are certain elements, however, that completely alter the flow of the match. This article attempts to explain the 9-3 curse is and the factors that play a role in this phenomenon, allowing players to mount incredible comebacks.
The 9-3 curse in Valorant explained
In Valorant, the 9-3 curse is when a team is leading 9-3 in the first half, and usually ends up losing after a change in sides. This has happened to a good number of teams during the Valorant Champions Tour 2021.
There are a variety of reasons, and it’s hard to narrow down one causal agent for this phenomenon. One such possibility could be that players are getting extremely overconfident and start playing for kills. In a game like Valorant, strategy is one of the most important aspects that improves your chances of winning.
Another possibility could be the very fact that certain maps are either defense- or attack-centric. When this is the case, switching sides would give the losing team a chance to play much better, simply because of how the map is designed. Split is a very defense-centric map; therefore, map design can be one of the contributing factors for teams to be able to mount a comeback victory after switching sides.
Valorant matches with the 9-3 curse in effect
1) Natus Vincere vs Team Liquid Map1 (Icebox)
Team Liquid looked strong and were expected to beat the debut team. Na’Vi planted the spike a bunch of times, but ScreaM and soulcas put on a defensive show. Later, after a change in sides, Na’Vi mounted an impressive comeback by showing some stellar defense.
Na’Vi defused the spike every round that Team Liquid had planted and surrendered only one round to them. They won Map 1 with a scoreline of 13-10 and went on to win the game where the community witnessed a massive upset.
2) Gambit vs 100 Thieves Map 2 (Icebox)
In Map 2, Gambit looked strong and dominated the first half, showcasing their defensive mastery. Gambit was set to win Map 2 with ease, leading the second half 11-3. 100 Thieves went on to win 10 rounds in a row, with the clutch God himself, Hiko managing to win a 1v3 gunfight and securing the win for 100 Thieves.
3) Gambit vs 100 Thieves Map 3 (Split)
In Map 3, 100 Thieves took a comfortable lead in the first half with a scoreline of 9-3. Gambit was determined to make a comeback, and pushed 100 Thieves until the end. However, 100 Thieves had an answer for everything that was thrown at them.
Gambit was very close to mounting a comeback, but 100 Thieves managed to win Map 3 and subsequently, the game. Valorant's 9-3 curse was close to changing the course of the game for the second time, but 100 Thieves managed to walk home with a victory.
