blameF's Explosive Journey: A Dominant Force in 2023's Top 20 Players of the Year

An outstanding fragging performance and remarkable displays against the world's top teams have earned Benjamin "blameF" Bremer a spot in this year's Top 20 Players of the Year list by 1xBet.

Top 20 players of 2023: Introduction

Benjamin "blameF" Bremer has secured his fourth consecutive appearance in the Top 20 Player of the Year rankings, albeit at his lowest position during his tenure in tier-one competition. Making his first entry in 2020 at No. 6 under the Complexity banner, blameF reached his career-best ranking. In 2022, he placed 13th after joining Astralis in November. Despite the team's roster turmoil and a lack of deep tournament runs in 2023, blameF maintained exceptional individual performance, finishing every event with a positive rating.

At the start of 2023, Astralis underwent significant roster changes under the leadership of Lukas "gla1ve" Rossander. blameF and the team had a promising start by reaching the Spring Final, with blameF excelling in knockout victories against Ninjas in Pyjamas and OG.

The team faced setbacks, missing out on IEM Katowice and the BLAST.tv Paris Major European RMR, but blameF consistently delivered positive performances, even in losses. The lack of a Major spot led to roster changes, with blameF temporarily taking on the in-game leader (IGL) role. Despite initial expectations of a dip in his fragging output, blameF continued to excel.

The summer break brought more changes to Astralis, with blameF officially returning to the IGL role. The team's performance at BLAST Premier Fall Groups showcased blameF's leadership, and they progressed to the Fall Final with blameF finishing with a remarkable 1.33 average rating. The highlight of their season came at IEM Cologne, where Astralis, led by blameF, defeated Heroic in the quarter-finals but fell short against G2 in the semi-finals.

BlameF's individual excellence continued at ESL Pro League Season 18, where he earned his first EVP despite Astralis' early exit. His second EVP came at CS Asia Championships 2023, where blameF maintained a strong individual impact. However, Astralis faced difficulties in the BLAST Premier Fall Final, finishing last, and roster changes continued.

BlameF's statistics for the year are impressive, ranking second in CT rating, third in average rating, damage per round, and grenade damage per round. Despite these achievements, his lower placement in the Top 20 is attributed to a small sample size, limited tournament runs, and a single Big Event EVP. BlameF's resilience and consistent performance against top-ranked teams solidify his presence in the Top 20, showcasing his prowess as a key player for Astralis in 2023.