The International 2 , announced Valve a year ago, at the end of the first International became a diamond in the crown of e -sports competitions. The strongest composition of the participants, a fantastic organization, a frantic excitement, a huge concert hall rented for competitions, and, finally, $ 1,600,000 – all this led e -sports to a completely new level, comparable with boxing fights in heavyweight.
Sixteen best and two on the patch
All the strongest teams have arrived on American land to date to compete for a serious reward. The honor of the European school Dota The Seattle was protected Moscow Five , Counter – Logicgaming , Darer , MTW , Mousesports and last year's champion – Ukrainian team Natusvincere. We will bring two local teams to the cohort of strong representatives of the West: Evilgeniuses And Complexity. They should have opposed them an elite Asian landing in the person of the best Chinese, Singapore and Malaysian teams.
► The International 2 gathered the strongest teams in the world – it could not be otherwise.
Chinese school "Dota", namely, it is considered the strongest, in Seattle were represented by groups DK , LGD , Ig , Ehome , Tongfu And Worldelite. In addition to them, Malays were invited to The International 2 Orange And MUFC and representatives of Singapore – Zenith.
%Is curious: upon arrival in the United WinOMania sister sites States, all journalists, commentators and participants (about two hundred people) were inhabited at the Hayatt Hotel near the office Valve. All matches of the group stage passed there.
West, East or Australia?
Let's say a few words about those who were ranked to the main favorites before the start of the championship. Most experts Dota 2 This year they preferred the Chinese, especially highlighting Ig And LGD. Chances of Tongfu, DK and last year's finalist Ehome They were appreciated much lower – the first in their homeland looked a clear middle peasant; DK , although they were the best team of the world in the first Dota , The second special stability did not differ, and Ehome, who radically overlapped the composition, had not yet played properly. Many, agreeing with the grandeur of the Chinese, put, however, on the experimental team Zenith , in which there were four Singaporers ( Hyhy , IceiceICe , xfreedom , XY ) and the legendary Swed Jonathan Berg ( Loda ).
► Zenith is the best team of Singapore and one of the main favorites Ti 2.
As for the Western teams, most of them were ranked to obvious outsiders. Among those who theoretically could compete with Asians were CLG, Evil Geniuses and, of course, Na’vi. Complexity and Darer gave the roles of dark horses, which can both get into the top five and be at the very bottom.
THIS IS INTERESTING: The last in the list of participants in the championship – and, by the way, the first to receive the cherished invitation, were the Australians from Absolute Legends. Their style is a kind of symbiosis of Western and oriental game trends.
Lost the group? Drink Validol in Best of One!
By introducing you to all participants in a grand event from Valve , Let's move on to the system: sixteen groups fell into the group stage directly – two large groups of eight commands in each, and Mouz And the Chinese from World Elite The fate of the "reserve" fell out.
► Benarai-Hall concert hall-venue for decisive matches of the grandiose championship.
This is important: The stage of the playoffs was supposed to go in a huge concert hall Benaraiya Hall , which occupies a whole quarter and was built in 1998 for $ 120 million. Now here a local symphony orchestra is located here.
At the end of the group stage games, the four best teams from each group fell into the upper net of the playoffs, and four losers in the lower. The “upper” played Best of Three by default, but below the first four stages were to be held in the “validol” rhythm of the Best of One and only in the last rounds – in the sparing Best of Three, which gives the right to error.
Thirty -three misfortunes of Moscow Five
Locks in the group A Completed M5, CLG, LGD, DK, EG, Al, Zenith and Mousesports, and in " B ”,.
This is important: reserve Mousesports And We Lucky: the strong Malaysian MUFC team did not reach the United States, and the last slot decided to play in the confrontation of the European and Chinese schools – Black and its mouse company easily and at ease won with a score of 3: 0.
► although MousesPorts were listed in obvious outsiders, they won the match for the slot without problems.
In group A, the attention of our fans was riveted to the only representative of Russia at the championship – Moscow Five. Vladimir Anosov ( PGG ) and the company did not go in favorites, but, thanks to its unique style, could make a rustle.
► Counter-Logic Gaming is one of the strongest European teams and one of those few that theoretically could compete with the Chinese.
The first game day was for the M5 key – matches with CLG , Al and Mousesports. All these fives “Muscovites” could and should have won, if, of course, they planned to go out into the upper grid. But from the very first game against CLG The Russians went through a stump-column: 0: 2 in favor of a direct competitor out of our rut, and subsequent matches with the Australians and Germans, they tied 1: 1. And ahead – a meeting of the second game day: with LGD , Zenith and EG , which on the head is stronger than previous opponents.
This is Epic Fail: You know why MUFC did not take part in the tournament? One of the players, Sharky… lost my passport on the way. You can imagine what shock other team members experienced upon arrival in the United States.
The first match is against LGD It began for the Russians better you can’t imagine – First Blood was made before the appearance of the first skens. But, as it turned out, this mini-User was the first and last achievement of M5. The Chinese, better playing out on their lines and in general acting more closely, quickly broke the course of the game. After Chinese Dark Seer caught in the center of our Rubick , The score of fragments was 4: 1 in favor of LGD.
► Record of the first game between Moscow Five and the Chinese Death Machine LGD
Ten minutes later, the first serious fight took place – the Russians lost it out of clean. Advantage LGD intensified – on the towers they led 5: 1, and in gold, the advantage reached 5000. It was almost impossible to “pull out” such a game, and, having suffered a couple of minutes, M5 wrote “GG” together – 1: 0 in favor of LGD.
► Moscow Five – the only Russians in Seattle and the best team of the country.
The second game generally lasted sixteen minutes. Russians, with what joy, gave the LGD of their beloved Morf ( Morphling ), and that after a couple of minutes to tear Moscow Five To shreds. In the thirteenth minute, the Chinese led 12: 4, and their advantage on game schedules grew with every minute.
► moscow five vs. LGD: The second game
Three minutes later, everything ended: 0: 2 – and Moscow Five lost a big chances of chances of getting into the quartet of the best groups A. The following examiners of the young Russian team were bronze medalists of the past The International in the composition Scythe.SG – Singaporeans Zenith.
In the first match, PGG chose Chen, Tidehunter, Death Prophet, Nature’s Prophet and Dark Seer, to which the Asians answered this way: Leshrac, Rubick, Morphling, Enigma, Bounty Hunter. Muscovites again gave the strong Asians the Morf, probably believing that they could handle it. Alas, I played its line very weakly Bloodangel , By the sixth minute, he managed to die several times.
► Game hero Morphling – almost the main shock force of all Chinese groups. Perhaps only na’vi could cope with him.
Ours managed to soak the score only on the ninth (!) a minute, having lost three of their heroes, – 10: 1 in favor Zenith. Swede Loda Together with Singapore friends, he dominated each of the three lines, and M5 could not do anything about it. Four minutes later, the score grew into a crushing (18: 5). With every second, the chances of salvation were melting before our eyes, and after in the twentieth minute our lost a fight in the center, everything was decided. Victory Zenith – 27: 6, and the account in the series is open.
► Record of the first meeting Moscow Five and Zenith
Now the m5 desperately needed to win the second game. By choosing Naga Siren, Invoker, Nature’s Prophet, Tidehunter and Venomacor, they managed to decently tighten the game. As in the last match, Bloodangel won Bloodangel again against Zenith, which, incidentally, was made by First Blood.
► The legendary Swedish legionnaire Singaporetsev Zenith Jonathan Berg (Loda).
Until the tenth and twelfth minute of the game, none of the parties had a serious advantage, but after another successful exchange in the center, Singaporeans captured the leadership. Feeling that the representative of Russia is generally inferior to them in level, Zenith relaxed and allowed themselves to play “funny dot” with a lot of fights and exchanges. It would seem that you still need M5 to turn the course of the meeting?.. But PGG And the company lost and with this reckless tactics.
By the thirty -fifth minute, the M5 already had no middle and upper lines, and after the fight on the lower in the tavern were all their heroes. Another victory Zenith , Which, having recovered after the terrible first day (1: 5 in games), won the fourth game in a row.
► Record of the second meeting of Moscow Five and Zenith
Team spirit Moscow Five , Clear business, was below the plinth. The last match against Evil Geniuses They also lost limpily (0: 2) and lost even theoretical chances of getting into the upper grid.
"Excuse me, Maryvanna, we overslept …"
On the last, third, day of the group stage, the Russians planned only one meeting with the “The Light of the First Dota” – the Chinese DK. Representatives of the most densely populated country in the world arrived in the game zone on time, and the match was about to begin, but Moscow Five Everyone did not appear … Twenty minutes later, the organizers put the M5 technical defeat 0: 2. There was also conversations on the Web that the Russian team needs to be disqualified (this position was supported by a well -known commentator v1lat ), not allowing even to the games of the lower grid.
► Logos of the game in The International 2 Television Studio flaunted everywhere – from a cardboard banner on the wall to laptop covers.
After about an hour, M5 appeared in the office Valve , Having stated that they accidentally overslept, but as they can accidentally oversleep five people at the same time, frankly, we are not clear to us.
Note: We do not undertake to judge the act of Russians, because we do not know all the details, but, in any case, not to appear for the match when you were invited to such a large tournament and paid for all expenses … A clear nominee for our Facepalm September Prize.
At the end of all games in the first group, we learned the names of those who made their best in the four of the best – they became LGD (did not lose a single match), DK, EG and Zenith. In the last two places were Moscow Five and Mousesports , Beautifully stripped earlier World Elite.
The final table of group A
Group a
AND
IN
N
P
ABOUT
LGD No. 1
14
14
0
0
14
DK No. 2
14
11
0
3
11
Evil Geniuses No. 3
14
8
0
6
8
Zenith No. 4
14
8
0
6
8
Counter-Logic Gaming
14
6
0
8
6
Absolute Legends
14
5
0
9
5
Moscow Five
14
2
0
12
2
Mousesports
14
2
0
12
2
"Na’vi is not shining …"
If the group A could be conditionally called "Russian", then the second – with Darer And Natusvincere – definitely became Ukrainian. The second “yellow-clatter” team, Darer, the new team of the former Na’VI captain Ivan Antonov ( Artstyle ), was able to win only three matches out of fourteen and shared the last place with the team MTW. Therefore, the main attention of our fans was focused on the "born to win", which their performance on The International 2 Started neither Shatko nor Valko.
► The Ukrainian-Russian composition of the Bulgarian organization Darer disappointed its fans-they were expected from them much more.
Ukrainian "Dotra", apparently, liked Validal games CS 1.6 -Na’Vi composition, and they also decided to play nerves at their fans. In the starting match of the first round, with the Chinese from Invictus Gaming , "Born to win" lost only after thirty -two minutes. In a stubborn struggle? No matter how: the party became simply "beating Ukrainian babies". 29: 3 In favor Ig!
► Record of the first meeting Natus Vincere and Invictus Gaming
Now Na’vi has chosen Chen, Morphling, Invoker, Engma and Tidehunter – it would seem, the perfect peak, but … the towers Na’vi We fell with an interval of two minutes, and by the fifteenth minute the score was already 11: 6 in favor of "ay-ji". Having received a significant advantage, the Asians went behind Roshan's head, after which they rushed into the final attack. It was not possible to fight back, because by that time the Slavs were very behind the experience and gold, and the heroes were decently inferior to Chinese in the level – 0: 2. The next two meetings of the first gaming day, with Ehome And Complexity , We ended in a draw – 1: 1.
This is important: Later it turned out that the cause of such a bad gaming form Na’VI was the ailments of their captain Clement Ivanov ( PUPPEY ) who was poisoned the day before.
Awakening sleeping and poisoned
The second day began with the most important match against experienced Malaysians from Orange. First, the Slavs chose Morphling, Crystal Maiden, Windrunner, Invoker and Nature’s Prophet, and their opponent answered: Chen, Queen of Pain, Leshrac, Sand King, Tidehunter. From the first seconds the advantage (including First Blood) was seized by Asians. After several excellent exchange, Orange was taken in the score – 13: 6 (twenty -first minute), and the difference in gold exceeded eight thousand.
► Record of the first meeting of Natus Vincere and Orange Malaysians
The phase of active actions of the first twenty minutes ended with a pause, when both teams decided to play passively, but in the 32nd minute it became hot again-Na’vi killed three enemy heroes, while losing only one. True, after three minutes they lost several barracks, and at the beginning of the thirty -eighth minute the score was 1-0 in favor of the “Orange”. The next game went as long as fifty -five minutes and also ended in the victory of representatives of Malaysia. The game community made a categorical conclusion from this: " Na’vi Not at all, and this year nothing shines at all ".
► Full game statistics of the second meeting of Orange and Na’VI.
In order to prove the opposite to skeptics and, above all, to themselves, at the two remaining matches of the second day, Ukrainians were obliged to win all four cards from Darer and mtw.
In frequent meetings with these teams at European championships Na’vi Usually won. International 2 did not become an exception: two light victories (2-0 each) returned to last year's champions part of their own confidence before the decisive game with Tongfu.
► Record of the first game of the Slavic derby – Natus Vincere against Dareer
“Yeah, so we need one victory!"
The match with the Chinese was on the list last and was supposed to play on the third day. Both teams before a full -time meeting had exactly the same indicators, and the winner of this couple guaranteed himself a place in the quarter of the best group b.
First, representatives of Europe chose Chen, Anti-Mage, Puck, Dark Seer and Leshrac, and the Chinese answered this: Nature’s Prophet, Venomacer, Broodmother, Rubick and Queen of Pain. Having groped out their game after several game days, the Ukrainian team quickly explained to the Asians that they would not break off in this match.
► Tongfu – perhaps the weakest of those present on The International 2 Chinese teams.
By the tenth minute of the game Na’vi won 5: 1 in fragments and, it seems, were not going to stop there. The secret of success was that the key heroes of the “Born to Win” were much better played out their lines (by the fifteenth minute Lightofheaven Killed 89 creeps, XBOCT – 79 and Dendi – 72). Trying to save the game, Tongfu got off with Roshan and took possession of AEGIS, but this did not help either – the pronounced Slavs won all command fights without exception.
► Write the first game for exit to the upper grid – Na’vi against Tongfu
By the twenty -seventh minute heroes Na’vi managed to get tightly to the possessions of Tongfu: a series of next contractions aggravated the situation Tongfu , And soon it was all over. The second batch lasted 45 minutes. Ours managed to “pack” their heroes and with their help to destroy all enemy buildings. Victory in the last round deduced Na’vi For third place in the group – and last year's champion The International became our only team that was able to start the playoffs in the upper grid.
The final table of the group "B"
Group a
AND
IN
N
P
ABOUT
Ig No. 1
14
13
0
1
13
Complexity No. 2
14
9
0
5
9
Orange No. 3
14
8
0
6
8
Natus Vincere No. 4
14
8
0
6
8
Tongfu
14
6
0
8
6
Ehome
14
6
0
8
6
MTW
14
3
0
11
3
Darer
14
3
0
11
3
M5 and Darer are going home
Tongfu, meanwhile, ended up in the lower grid and fell on .. Moscow Five. Frankly, after the situation with the failure to appear in the victory of the M5, we did not believe at all. It was easy to guess that during the group stage games there was a certain conflict in the team, which influenced the quality of the game of the team.
► Hall of the concert hall was decorated with large pennants of sixteen teams.
Surprisingly, "disassembled" M5 almost beat the Chinese: it seems only here PGG I remembered how to throw the Blackholls Enigma correctly … But this was not enough for victory. After forty -six minutes, fed heroes Kabu And Hao skillfully brought the match to victory.
Not much further went and Darer. In the first round, they, however, were lucky with an opponent – Absolute Legends from the country Kangaroo, but already in the second, menacing dk fell on their heads. And this meeting could be characterized as a battle of teams from different leagues – the Chinese advantage was so obvious.
► Absolute Legends – exotic team from distant Australia.
In general, The International 2 showed all of us the complete superiority of Asian teams over European ones – five teams from the Blessedness took place in the eight of the best. And nothing Na’vi , Zenith And Orange – From the rest of the world.
The first Chinese warning
The early departure of most of the West teams resulted in the fact that Na’vi European and American viewers considered the only hope for a successful outcome of the fight against the "Asian threat". The first on the way of last year’s champion were the offenders of M5 – guys from DK.
The Chinese were so afraid Dendi , that his beloved hero was banned on the move Pudge , which very rarely can be seen in games of such a high level. And at first Burning In fact, DK led to victory. The second match, in turn, was taken Natus Vincere , And the fate of the winner was to decide in the third.
The third game is difficult to describe in words, this must be seen .. Na’vi deliberately gave the Chinese a very strong hero Naga Siren , But this did not stop the current champion who fought against strong Chinese exactly what is in the Cupionian.
► Record of the decisive third meeting Na’VI and DK
Famous commentator Vitaly Volochai ( v1lat ), who was also in Seattle, commenting on this meeting, simply planted a voice – we have not seen such a riot of emotions for a long time.
The second Chinese warning
The events in the semifinals of the upper grid unfolded according to the same scheme as the match with DK, but this time there were much stronger in the opponents Invictus Gaming. Remembering past matches in the group, Na’vi They sought to take revenge. From the first match, all our spectators expected a lot, and the "born to win" lost in sixteen minutes … Repetition of a group shame?
► one of the few Chinese fans in the Big Hall of Benarai-Hall.
And here PUPPEY I decided to amuse the local audience a little: in the second game, he suddenly chose Juggernaut. The hero cannot be called bad or weak, but in the late stage it is much inferior to the Chinese Naga Siren and Tidehunter. The cunning Na’vi plan, apparently, was to win quickly, and a special emphasis in it was put on command fights.
► Record of the second game of the semifinals of the upper grid – Na’VI against IG
And the plan worked – after one of the serious fights on the lower line, all five Chinese heroes instantly played the box due to the excellent interaction of Enigma and Rubick. 1: 1!
Before the third game, commentators recalled that the winner will become richer by $ 150,000. Nowhere, except The International 2 , You can’t win such money, even if you take the “gold” at all European championships of the season. They remembered this and in Na’vi – The choice of heroes was no longer so impudent. The teams were cautious as best they could, and FIRST BLOOD was made only in the 14th minute (!) – absolute record among all games at more or less large championships. He went to the Chinese team – and paid IG for this joy with three heroes.
► with its fantastic game at the playoff stage, the Ukrainian team won the hearts of most spectators present in the hall.
Slavs dominated the third party. Chinese Zhou , Ferrari And Yyf "Nafarmili" is much worse, and this made itself felt in the decisive minutes of the match. Natus Vincere guaranteed a place in the top three of the best. Someone expected a similar result after the first games from Ig In the group?
► The contrast of the emotions of both commands after a very important fight on the lower line
Born to win against invincible
The entire mesh of the playoffs for Na’vi She looked like a single campaign in an action movie: the first missions – for warming up, the opponents are more difficult to go further, and in the final – the boss. To exit the group I had to defeat Tongfu ; In the first round of the playoffs to fight serious DK , then with even stronger Ig , And in the final of the upper grid they were waiting for LGD.
This team was the Boss: before matches with Na’vi, she did not suffer a single defeat at the championship and won eighteen victories in a row. Game LGD caused only admiration – the team did not make serious mistakes and looked like a real murder machine.
► LGD did not know the defeat before meeting with the first champions The International.
All this would be scared by any team … except for those who were played out of whether Natus Vincere. The only surviving Western team of the championship added the heat from the game to the game – and now their mighty opponent, having reviewed the confident victories of Na’vi over DK and IG, was supposed to be afraid of. Maybe.
► Record of the decisive third meeting Na’VI and LGD
In matches for access to the Grand Finals and an additional hundred thousand dollars, LGD continued to ban according to the old Chinese tradition Pudge and other exotic characters, but Na’vi could no longer be stopped – 2: 1 in favor of Ukrainians. By tradition – after the defeat on the first map.
THIS IS INTERESTING: In one of the post -match interviews Darer player Sergey Bragin ( God ) stated that he could still imagine a victory Na’vi over DK And Ig , But in order to defeat LGD ..
Dynastic wars of ancient China
Having won the upper grid, our champions went to rest, while the Chinese understand themselves in the lower. LGD They were so shocked by defeat that they could not hold the blow and in the final of the Luzers in rather strange games lost to Invictus Gaming. In those matches, LGD no longer looked like a murder machine: experienced players were mistaken over and over again and simply gave the opponent going to the final.
THIS IS INTERESTING: During one of the decisive games on the running electronic line, it was announced that on the air The International 2 In all corners of the planet, half a million people look at the planet.
► “Great Benaraiy-Hall, and there is nowhere to retreat-behind the wall, damn it!"
Typically, the winner of the upper grid has an advantage over who left the lower. Often this is 1: 0, and it is with it that the final format of Best of Five begins. But the organizers The International 2 We decided differently. It does not matter who got to the finals from where – both teams should play on equal terms. Perhaps this is right when a million dollars at the stake.
They are a million, and we are glory!
When there was only one step left before the cherished million and the second championship title in a row, Na’vi Still trembled. Of the four final matches, the team – the favorite of the local public won only one. It is possible to describe all four – you can reconsider them yourself. We only note that the most huge fatigue affected the game of Ukrainians, and not even from the last day, but rather from the entire championship.
► The fourth and last game of The International 2 Grand Final. An hour later, the world recognizes the name of the new champion.
THIS IS INTERESTING: Million for the first place for the team Ig became not the only one – the owners of the team (one of the richest families of China) encouraged the players another million, personally from themselves. Recall that several years ago they bought this composition from another team for six million dollars.
► Valve General Gabe Newell came to personally congratulate the winners.
Malaysian player Ig ( Chuan ) Raised over his head AEGIS (was given to the champion of The International 2) … in dead silence. Most of the audience in the hall all these days frantically supported Na’vi, constantly chanting their name. The American public, it seems, had its own champion – and this is not at all Invictus Gaming.
One of those who wrote about the championship noted: “The Chinese won a million, and Na’vi – Glory ".
And that says it all, yes.
► Natus Vincere were not the first, but confirmed their highest class and restrained Chinese hegemony in Dota 2.
Junkers The International 2 :
1st place- Invictus Gaming – 1,000,000 $ (plus the same amount from sponsors)
2nd place- Natus Vincere – $ 250,000
3rd place- LGD – $ 150 000
4th place- DK – $ 80,000
5-6th place- Zenith – $ 35,000
5-6th place- Ehome – $ 35,000
7–8th place- Tongfu – $ 25,000
7–8th place- Orange – $ 25,000
I would like to express my gratitude to the company personally Valve for the science fiction organization of the championship, Vitaly dragging ( v1lat ) and all other Russian -speaking streamers for excellent broadcasts and high -quality lighting and, of course, players Natus Vincere For their great will to win and for emotions, which the "born to win" gave us all. See you on the third International!