The preview of MDL Chengdu Major 2019
Ihor MatusThe general information
MDL Chengdu Major 2019 will be held on November 16-24. 16 participants will face in the battle for the main money prize of $300,000:
- Alliance
- Team Liquid
- Vici Gaming
- Team Aster
- EHOME
- Gambit Esports
- Team Spirit
- Fnatic
- TNC Predator
- Team Adroit
- Evil Geniuses
- Fighting PandaS
- J.Storm
- beastcoast
- Team Unknown
- Invictus Gaming
All of them have passed regional qualifiers and Invictus Gaming have become the best ones at DOTA Summit 11 and earned an invite due to the victory at the Minor.
The format of the tournament
The competition starts with the group stage. There, all participants were divided into 4 groups with 4 teams in each one. Results of the group stage only influence on the seeding. After the end of the group stage, the top two teams from each group will advance to the upper bracket, while the teams to show less good results will move to the lower bracket. Regarding the format of matches, all matches will be hosted in a bo3 format in the group stage. In the playoffs, all matches, except the first round of the lower bracket and the grand final, will be carried out in a bo3 series. The first round of the lower bracket will quickly get rid of the four weakest teams of the major with the help of bo1 matches and the grand final will determine the strongest participant with the help of a bo5 match.
The analysis of participants
The favorites
The list of the favorites can confidently include three participants, around which the attention of the majority of viewers will be focused: Evil Geniuses, Vici Gaming, and TNC Predator.
Evil Geniuses have the lowest odds on a victory (3.50) and, according to the majority of professional players and other viewers, this team will become the winner of the first Major tournament. Such confidence in EG is easily explained by the fact that the world-class talents are concentrated in the team. All esportsmen who play for Evil Geniuses are pretty experienced and famous for some reason. After RAMZEs’ transfer to the ranks of EG, many thought that the language barrier would not allow him to show his best but, looking at the results, it is clear that the esportsman has adopted in the team well. Generally, it will be interesting to follow EG and we expect to see this team in the top four, at least.
Vici Gaming made a replacement on the roster in September this year. Except for the replacement of one player and a few positions, Vici is still the same Chinese team, which has become universally accepted in the previous season. Vici Gaming performed the best in the Chinese qualifiers and earned a quota in the upcoming Major tournament. Odds on Vici Gaming are equal to 5.00, which makes the team one of the favorites of MDL Chengdu Major 2019. In our view, it is for a reason and Eurus who was previously known as Paparazzi will probably reach the grand final with his teammates, in our view. By the way, Ceb, an OG player, is of the same opinion who has won the trophy of The International twice in a row.
TNC Predator had a lot of attention before the start of the championship. For example, the captain of OG, Johan ‘n0tail’ Sundstein has called the team his personal favorite and considers that it will definitely make it to the grand final where will prevail. There are a few significant reasons for such an optimistic state. Now, TNC Predator is really in a nice gaming shape. They placed first in the qualifiers to WESG 2019, became the best in the Southeast Asian qualifiers to MDL Chengdu Major 2019 and also became the champions of the recently finished ESL One Hamburg 2019. Since September, TNC hasn’t lost an event, in which they participate - all the more reason to consider TNC one of the main favorites of the first Major? Odds on the Asians’ victory are equal to 5.50. Those who make an outright bet on TNC have good chances to multiply their deposit in five with half times.
The teams, which have a chance to prevail
Such participants as Fnatic, Alliance, Team Aster, Invictus Gaming, Gambit Esports, EHOME, Team Liquid, Team Spirit, Beastcoast, Fighting PandaS, and J.Storm can be referred to the row of teams, which can’t be called the favorites, however, have a chance to win.
You should pay attention to a few particular teams. For example, Fantic have the lowest odds on a victory, not considering the favorites, and Ceb said that he expects to see this team in the final with Vici Gaming. Fnatic managed to make it to the last The International, placed 13th-16th there and their roster includes a few important personalities for the world Dota. This team played equally with TNC Predator and also placed 1st-2nd in the qualifiers. Now, the team is apparently in a good gaming shape and we think that iceiceice with his teammates will place 7th-8th in the standings, at least.
We also expect a good performance by Alliance. It will be interesting to follow the roster. Nikobaby plays in it who had been taken in Mineski 10 days before the start of The International 2019 and helped his new teammates to make it to the top 8 of the main esports championship. Alliance’s results were very good at the last tournament, in which Alliance participated. They placed 3rd at ESL One Hamburg 2019 and the representatives of Alliance became the champions at DreamLeague Season 12. This team might fight well for a higher place at MDL Chengdu Major 2019.
Invictus Gaming deserve special attention too. They literally didn’t find equals at the Minor. Having lost only 2 maps at the championship, the team crushed their opponents and took an invite to the Major tournament together with the $72,000 money prize. Will the Chinese show the same performance as it was at DOTA Summit 11 and how far will flyfly with his teammates advance?
Gambit Esports with fng prove that the CIS scene is not that bad as it is said. Gambit, in our view, is the strongest Dota 2 representative in the CIS. The team was close to a victory at the recently-finished ESL One Hamburg 2019 but as a result, lost with a score of 2-3 in the grand final. The team captain Artem ‘fng’ Barshak said that entering the top 4 will be a good result for the team and usually if he says so, there is a reason for it. He told that the team was actively preparing for the Major and will be able to surprise us.
The outsiders
Adroit and Team Unknown ca be called two obvious underdogs in the case of MDL Chengdu Major 2019. The first ones won the 3rd-place match in the Southeast Asian qualifiers and the second ones passed through the lower bracket in the South American qualifiers. Odds on Adroit and Team Unknown are equal to 101.0 and 151.0, respectively. There is no secret that South America is the weakest Dota division and Unknown made it to the tournament with a great effort from the region. Due to this, we can say that the opinion of the majority of viewers about Unknown is pretty justified and Adroit, in our view, can be considered as a dark horse but it is controversial enough. The team placed first at the recently finished VKGAME BATTLE OF DAWN and ESL Clash of Nations Bangkok 2019 and earned $58,000 totally. It is possible that the esportsmen have already warmed-up and they will be ready to surprise us at MDL Chengdu Major 2019.