The First Major of the Dota 2 Season is About to Begin
The first Major of the Dota Pro Circuit season is about to begin, and it will be the first time we will see many of the top teams in the world play against each other since The International 2019. With several roster changes and surprises, this tournament is shaping up to be highly competitive.
Groups and Favorites
While there are no clear favorites in this tournament, some groups appear to be more one-sided than others. Group D, for example, features beastcoast who had a subpar performance at ESL One Hamburg. However, Gambit Esports and Invictus Gaming have proven themselves as strong teams and could potentially dominate their respective groups.
Underdogs and Surprises
J Storm, a team with a new set of players, led by Clinton “Fear” Loomis, has yet to prove themselves compared to their competition. However, this tournament could be their breakthrough moment. Similarly, Team Unknown, a South American squad, has a lot to prove after qualifying from the weakest region.
Interesting Roster Changes
Group B is particularly interesting as Alliance, Fnatic, and Vici Gaming have made major changes to their rosters since TI9. Vici Gaming might have the advantage with their core players sticking together, but Alliance has already shown promise this season. Team Spirit, a CIS team, signed Positive Guys after a strong qualifier run and could also surprise their opponents.
Debut Performance and Challenges
Evil Geniuses will debut their new roster at this Major, with Roman “RAMZES666” Kushnarev leading the team. Liquid, on the other hand, has struggled to find their footing with their new roster. Their biggest challenge will be facing off against Evil Geniuses. Team Adroit and Team Aster, both with new rosters and little experience at Majors, are their other competition.
The group stage for the MDL Chengdu Major begins at 8am CT on Nov. 15 when both Group A and B kick things off.
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