Nigma Makes an Incredible Comeback to Win WePlay! Bukovel Minor
Experience is crucial in any competition, especially in the grand finals against a top-tier team. Nigma, the Dota 2 team, started off the WePlay! Bukovel Minor a bit rough. However, they managed to turn things around and qualify for the DreamLeague Season 13 Major, just like their run in The International 2019.
After scraping into the upper bracket and facing a tough loss to Royal Never Give Up in the first round, Kuro “KuroKy” Takhasomi and his team regrouped and made some changes to their drafting approach. They successfully defeated Gambit Esports and Geek Fam, although both series were challenging.
RNG had been dominating the competition throughout the group stage and playoffs, only dropping two games. The grand finals began well for RNG, but Nigma had a different plan in mind.
Aliwi “w33” Omar’s Huskar carried the team in the early stages, but RNG’s Drow Ranger served as a great counter to Miracle-’s Alchemist. RNG, paired with Outworld Devourer, outperformed Nigma and won the game easily.
In game two, Nigma took an early lead thanks to Miracle-’s Phantom Lancer, but RNG quickly turned the tide. The match lasted an incredible 80 minutes and introduced tier five neutral items in the Dota Pro Circuit. Nigma used these items to win the game.
A Landslide Victory for Nigma in Game Three
Game three was a landslide victory for Nigma, with Miracle- dominating on Phantom Lancer and w33 performing solidly on Drow Ranger. Nigma put the ex-Team Liquid players on tournament point.
In game four, Nigma struggled in the early game and had to rely on picking off RNG’s players. However, their patience paid off when GH’s Earthshaker landed a massive Echo Slam, leading to a team wipe. Nigma was able to turn the match around and secure the win.
Despite being down in gold and never leading outside of the opening minutes, Nigma saw an opportunity to end the series. They slowly pushed into RNG’s territory, cleared out obstacles, and dove onto the enemy team. With their risky final push, Nigma won the match and the entire tournament.
KuroKy was awarded the Support MVP of the Minor, while Miracle- was named Core MVP during the award ceremony. Nigma will return to the big stage on Jan. 18 for the DreamLeague Season 13 Major.
Nigma, WePlay! Bukovel Minor, Dota 2, DreamLeague Season 13 Major, grand finals, Royal Never Give Up, drafting, RNG, Miracle-, w33, Huskar, Drow Ranger, Phantom Lancer, GH, Earthshaker, Echo Slam, tournament point