The 2018-19 Dota Pro Circuit season has been challenging for OG, with multiple changes to key positions in a short period of time. After their star player, Anathan “ana” Pham, announced his break from Dota, the team had to find a replacement. They moved ana to the inactive roster and have been trying to fill the void ever since.
The team initially tried Per Anders “Pajkatt” Olsson Lille as a temporary solution, but it didn’t work out. In a Facebook post on Jan. 3, OG announced that the main reason for this was a lack of overall fit.
“OG’s spirit has always been one of trust and stability,” the post reads. “We brought in Pajkatt, who is a mechanically gifted player and a great Dota mind. However, his profile didn’t match with the team chemistry.”
OG wished Pajkatt well and mentioned that they would hold brief tryouts to find a new player for the Bucharest Minor.
Just one day later, on Jan. 4, OG announced that they had brought in Igor “iLTW” Filatov from the Russian team, Espada. iLTW was a suitable choice because he was already familiar with the team’s system, allowing them to compete on short notice.
During qualifications for the Bucharest Minor, iLTW filled in for Pajkatt when he was unable to play due to illness. This established rapport allowed OG to bypass trials for a new player and focus on building chemistry before their next big appearance.
Recently, OG placed second in the WePlay! Dota 2 Winter Madness tournament, losing 3-0 to Gambit Esports in the grand finals. They will now compete in the Bucharest Minor from Jan. 9 to 13, with the chance to win $300,000 and 500 DPC Points and earn the final invite to The Chongqing Major.
