The first fights for knocking out started late at night on August seventh. We will start with them. On the ups and downs of the group stage The International 3 We have already talked in one of our previous materials, therefore, before reading further, we advise you to first get acquainted Orion Spins Casino with it.
► All fights of the playoff stages, like a year ago, were played on the Benaroya Hall stage.
Opened the stage of playoffs intriguing confrontation Natus Vincere and the strongest Malaysian team Orange Esports. In its small forecast in the intermediate material for The International 3 We made a bet on the "born to win" and, as the further development of events showed, were not mistaken.
Silver winners of last year's tournament D they won her, although the victory was hard for them. In the first match, Estonian Captain Na’vi Clement Ivanov ( PUPPEY ) bet on Weaver , Naga Siren , Dragon Knight , Bane And Luna , And the Asians answered with a peak Visage , Nature’s Prophet , NYX Assassin , Tidehunter And Alchemist.
The game did not have time to really begin, and the audience was to focus on watching how both teams rushed into a fight on the upper rune. In a small skirmish, Na’vi and Orange lost two heroes, and the honor of shedding the first blood went to support Orange – Joel Chang Zhan ( XTINCT ).
► Natus vincere. From left to right: XBOCT, FUNN1K, KUROKY, Dendi, PUPPEY.
The Malaysians made a serious application for victory in the first match by the tenth minute, winning a crazy fight on the lower line. Having killed three heroes Na’vi and having lost only two of his, Orange Still increased their advantage by gold and game experience. Understanding this, Mushi And the company changed tactics to “we walk together, destroy the enemy towers”, and it immediately gave the result.
► And this is Orange Esports. From left to right: Mushi, Kyxy, Net, Xtint, Ohaiyo.
Seven minutes later the first serious battle took place near the lands of Roshan. Both teams dreamed of taking possession of Ahegis, but he went Orange , or rather, their main Carrie Mushi. Ten minutes later, the Malaysians sent another Roshan to the next world, and five more won, perhaps, the main battle of the first fight.
THIS IS INTERESTING: for the duration of The International 3 Enthusiasts around the world organized the so -called "pubs" – places for mass viewing. Most often these were large cinemas, which were bought in advance for a couple of days. In our area, the pubs organized in Moscow , Kyiv , St. Petersburg , Odessa , Yekaterinburg and other cities.
Natus Vincere , Although they were much weaker, they perfectly initiated the attack and instantly got off with three Orange characters, but then for some reason they forgot to “squeeze” the teleport and went to the tavern. It was no longer possible to pull out the match after such a number of lined with a row and given towers, and in the thirty -fifth minute Na’vi wrote "GG".
The loss did not upset their fans very much, they are already accustomed to the fact that their idols almost always lose the first set in the playoffs The International , but win the next two and go further. In the second match, the Ukrainians produced victory in just twenty -four minutes – which was required to prove.
► Final statistics of the first match.
The fate of the ticket to the semifinals of the upper grid was decided in the third set. Na’vi They took the heroes Lifestealer , Rubick , CHEN , Puck And Tidehunter , and Orange relied on Weaver , Bounty Hunter , Windrunner , Sand King And Lone Druid. The first blood did not have to wait long – the Bear of the Malaysian was killed in the "Foreign Ministry" KYXY , And the Ukrainian team opened an account.
In the third mast Natus Vincere They played much better than in the first, and almost did not make mistakes – which can not be said about the five heroes of the Malaysians who Merli out of the blue in various parts of the map. Soon Daniil Ishutin ( Dendi ) and the company took control of the situation and by the twenty -third minute managed to disassemble the last protective tower for bricks Orange.
In the process of observing this game, we thought that the best team of Southeast Asia was losing largely because it was morally not ready to win the strongest rivals at such a large championship. Subsequently Orange By their game, we were convinced that we were wrong, but more on that later.
► Record of the decisive third game between Natus Vincere and Orange
In total, the third set lasted twenty -six minutes nearly. We finished off the Asian team Gleb Lipatnikov ( Funn1k ) and him Tidehunter , instantly dealt with three enemy heroes. Having won, Natus Vincere reached the Chinese Tongfu , and Orange fell into the lower grid, where the Americans from Team Dignitas.
It's boring: In the quarterfinals of the upper grid, the Chinese clashed among themselves DK With current champions Ig. Both teams are known for their passive game, but their second match broke all the records – it lasted ninety -nine minutes! Such tournaments Dota 2 have not yet seen.
Lying like Na’vi passes his first rival in the playoffs The International 3 , We looked at the lower part of the grid: the next morning our match with the team Zenith they had to play Virtus.Pro. It was very difficult to predict the winner in this pair, because the leader of the Singapore team Give Koch ( IceiceICe) able to surprise with "peak" even itself.
► Team Zenith straight made of Singapore. From left to right: Ice, XY-, Freedom, Yamateh, Iceiceice.
Most European and domestic experts on Dota 2 nevertheless gave a small advantage Zenith , In which, in addition to the odious Iceiceice, the legendary Malaysian was listed Yamateh. This couple is so experienced that it could beat the "bears" and without outside help.
Duel Virtus.Pro And Zenith Played at half a hundred morning Moscow time, which prevented many from seeing him. And it’s a pity, because the game presented us with several surprises at once, and the first one took place at the “draft” stage. Trying to outwit the opponent, IceiceICe Suddenly chose Invoker , which is now not to find in tournaments in the afternoon with fire. By the way, this hero is more on The International never appeared.
► virtus.Pro. From left to right: Crazy, Illidan, Ksi, Smile, NS.
For the first fifteen minutes, both teams played on an equal footing, and then the Singaporeans went into a swift gap. They managed to win several small skirmishes in the forest and destroy a couple of towers of the only Russian team at the championship.
By the thirtieth minute Virtus.Pro There was no longer the third tower on the lower line, and the chances of victory were rapidly falling. Singaporeans boldly organized a final assault, during which they first demolished the upper, and then medium barracks of Russians with all the buildings that remained there.
After making sure that there is no chance to save the game, captain VP Yaroslav Kuznetsov ( NS ) did not pull the rubber, wrote in the general Chat “GG” and congratulated the opponent on the victory. Alas, a miracle did not happen, and Virtus.Pro To the joy of the haters completed their performance in the 13-16th places. The team is probably waiting for a change ..
► Record of the game in the lower grid between virtus.Pro and Team Zenith
After departure Virtus.Pro Most of our Dota 2 lovers focused on moral support Natus Vincere , which, recall, in the semifinals of Winner, a very serious test in the person has fallen Tongfu. According to many analysts, in particular the ex-player Na’vi Dmitry Kupriyanova ( Lightofheaven ), this team was one of the main applicants for the championship title.
Unlike other Chinese teams, Tongfu quickly figured out the modern Dota and switched to a very aggressive style, for which many Western spectators fell in love with them. By the way, on the eve of the Seattle tournament, this style helped them to defeat the more experienced DK team in the Grand Final Dota 2 Super League.
► Tongfu – the strongest Chinese. From left to right: Sansheng, Hao, Banana, Kingj, Mu.
The first match Natus Vincere And Tongfu I remembered the confrontation Daniel Ishutin ( Dendi ) And Zhang Panya ( Mu ) in "Foreign Ministry". The players alternately dealt with each other, and the supports of both teams helped them do it more impressive. As for large command battles, the main part of them happened between the seventh and fifteenth minutes of the game.
During this time Natus Vincere managed to win several very important battles, most of which participated in the legendary fat man with a hook under the leadership of Dendi. In the seventeenth minute, the murder account was 24: 9 in favor of the "born to win", and Pudge Personally sent nine heroes Tongfu to the next world.
Once by the twenty -second minute in a very difficult situation, the Chinese, despite the loss of external redauts, still tried to fight back, but they were enough for a short time. Three minutes later Na’vi won the battle for the lower barracks and easily destroyed them. 1: 0 in favor of the favorites of the local public.
► The crowded room monitors the "peak" of the teams in the second match.
If the first game was dictated Na’vi , then in the next parade the Chinese commanded. More precisely, their main star Hao , which many experts of the professional Dota 2 consider one of the strongest Carrie the planet. Judge for yourself – it Anti-Mage committed eight murders and ten “assistants” without once perishing. Want to know how many "creeps" he finished off in thirty -eight minutes? We answer – four hundred and fifty, almost twice as many XBOCT.
Having lost the second meeting, Na’vi Once again, they approached the abyss, whose name is the lower mesh. The Ukrainian team did not want to be terrible there, because getting from there to the Grand Final is the task of the archbound. Our opinion was probably shared and PUPPEY With Dendi , Since it was they who broke the course of an unsuccessful third match by their game.
► Record of the phenomenal third game Natus Vincere against Tongfu
Star duet brought spectators over and over again Benaroya Hall to ecstasy semi -legal combination: Dendi Cracks the enemy with hook, and PUPPEY sends both straight to his native fountain. By and large, this is rather a bug than a chip or a feature of mechanics, but doing this trick several times in a row is still very difficult.
HAO flights into the fountain will subsequently divide the community into those who, observing this action, screamed with delight, and those who at the same time hissed displeasedly. The player unexpectedly joined the latter The Alliance Jonathan Berg ( Loda ), who spoke for strict sanctions from the side Valve against Natus Vincere. Fortunately, there was.
Jobbing Tongfu , The champions of the first The International guaranteed themselves a place in the three, and at the same time $ 287,441, who was supposed to be in third place. In the parallel semifinals of the Chinese DK They sent down The Alliance – The strongest world of the world and the triumph of all the last European championships today.
► Battle of real titans of professional Dota 2.
Confrontations Na’vi And The Alliance Hundreds of thousands of Dota 2 lovers were looking forward to, because each of these commands has its own unique handwriting. Although the groups first met in the final of the upper grid, many predicted a similar grand final, not even assuming the presence of representatives of the Middle Kingdom.
THIS IS INTERESTING: One evening, Valve showed all participants of the tournament a full -length documentary Free to Play About the players Dendi , Hyhy And Fear. Filming began a year ago, and the movie itself – about the life difficulties of these three players. Soon promise to put on the network – we are looking forward to!
As for the games themselves, they went under the dictation of the Scandinavians and were largely similar: in both cases The Alliance Given Na’vi A very valuable hero Wisp , In both Na’vi shed the first blood and demolished the first tower and in both Ukrainian team lost on the case.
Despite all the expectations of fans, the international composition of the “born to win” could not do anything with the Swedish five in team battles. In decisive battles, the Scandinavians fought impeccably, and in the breaks they played carefully and walked for the most part together. See the notes!
► Terrible The Alliance. From left to right: Loda, Akke, S4, EGM, Admiralbulldog.
While Europeans found out relations in the upper grid, in the lower Asians fought for a place under the sun. According to the results of the fourth round with cozy booths of Benarai-Hall, current champions said goodbye Invictus Gaming And Team DK , giving way to 1: 2 Tongfu And Orange respectively. After this tour, Tongfu alone remained at the entire prize three Chinese, and they soon fell under the onslaught Mushi and companies.
After the defeat inflicted by him Na’vi in the first round of the upper grid, we almost buried the Malaysians, and they, having fallen down, took it and stipulated alternately Dignitas , Fnatic , Team DK And Tongfu And deprived of the audience The International 3 Chinese team in the prize three. The guys have steel will, we give them tribute.
► Tongfu player Zhang Pan (MU) performs Double Rampage and knocks out from the Champions Tournament Invictus Gaming
On the final eighth day The International 3 Two matches were planned: the final of the lower grid between Na’vi And Orange and the Grand final in which the Swedes were waiting for the winner The Alliance. The game of Ukrainian and Malaysian teams began at half past rooms in Moscow time.
According to the prevailing tradition, the starting match Kuro Tahasomi ( Kuroky ) And the company lost, and lost on the case. However, as in a similar match of the first round of the upper grid, Na’vi We played up very quickly, and with the help of a frail Crystal Maiden – A rare guest at tournaments of a similar scale.
► Record of the decisive third game between Natus Vincere and Orange
It would seem that after such a convincing revenge, the guys in a white-black-yellow uniform will smash an opponent in chips, but it was not there. The third set began with several in a row of players' deaths Na’vi. So, NYX Assasin I said goodbye to life at the "top", Enigma on Roshan, and frisky Bounty Hunter – On your own line.
Conditionally the third set can be divided into events until the twenty -second minute and after. The first stage remained for Orange , who successfully initiated fights, caught lonely heroes in the forest Na’vi and "farmil" is better than an opponent. The starting point in the "Cambet" of silver winners The International 2 became a fight near Roshan. Killing three heroes Orange , "Born to win" captured AEGIS and handed it over Alexander Dashkevich ( XBOCT ), playing for Lifestealer.
Could not Orange to take possession of the next “aegis”, more precisely, this time no one prevented them from taking it, but KYXY made a gross mistake and accidentally broke it. This oversight, along with a timely purchase BKB From the enemy Enigma And cost the Malaysians to go to the final. The Ukrainian team became much stronger in fights and easily realized its advantage. Na’vi in the final!
► Natus vincere. They go to the final for the third year in a row.
The Ukrainian-Swedish final has become a decoration of everything The International 3. It was difficult to call someone a favorite. On the one side, The Alliance Won Na’vi In the semifinals and walked along the upper grid, on the other hand, behind the “born to win” the richest experience of tournament performances, including gold with silver on the previous The International.
► Record of the first final game between Natus Vincere and The Alliance. Commented by Vitaly Volochey (V1lat) and Roman Lopekhin (Casper).
In total, the teams played in the Grand Final five incredibly exciting games, but we will only focus on the decisive match. As for the rest, be sure to look at them in the record on YouTube or Twitch.TV.
So, in the championship fifth game, where in addition to the stake Aegis of the immortal There were about eight hundred thousand (the difference between the first and second places), Na’vi took Batrider , Alchemist , Rubick , Enigma And Templar Assassin , And The Alliance – Wisp , Nature’s Prophet , Crystal Maiden , Chaos Knight And Puck.
► Like after boxing fights, both teams went on stage to the music and stormy ovation.
All the most interesting began at the thirty -second minute when Na’vi Fifeter went to break the Swedes “Foreign Ministry”, and those, having deliberately giving it back, shot down teleports to the Ukrainian team and exchanged their base center for two enemy lines at once. Having lost them, the “born to win” fell into an unenviable position: they needed to constantly defend their base, but going on a rare attack, not to blur the attack of the Swedes on their altar.
The Swedes, who continued neatly, but assertively to let the hemp quickly, quickly figured out the sites Furion through the attack on the main building Radiant. Realizing that, constantly defending his base, the third match cannot be won, four heroes Natus Vincere went to pick up the next Roshan, where they had already been waiting for them Puck Gustava Magnusson ( S4 ).
► Record of the decisive fifth final game between Natus Vincere and The Alliance. Watch be sure!
His task was to delay the heroes as much as possible Na’vi , In the meantime, the main shock force The Alliance went to the last assault on the top line. She was protected by only one hero of the Ukrainian team, and, knowing about it, Dendi And the company rushed back to their native base, but it was too late ..
The Swedes broke into the Highgraphus, killed Batrider With Enigma , and then shut together in the altar. Surviving players Natus Vincere In a panic, the glyph was fouded ( Glyph of Fortification ), but he gives buildings invulnerability for only a couple of seconds, and this is too little.
► joyful and slightly stunned The Alliance – The International 3 Champions.
After a few more moments, Russian -speaking commentators who almost planted their voice v1lat And Casper They realized that The Alliance They become champions The International 3. A wonderful game of the Swedish team and, in particular, its captain S4 brought them victory and almost one and a half million dollars!
The final location of the teams on The International 3:
1. The Alliance (Sweden) – 1 437 204 $
2. Natus Vincere (Ukraine) – $ 632 370
3. Orange Esports (Malaysia) – $ 287 441
4. Tongfu (China) – 201 208 $
5-6. Team DK And Invictus Gaming (China) – at $ 114,976
7–8. Fnatic (Australia) and Team Liquid (USA) – 43,116 $
* * *
The most epic and intense ending in the entire history of the existence of Dota 2 and the entire Moba genre in general, what else can you say. Leaving the booths, both teams saw that they were applauding the entire full hall for them standing. Green confetti sprinkled from the ceiling, and the veteran of the Swedish computer sports Jonathan Berg ( Loda ), without waiting for the appearance Geiba Newella , Raised a shield overhead Aegis of the immortal And the victorious cry shouted. It is just right to bite the elbows – Na’vi will go to the finals for the second year and freeze a step away from the championship.
► The unofficial video of the championship from Lantas Production
The International 3 – Of course, one of the main events in computer sports this year. The Grand Final watched online more than a million people: 500,000 through Twitch , 300,000 through Dota 2 and two hundred twenty -scored Chinese broadcasts. Add to this figure also those who watched a tournament from cinemas around the world, from New York to Paris , Moscow , Seoul And even Melbourne. Do not count everyone. But let's not forget that in October we are waiting for the championship in League of Legends , also promising to become an unforgettable sight. “And if the whale climbs on the elephant, who will collect whom?" – asked the character of one wonderful children's book. Well, let's see. We, spectators, win in any case.
► The figure after the words The International is increasing, but the tournament does not slow down. Well, great.
Next year, the organizers promise to transport the tournament to a large stadium, otherwise Benaroya Hall It's already crowded. It is possible that for the fourth time we will again surprise us with a prize fund, and the conditions for the press will become even better. Perhaps in a year we will monitor the development of events in the central TV channels-than the devil does not joke. Computer sports have moved to a new stage of development, and traditional sports will soon have to move.
Additional materials:
► Upper mesh of the championship ► Lower championship mesh
► Rating of the best players of the Fantasy Points tournament ► Heroes. The left column Top Pick+Ban, in the middle of Top Pick, right – Top Ban.
► Players. Here you will figure it out without a hint. ► indicators GPM ► Comparison of the Peaks The International 2 and The International 3
When writing, Valve photographs were used