The International 2026

My take

We have the battle for the grand finals, and Spirit is my pick here. You can't tell me that you think otherwise. You want to tell me that somehow Yandex will find a way to stop Yatoro? I highly doubt that.

✓ Aftermath

Func fact: Yandex was 6-0 against Team Spirit before this match. But guess what? Team Spirit ragdolled Yandex in both maps, and it was not even close.

My take

Ladies and Gentlemen, we have the grand finals of the International 2026. PV has won 2 times already against Team Spirit in this tournament. The thing is, Teams cannot deal with Spirit because nobody can match Yatoro in farming patterns. However, I think Satanic's current form + PV's drafting/execution stability gives them the edge. I'm going with PV to win The International 2026.

✗ Aftermath

Yatoro and Collapse are the 3 TIME TI winners. Absolute GOATS! Congratulations to Team Spirit for lifting the third aegis. Man, what a bloodbath; it was the most high-skilled Grand Finals in 2026. I feel for Satanic, to be honest, but in the end, there is just 1 king, and his name is Yatoro.

My take

We already saw this match in the group stage, and Team Spirit won. Somehow, they were lucky if you ask me. I see the issues in the Team Spirit laning, especially in the midlane. I understand that Larl is the sacrificial lamb for team spirit, but he is losing any matchup. I can't believe in the Yatoro Factor in the playoffs.

✗ Aftermath

TI buff for Spirit. Somehow, the thing that I was afraid of really happened. Yatoro had 2 flawless games. It’s a little bit frustrating that Liquid picked this Lycan/Tiny strat, which simply doesn’t work in this patch.

My take

I know everyone wants Nigma to win, but we need to be objective about what will happen. In the lower bracket they will need to face a NIGHTMARE of a match-up by the name BetBoom Team. You can tell me all you like that Nigma is a beast in the late game, but here is the thing: they always play on the back foot, and the reason for that is that they always lose lanes. In a matchup against BB, this is simply crucial, and they will lose early and mid-game and call GG in 40 minutes.

✓ Aftermath

The worst draft and the worst itemization I've seen in a while from Nigma Galaxy. Lorenof bought that Ghost Scepter on Ember Spirit, and he actually crippled his chance to win the game. More than that, I don't understand why you would take this Leshrac carry but never do any moves and go into the late game with 2 semi-cores.

My take

It's unbelievable that Yandex is top 3 at the TI (and not because they don't merit it or something); it's just that they had a rough group stage. But in the end, it all comes to farming patterns in this patch. And the best team to farm is clearly PARIVISION, by a mile. I can't see a way where Yandex can win this match.

✓ Aftermath

We have our first grand finalist, PARIVISION! I don’t understand why Yandex would give this Earth Spirit to Noone-? If you know that he has a 100% win rate on this hero. But Yandex has one more chance in the lower bracket

My take

I don't think this farming simulator will work against Team Spirit. More than that, BB will not be able to take the lead in net worth since they need to play against arguably the most greedy core in pro Dota (Yatoro). The expectation is that the whole matchup will be decided in late game, where Team Spirit will win.

✓ Aftermath

Yatoro has the TI BUFF, no doubt about it. I knew they were going to win, but I didn't expect such a stomp by Team Spirit. And this Juggernaut pick from BB was a Hail Mary move that simply doesn't work.

My take

I am a big Iron Wings fan, but they drafted the worst opponent for the International. Not only that, but they also already lost to BB in the group stage. I believe that their BetBoom (BoomBoys) playstyle actually nerfs all this random aggression from 1Win. I call it random, because it's not something that they usually do. More than that, the problem I see in the midlane is BZM is not in form at all, and Gpk is on fire.

✓ Aftermath

Such an intense BO3. And you see the difference between BZM and Gpk? Bzm went Blink Dagger Black King Bar on a Dragon Knight, which is not scaling at all, and guess what Gpk did? He packed a full carry bag and was just a raid boss. Iron Wings is going home, and I really feel for Pure; this dude was trying in all matches and was the best player on the team.

My take

It's unbelievable that Liquid is playing in the lower bracket, to be honest. Falcons simply can't match the pace from Team Liquid. They are just too slow and always kind of rely on these late-game scenarios where they outfarm everyone. Guess what? Nisha will not let you farm for 60 minutes and then hope that you can somehow push the throne.

✓ Aftermath

Imagine that Falcons lost against a Faceless Void with a Battle Fury build. I heard some rumors that Team Falcons are preparing a full reshuffle of the Dota 2 roster. It's time to change something; you can't underperform like this for a full year. They were the defending champions, and now they're going home.

My take

We have the rematch between Spirit and Parivision. But I'm going again with the prince (Satanic) to win this match. Somehow the whole win condition for Team Spirit is Yatoro; I can't pick Spirit just because they have him on the squad. I believe that PV will dismantle Spirit again, as they did in the group stage.

✓ Aftermath

Extremely strong performance by Team Vision. Officially, they are the most skilled team in The International 2026. What can you do against them if they ALWAYS outfarm you? I believe Spirit will have a good run in the lower bracket, but for now PVSION is miles ahead of them in farming patterns and team-fight execution.

My take

Oh my god, this is a nightmare match for Nigma. And mind you, I picked Nigma to win against Falcons. But, on the cold head, I can say that Nigma's strategy simply doesn't work against Yandex because Yandex just has a better 5-man Dota than Nigma. Lorenof can't solo the game as he usually does because watson will simply outfarm him because he is a carry player playing on the safe lane and not on mid.

✓ Aftermath

Fantastic display of heart from Nigma Galaxy, but it wasn't enough. I could go on and on about what mistakes everyone did, but it's not the case. The problem is the strategy, as Yandex has a way better 5-man Dota than Nigma. The fact that Nigma came back from that disaster in map 1 is already an achievement in my book.

My take

Team Spirit is kind of a favorite here, but from what I saw in the group stage, I think people are sleeping on 33 and the gang. Just think about it: BZM will ragdoll Larl in the midlane; 33 is in his TI form compared to Collapse. The only problem remains Yatoro, who can carry the game 1 vs. 9. But in the end, it all comes to execution, in which Iron Wing is just miles ahead.

✗ Aftermath

Yeah, after that game one with Yatoro on Lone Druid, there was no going back mentally for 33 and the squad. This was a flawless game, and Yatoro won it solo from my POV. The fact that Valve didn't nerf the bear accordingly before TI is mind-blowing to me.

My take

We already saw this match in the group stage where PV won 2-0. I am pretty sure that PARIVISION is under a microscope from each team. But what can BB bring to the table that we didn't see already? Can they outfarm Satanic? They don't. Can they match the early aggression from the supports? They don't. I'm going with PV again to win the match against BB.

✓ Aftermath

Map 1 is a must-watch for every Dota 2 enjoyer. It's unbelievable how good both teams played; Satanic had 3 games with 1k GPM. This dude is in a farming simulator or something. BB was also throwing hands, especially in game 2, where Gpk made that ultra-kill with Ember Spirit.

My take

Team Liquid not only already beat Yandex in the group stage (upset call), but also Yandex is nowhere near that bogeyman people tend to make. What did they do in this specific tournament? Barely beat LGD in the elimination match? Almost lost against GamerLegion? I think everyone is overhyping watson and Chira_Junior, and they just choke under TI pressure. Going with Liquid to win the match.

✗ Aftermath

Wow…next-level flex from Team Yandex with this IO pick. Chira_Junior played mid and watson on carry the very next game. But man, how did you lose that first map? Liquid lost the game with a 40k gold advantage...this is unbelievable. I need to give some props to Malady as well on his Hoodwink and tormentor kill steal. Why didn't they ban this OP Wips?

My take

It's unbelievable that Nigma is 4-1 after group stage. I am not a Falcons hater, but I strongly believe that they have a huge gap in late-game. You can call me insane, but I believe that Nigma is more organized in these late-game skirmishes, and they can throw hands with the big dogs. More than that, even if they ban Ember Spirit for Lorenof, he can play other heroes as well. I'm going with Nigma with an upset call.

✓ Aftermath

I see that I am the 1% who knew that Nigma would win this. I don't want to be a hater, but I told you so xD. It's incredible how good the whole Nigma squad was playing this BO3. Especially I want to highlight GH on his Mirana and Suma1L on Necrophos. Nigma is top 6 of The International 2026, by the way.

My take

I don't know what happened with Vici, but it's clear that they are not in the best mental shape for The International 2026. I see that their aggression is gone, and somehow even Xm seems lost in the midlane. I will bet on the Falcons to win this match.

✓ Aftermath

Vici didn't have a single chance to win this match. More than that, they just disbanded the whole roster. I just hope they will rebuild from Xtreme players and Vici Gaming players.

My take

What a match to see. Honestly, I am so upset that BB will need to fight Aurora; you have no idea. I believe that both teams deserve the playoffs of the International. With all being said, Aurora is just simply better in this tournament. It seems like BB is choking when it comes to bigger stakes; I will go with Mikoto and the squad to win this match.

✗ Aftermath

Aurora is going home. Such a good run, and then they got stomped by BB (2-0). Why would you pick BB for the elimination match?

My take

Actually, this is a really bad matchup for Spirit, to be honest. It looks like they are always in trouble if someone farms more than they do. Still, their highground defence and simply having Yatoro on the squad should be enough for them to win.

✓ Aftermath

Yeah, man…. Yatoro is just carrying his team; he's unbelievably good. If not for him, I would say that Team Spirit wouldn't even be at the elimination stage.

My take

Unlucky for Ghost and the boys, to be honest. Iron Wings is by far the best team in this category, and you can't farm and pray against them. It will be a methodical declassification from the 1Win team, and I'm going with them to win.

✓ Aftermath

I told you that Iron Wing is really strong. I don't know; they have their weird flexes where they can play anything in any lane. Shoutout to Pure and his performance as carry. The guy is just relentless when it comes to dota. He is just everywhere.

My take

The fact that Yandex is in the elimination round is mind-blowing to me. How did this even happen? Where is all that strategic aura? Where is the early game pressure? I will still pick them to win for the simple fact that LGD can't push the high ground, but this is a risky bet.

✓ Aftermath

Match of the tournament for sure. For all the people who were blaming Topson in the last 2 days, where are you? But in the end it was simply not enough. You can't play with Windranger against Winter Wyvern; it's simply impossible because of the colden brace. I hope LGD will stay together. Wishing them good luck.

My take

We're going with Team Falcons just for the simple fact that they ALWAYS win against Gamer Legion, no matter the tournament. You know why? Because GamerLegion can't push the high ground even if they have a 50k lead. I'm going with high ground, kings - Team Falcons.

✓ Aftermath

Close game, to be honest; I expected the Falcons to be scarier. To be honest, Falcons could've lost map one against this Faceless Void + Invoker combo.

My take

I can't trust LGD in any cases. Even if Ame feeds 20 times, I still believe that Xtreme is just a better team here. The problem in LGD is not even stand-in Topson but the supports. And fy+ xNova are miles ahead of LGD supports.

✓ Aftermath

Yeah, I have this feeling that Xtreme doesn't even want to be in this competition at this point. Heart of Tarrasque on Tiny, are you kidding me? Where is Daedalus/Satanic?

My take

Imagine if Yandex loses to Team Resilience? There is no way Erika and the boys can match the pace of Team Yandex in early game. I believe this will be a 2-0 stomp, and not because Yandex is some scary monster but because of the playstyle.

✓ Aftermath

Team Yandex won the match, but did you notice the first match where they couldn't do anything in the late game? I think people started to understand their playstyle a little bit better; that's why they struggle to win matches. You must match their early aggression.

My take

Whoever is losing this match is going directly home. A fun fact is that OG didn't win a single map in The International 2026. Based on their AFK farming Dota, I'm going to pick the L1GA team to win this matchup and send OG home.

✗ Aftermath

OG keeps hte TI dream alive. Huligani is the first team to be eliminated from The International 2026.

My take

What a match… But we've seen this encounter in the 1Win Essence Series II, where Vici swept Nigma Galaxy. And honestly, I think this will happen again, because Nigma relies on one man (Lorenof) to carry the games. And Xm is the man to shut down Lorenof in that midlane.

✗ Aftermath

How is Nigma winning these games? I don't really understand. Find a pickup here and there; do a move here and there. Push a tower and then win the game?

My take

Another clash of the titans right here. But, after what I saw today, I believe that Liquid is slightly better in these mid-game skirmishes, and somehow they manage to find these solo pickups everywhere. And Iron Wing has this never-ending problem where Pure or BZM just dies solo somewhere. I'm going with Team Liquid to win.

✓ Aftermath

Insane series, it was what we all expected. I don't understand why Iron Wing didn't ban this Earth Spirit 2 times in a row. It's literally unfair that you can't do anything to him in the late game. But, credit where it's due, Pure is in good form; he is aggressive; he tries to win.

My take

The match of the day is clearly this one. I know that Aurora won against Yandex, who has a similar style to BetBoom, but I believe that Aurora got lucky in early games. That's being said, I'm going with BetBoom to win because they have stronger late-game potential.

✗ Aftermath

Aurora is always waking up at the end of the group stage. I swear to God, it is the same thing they did in the DreamLeague. And by the way, this was the best offlane pick, Necrophos, for ws I've seen in a while.

My take

Sasuke vs. Itachi match. Yatoro vs. Satanic is the most high-skill carry matchup in The International 2026. Team Spirit has a lot of IT aura, but in the end I would say that PV is just better in terms of laning and execution. I'm going with PV to be the only 4-0 team in the Swiss bracket.

✓ Aftermath

I expected more of a fight from Spirit, to be honest, but PV looks unstoppable. I don't know if someone in this TI has something against them. And man, this Earth Spirit is OP. I know that you all praise Satanic because he is the golden boy, but his whole team is also from another dimension.

My take

LGD for the win? Vici seems off, to be honest, and kind of scared to engage in fights. I don't know what happened; maybe TI pressure? But you can't win in Dota if you afk farm and get picked up out of position every time.

✓ Aftermath

I told you, it's not like LGD played better or something; it's that Vici couldn't play their fast meta. When you lose against a Troll Warlord from Topson in midlane, you need to understand that something is clearly wrong.

My take

What a match. It's insane that BB was paired against Falcons, but for this specific match, I will also go with BoomBoys to win. I believe that the Falcons missed the train on the meta, and this late-game scenario doesn't work for them. And it doesn't work for them, because Skiter is not a reliable carry.

✗ Aftermath

Pressure guys. Somehow BB always chokes when you have big stakes on the line. Even Gpk on Lina was like a shadow on what he usually does with it. It all comes down to mentality in these kinds of tournaments. I am shocked that they actually lost to the Falcons.

My take

Such a hard prediction. Aurora is waking up, and they are starting to dismantle teams left and right. But man, Liquid is just relentless when it comes to these mid-game skirmishes. I will risk it here and go with Liquid to win because they can match Aurora's team fights.

✓ Aftermath

The most stressful BO3 of the tournament for sure. And finally, we can say that Papa Ace WON the last game for Liquid. Where are you Ace haters now?

My take

I think Nigma's luck ends right here. Spirit is extremely dangerous against teams that don't push early, and Nigma is not doing that. It basically means that games will be decided in late game where Spirit is miles ahead of them. Yes, Lorenof will most likely ragdoll Larl in the mid, but it won't make a difference.

✗ Aftermath

Is this even real? Am I dreaming? Nigma just beat Spirit (2-0). It's unbelievable what I just witnessed: Lorenof on Ember Spirit carried the game against the Lone Druid. Not only that, but he had more damage dealt than Yatoro on the bear. Ladies and gentlemen, Nigma are in the playoffs of the International 2026.

My take

Yandex Aura is gone for sure. People are Insta-picking Yandex to win every match, but I'm telling you they are not a favorite anymore. I'm going with Iron Wing to win because they have this safety net (Pure) who can play in early AND late games.

✓ Aftermath

The most YOLO match we've seen in a while. Pure is on mid with Kez, 33 is on offlane with Earth Spirit, and BZM carries on Lina. What was that? Another thing is, why don't people ban this Io when you know that Pure is THE BEST player on this hero right now?

My take

Here's the stat Liquid doesn't want to see: Yandex has beaten them in five of their six career meetings, a 9–4 map lead. This is a bad, bad matchup for Liquid historically. But I'm not going to sell it as a lock, because the details matter—the last time they played a full series, it was a five-game war that Yandex only just took 3-2, and Liquid comes into Shanghai off the back of winning 1win Essence II, so this is the best version of Liquid we've seen. The pick still comes down to who dictates: both want to play fast, and Yandex is simply the more lethal early-game team.

✓ Aftermath

I'm telling you this is the TI buff from Nisha. I have no other explanations. You can blame the draft from Yandex as much as you want, but it was Liquid who played faster and actually more disciplined. Now it's clear that Liquid is a true contender for the International.

My take

Their actual head-to-head with GL is basically even — one Xtreme win, one draw across their meetings, and GamerLegion straight up won a map off them at EWC with Ghost hard-carrying. Both teams got run over 2-0 in round one, so nobody's arriving with momentum. But I want to risk it here, because Xtreme is really off; I'm going with GamerLegion.

✓ Aftermath

I told you :) I've seen it too many times with Xtreme Gaming. NothingToSay lost the midlane with a Huskar against Ember Spirit. Not to mention that Ame tried an IO carry. It's a pity that the "best" Chinese team is basically out of The International 2026.

My take

Vici is the real dark horse of this tournament. But I would say that they have a clear advantage in this specific match against Huligani. The thing is, I actually studied the L1GA team in the tier 2 tournaments, and I noticed that they can't defend the early game. So, I believe Vici will take it.

✓ Aftermath

Huligani did a good job in map 1, but it wasn't enough. One thing I want to point out is the Queen of Pain from Mirage. This dude went with a totally different build than we see usually. He went Parasma, Eye of Skadi, and Manta Style. Basically a right-click damage QoP, and he won with it.

My take

These two have met 9 times, and it's Aurora who leads it 5–4, with a 13–10 map edge, and the 2026 meetings went Aurora's way more often than not—including a clean 2–0 at DreamLeague S29. This is not a team that fears Spirit. More than that, Spirit didn't show anything special against Xtreme except farming for 60 minutes. I'm going with Aurora.

✗ Aftermath

Wow…that's what I call nerves of steel. Aurora was leading both series, and because Spirit never gives up, they just stayed on the high ground, and then Yatoro stomped them in the last 10 minutes on his bear.

My take

Hands down, match of the day. Actually, I am a big fan of BoomBoys; I like their Dota, but somehow when they meet PARI, they always choke. It could be because PVs are also really strong laners. So, maybe that's why they struggle against them. In the end, I'm going with PV to win the match.

✓ Aftermath

What do you want more of, guys? What are you going to say now? Satanic won on a Juggernaut carry against 100 [Eul's Scepter of Divinity]'s(/items/cyclone)/Lotus Orb's and Necrophos.

My take

I am not convinced at all about LGD. Listen, they barely won against resilience; they looked like tier 2 against Falcons. Of course, Nigma is also somehow lost here, but at least they have Lorenof, who can carry games. In the end, they are evenly matched, but the mid- and carry differences are real. Going with Nigma to win.

✓ Aftermath

The purest definition of 1x9 is Lorenof in Nigma. I don't think I've seen a team that got carried by 1 man in every match. Also, imagine that the supports from NGX had Hex and Wind Waker, but KJ from LGD had Octarine Core on a Clockwerk. Do the math.

My take

Clash of the Titans? This will be a blockbuster for sure. Usually I flame 1Win (Iron Wing) a LOT. But they played extremely well on the opening day. I believe that they found their momentum, and as soon as they smell blood, they will chase you off the map. As for the Falcons? Meeeh, I think something is fundamentally wrong there, to be honest. I'm going with Iron Wing to win.

✓ Aftermath

What a bloodbath. 1Win is so relentless; the way they came back from that 37k lead in map 1 is something to be studied. And for Falcons, this is going to be the worst Tiny build on the planet. Skiter had a Glimmer Cape on Tiny. They need to do something with this safe lane for Falcons; you can't be the poorest core in every game.

My take

I am so upset at OG; you have no idea. But we must pick them against Team Resilience just because both teams somehow play late-game. I still believe that OG can and will be able to clinch this win because they farm more.

✗ Aftermath

I don't even want to comment on this. OG is out of The International 2026. This is what happens when you try to farm for 60 minutes and don't do any moves on the map.

My take

Interesting match, because these teams are evenly matched. But Vici is kind of more disciplined in the late game. I also trust Bach a lot more than I trust Fayde on the offlane. In the end, it all comes down to who is a stronger 5-man team, and to me, it is clearly Vici Gaming.

✓ Aftermath

I don't even know what to say. GL should've never lost map 2 against Vici. I don't get what the problem is in GL; they are leading the whole time, and all of a sudden they get picked off a few times, and then they lose the game. Unbelievable.

My take

What a match we have. I doubted Liquid in the Yandex match, and I paid for that. I believe that Team Liquid is playing slightly too fast for Team Spirit to catch up with them after the early game. Also, the problem is the midlane, since Larl will struggle against Nisha. So, I'm going with Liquid to win the matches and advance in the 3-0 club.

✗ Aftermath

So close; they could've won the last map as well, but man, this Spectre is farming so slow. I believe that this meta literally favours a fast farming carry hero. You can't rely on a hero that is farming slowly. Anyway, GG.

My take

Ok, we can see a weird tendency from Aurora. They throw the lead. Also, Aurora is really badly matched against Yandex. Actually, they also lost all the encounters because Yandex is simply faster in early- to mid-game. I'm going with Saksa and the boys.

✗ Aftermath

Wow…who would've thought that Yandex would be 1-2 after the second day of the International 2026? How are your TI predictions, bros? xD Did you notice that Aurora found that gap in the Yandex early game? Where they matched the pace and then Yandex were playing on the backfoot all 3 maps? I think this is their Achilles heel.

My take

I just can't trust Xtreme anymore. I will go with Hooligani (L1GA team) with my eyes closed. I believe that Xtreme is the weakest team at the International 2026. There might be some internal team issues that we are unaware of.

✓ Aftermath

As soon as I started to pick against Xtreme, Ame woke up and played a flawless game on Tiny and didn't die a single time. I am cursed.

My take

The wildcard is Topson himself. If he catches fire on an Invoker or a Lina and drags a map into pure chaos, he can single-handedly steal one — that's the TI-champion mentality. But a hastily rebuilt LGD over a full BO3 against peak Falcons? I'm going with Falcons. 2-0, unless Topson decides to turn back the clock.

✓ Aftermath

After that game 1 I really thought that LGD were back, but man, Topson solo lost that game 3 on Dragon Knight. What was that build? Black King Bar, Hurricane Pike, and Shiva's Guard? Is this a pub or something?

My take

Pure and the crew have championship experience, and the longer a series goes, the more that discipline shows. Nigma's early aggression can steal a map, sure, but over three games, 1win drags it into the slow, grinding Dota where Lorenof's tempo runs out of gas. I'm going with 1win. But Nigma is dangerous enough early to take one—this won't be clean.

✓ Aftermath

Feed fest from OmaR and Davai Lama. I told you the last time in the 1Win Essence series that Nigma is strong, but man, their offlane is underperforming. But, pros to 1Win, Pure has this TI aura and runs for kills non-stop.

My take

Bad matchup for OG, again. This is the same problem we've seen all season — OG can't play against a team that farms more AND fights more than they do. BetBoom win the lanes; Gpk is everywhere, and they pick off cores in the mid-game before OG can set up the slow, high-ground grind they want. OG's whole game plan is to stall and hold; BetBoom doesn't let you get there. In a BO3, that early aggression only compounds. I'm going with BetBoom. It's 2-0, and it won't be close.

✓ Aftermath

What did I tell you? OG was winning the first map, and then what did they do? Waited on high ground with Enigma? I don't say that they need to engage in every single fight, but they need to do something except AFK farm.

My take

This is the team everyone in the bracket is scared of. Vision come into TI as the favorite to lift the whole thing, and it's not hard to see why — they've got the highest skill ceiling in the world and a farming core that just doesn't stop. Here's what makes them different from every other favorite: they don't have ONE way to beat you. Most teams have an identity you can draft against — fast, slow, fight, farm. Vision flex between all of it. Satanic can play the greedy scaling carry OR the fighting core, they'll flex a support into mid, and the moment you commit to a counter-strategy, they've already picked the thing that punishes it. That's the nightmare.

✓ Aftermath

Of course PV won, but man, they lost a map against an outsider. So, what I am trying to say is that they are beatable. And if some other team smells blood, they can lose. But yeah, overall Satanic and Noticed were my best picks for the fantasy points. These guys are farming machines.

My take

What a match! But Nisha is on FIRE, and Vici takes the dumbest fights the second they smell a lead. Liquid punish is exactly that—fast, chaotic, never lets you breathe, and in a BO3, Vici's decision-making cracks under the pressure. I'm going with Liquid. 2-0.

✓ Aftermath

BTW: Liquid is 5-0 against Vici already. Based on the first map, I thought that Liquid might lose that since Vici snowballed early and crushed the lanes, but guess what happened next? They did what they always do: they ran for the hills, got caught, and lost the game. Lone Druid from map 2 was dying in 4 seconds. Did you think miCKe will let you farm for 60 minutes?

My take

Aurora's 5-man Dota is on another planet, and Nightfall in a BO3 with full draft control is a genuine death sentence. GL's whole curse is the high ground—they get the lead and choke it—and Aurora is patient enough to just wait for that throw and punish it. I'm going with Aurora. 2-0.

✓ Aftermath

I feel like GamerLegion is stuck somewhere in the past, where they still pick this Necrophos for Ghost and they don't push early. Even in map 1 they had a huge advantage with RCY on Earth Spirit, but if you can't push, you can't win in Dota.

My take

This comes down to whether the real Yatoro shows up — and at TI, on the big stage, he usually does. That's the whole difference: both teams can be inconsistent, but Spirit have the big-game aura and the individual ceiling to swing a series on one man. Xtreme want to farm-and-pray with Ame, and Spirit are experienced enough to not let a passive team reach its fantasy late game. I'm going with Spirit. But if Yatoro has an off day, Xtreme can absolutely drag this to three.

✓ Aftermath

This guy on Rubick (not me) is an absolute savage. I am extremely disappointed in Xtreme Gaming. I don't know; they don't look prepared at all for this TI.

My take

The gap here is tempo. Yandex win lanes and turn that into map control faster than anyone — by the time Huligani want to set up their game, the towers are gone. Huligani are reactive; they play off enemy mistakes and greedy drafts, and Yandex give you none of that. Falcons drown you late, Yandex drown you early. Only path for Huligani is a chaotic coinflip map before Yandex snowball. I'm going with Yandex.

✓ Aftermath

I was expecting 2 one-sided matches, but on the second map, Yandex struggled against Invoker. After all, L1GA is playing for the first time on the biggest stage in the world, and they needed to play against the second favorite team in the world.

My take

Tempo vs. patience, and it comes down to one question: Does 1Win get to play the game they want? BoomBoys win lanes, and they farm MORE and fight MORE than you—that early aggression only compounds in a BO3. That's exactly the thing that denies 1win the slow, grinding Dota they live in. BUT — and this is where it's not OG — 1win can actually trade blows. Pure runs for kills non-stop; the man has that TI aura, and the longer the series goes, the more their discipline shows. So this won't be the clean stomp BetBoom got last round. But I'm still going with them to win convincingly.

✓ Aftermath

What a stressful game. At one point I thought that 1Win takes it. But in the end, you can't fight Drow Ranger in the late game. Kiritych suffered for 40 minutes and then started to hold his ground. I am extremely happy for BetBoom; they really deserved this win.

My take

I'm going to say the thing nobody else will: Resilience just took a map off the most terrifying team in the entire bracket. They have NOTHING to lose, and they already proved they belong. Meanwhile, LGD are hastily rebuilt and living and dying by which Topson shows up—the Invoker-and-Lina TI champion who steals a map out of nowhere or the guy who solo-threw game three on a Dragon Knight (I'm STILL not over that build). Against a fearless outsider with momentum, I don't trust a coinflip to save you. I'm going with Resilience to win. If Topson catches fire, he wins it by himself — but I'm betting on the team that isn't gambling on one man.

✗ Aftermath

LGD barely won. Yuma on that Bloodseeker was running around getting kills, but the man of the hour is clearly Wisper on Magnus. He actually kept LGD alive the whole time. I don't think this 70+ minute game is going to cut it against a real tier 1 team.

My take

OG is built around one idea: get Natsumi his farm, protect it, and let him scale into a carry you can't kill after the 40-minute mark. That's the plan — and there isn't a plan B. But here's the catch—and it's the exact same one that's cursed Nigma's last 10 matches. OmaR and Davai Lama. The second that the offlane starts donating kills, they gift OG the one resource OG can't generate for themselves: time. A fed Natsumi farming uncontested IS the late game OG are praying for, and just like that, all of Nigma's tempo counts for nothing. I have to go with OG here.

✗ Aftermath

What was I thinking? That Natsumi on Gyrocopter will carry the games for OG? How can you have 30k lead, kill Suma1L 9 times, and still lose the game? How is that even possible?

My take

This is the match of the day for sure. But don't be fooled because PV lost a map to Reselience, because if we are taking the macro moments, Sven from Skiter in the LGD series was worse than the whole PV loss. I will go with Vision to win the match, and honestly, not even close; I don't see Falcons as a threat at all.

✓ Aftermath

Sensational. I was so stressed for PV in game 3, but man, this Satanic kid is OP. I'm telling you, this is the future of dota. Right now, he is the best carry player in the world. Mind you, PV should've won 2-0 (because Lone Druid was so farmed in map 1 and they lost just because they dived T4 of Falcons).