Sadly, like most things in life, The International 2019 has come to an end. It was undoubtedly the most interesting TI we have seen to date. Literally every single team had the potential to win the entire event, but when the dust finally settled it was OG who lifted the Aegis of Champions – for the second time in two years!
There were many interesting discoveries made throughout TI 9, so here are our top 3 takeaways from the tournament:
OG are unstoppable
The European powerhouse were able to win two consecutive Internationals. It’s just absolutely insane when you think about it, but the champs undoubtedly deserved their victory. In fact, they played some of the most dominant and impressive Dota we’ve seen in the entire event, giving up almost no opportunities for their enemies to capitalise upon. What’s more, they only dropped five games throughout, including the group stage. Let that sink in for a moment.
Judging by how Johan “N0tail” Sundstein and his teammates talk out of game, this more than a team. It’s a big family where everyone is looking out for each other. Their social dynamic surely plays part in their success, making it even more difficult for one of their rivals to take back the crown.
Virtus.Pro needs to change
If there is one team that definitely disappointed, it has to be the CIS powerhouse. Virus.Pro is undoubtedly one of the most consistent teams in the last couple of years. Not only did they stick with pretty much the same roster but they also kept on improving after each tournament.
Despite that, it seemed like they are always missing out on ‘something’ in order to shine where it matters most – at TI. This year, they finished 9-12th after a loss in the second round of the lower bracket vs. Royal Never Give Up. Sure, the Chinese team is not to be taken lightly, however we can all agree that VP is simply miles ahead in terms of performance and overall class.
Hopefully, Vladimir “No[o]ne” Minenko and his teammates will be able to resolve their issues for the next TI. After all, they definitely deserve to have their names on that aegis at least once.
Don’t play pub games right now
If there is a downside to every singe TI, it has to be the public games. The reason why? Because every budding fan is trying to replicate what they’ve just seen executed (perfectly – mostly) by the pros. Needless to say, we’ve seen some pretty crazy things this year.
So, if you value your MMR, this is definitely not the time to spam ranked games. Of course, if you are into 3K MMR IO carries or Invoker support, sure, this might be your moment. Remember however, that the vast majority of players are not so keen on having those types of heroes in their games.
On the other hand, if you play any of the current strange meta picks on a high level, this is definitely your time to shine – check out OG.ana on carry IO (Wisp):
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