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Mistakes That Cost Teams Victory at The International

Author: Hawk Live LLC

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Team mistakes at The International that could cost them victory

The International (TI) is the pinnacle Dota 2 championship that embodies the unforgiving spirit of the best teams in the world, having experienced defeat and victory on numerous occasions. At TI, everything can turn on a dime, and an error as trivial as a small one can cost a team the game. Throughout the years, one wrinkle has constantly reared its ugly head: teams throwing opportunities away from miscalculations in game design and plans all the way to critical moments late in the game. Here are the main blunders that can clinch the fate of any TI.

Credit: GosuGamers

Drafting Mistakes

A title is an essential and first step of the game. In that particular day, all the teams have to be aware of the meta, the strength of his heroes, and the potential of the opponent. One of the mistakes in drafting appears at the TI9. PSG.LGD lost the match against OG with a poorly thought strategy in the fifth game which was aimed on them winning. Winning International is entirely based on how well you play the draft and draft whether you are able to change your game. At this stage, a single lapse of judgement makes it understandable how a single lapse of judgement at this stage allows you to understand how a single lapse of judgement is able to rob a team of the victory.

Credit: YouTube

Overestimating Capabilities

Looking at the performance of several teams at The International, the major mistake comes from self over confidence. Remember the finals of TI8? PSG.LGD picked an unreasonably aggressive strategy against OG. Even though they scored first, OG found ways to counter them and change the game. Major tournaments are not for this, the right evaluation of your strength and that of your opponent's counter are necessary.

Communication Errors

Coordination of the members of the team is key in as far as winning a game of Dota 2 is concerned. During the TI7, Team Liquid and Newbee competed , there were communication errors that cost them loss when they were clearly dominating. Most effective plans formulated by a team can start to collapse simply due to poor communication. Clear and robust communication within team members greatly enhances chances of winning.

The Butterfly Effect

This expression gained resonance after the finals of TI3, when the alliance defeated Natus Vincere due to the perfect timing and map control. But the perfect student's schedule is all made up of well timed operations and precise use of items which is often missed out by players. Controlled map and coordination include timing, otherwise teams risk being a miss out.

Wrong Item Choices

There is no denying that choosing the right items could change the outcome of the result of a game. For example, in the final match of TI6, team EHOME lost to Evil Geniuses over some item decisions that did not help to provide damage at some crucial moments throughout the game. This is so, because wise resource allocation and right item decisions are crucial at any moment of the tournament.

Underestimating Opponents

Famous throughout history as a perennial problem in any edition of The International is a team greatly rated as a contender to win the tournament that does not take any threat posed by other teams seriously. At TI10, the first game was that of group stages, but one of the favorites for the championship, OG, managed to lose one map to Undying. At whatever level the competition is, certainly looking down upon the opponent translates into a dangerous gamble that could see a team exit from the tournament.

Conclusion

From the experience of previous versions of The International, it is evident that Dota 2 is not only a technical and skilled game but also a mental contest combined with decision making. Teams competing at The International have to find the right degree of aggression and conservativism, have effective communicational skills and change tactics according to what is happening at the match. To settle all these complications and not to make the most frequent errors is a prerequisite to winning the Dota 2 greatest tournament and writing one’s name in history.

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