The 16 best Dota 2 teams press on to the last stage of The International — the Main Event. After an eventful Group stage, eight teams are headed for the three-round Upper Bracket, and eight will try their luck once more in the Lower Bracket. Unfortunately, we’ve had to wave goodbye to two squads; let’s take a quick look at what happened in Groups and what lies ahead in the final stretch of The International 10.
THE INTERNATIONAL 10 — GROUPS RECAP
Even though only two teams went home in Groups, a lot was on the line for the rest; after all, the Upper Bracket is the shorter path to the Grand Final. Top Groups seeds also got to pick their opponents in Round 1 — first-place teams chose between the third and fourth-place teams from the opposing group.
GROUP A
China’s Invictus Gaming dominated the group and secured their play-offs seed three days into the stage. With no losses and two draws, Invictus are headed for the Upper Bracket, where they have chosen to face Team Spirit in the first round. Virtus.pro are hot on their heels in second, OG in third and T1 in fourth, all continuing their fight in the Upper Bracket.
The first team to be eliminated from the competition were Thunder Predator, who had to fight on for three more matches after their fate had already been sealed. That left the rest of the group relatively comfortable, as all were safe from elimination and could focus their efforts on securing higher seeds. Team Undying, Evil Geniuses, Team Aster and Alliance start in the Lower Bracket.
GROUP B
In Group B, another Chinese team swept through the opposition and took the top seed — PSG.LGD. They faced OG in 2018 in a battle for the Aegis; if PSG.LDG can keep up the form then we may be on the road to a rematch. The team chose to face T1 in Round 1, who had a rocky start on the first day but bounced back and finished strong. Team Secret, Vici Gaming and Team Spirit had a solid showing in groups, leaving a sizeable gap between the Upper and Lower Brackets. SG Esports were eliminated, while beastcoast, Quincy Crew, Fnatic and Elephant head to the Lower Bracket.
MAIN EVENT FORMAT
Upper Bracket:
- The top four teams in each group start in the Upper Bracket.
- There are two rounds and a final in the bracket, all of which are Bo3.
- Losing teams are relegated to the Lower Bracket.
- The Upper Bracket Final will be held on 16 October at 12:00 CEST.
Lower Bracket:
- Team that placed fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth in the Group stage start in the Lower Bracket.
- There are five rounds and a final in this bracket. Round 1 is Bo1, all other matches (including the final) are Bo3.
- Losers are eliminated from the competition.
- The Lower Bracket Final will be held on 17 October at 09:00 CEST.
Grand Final:
- The Upper Bracket Final and the Lower Bracket Final winners will come head to head in a battle for the ultimate prize on 17 October at 12:00 CEST.
- The Grand Final is Bo5.
THE INTERNATIONAL DOTA 2 CHAMPIONSHIPS — 2021 SCHEDULE
Main Event: 12 – 17 October
Grand Final: 17 October
DOTA 2 — THE INTERNATIONAL BETTING
To make the most of The International 10, head to our Sportsbook for the latest Dota 2 odds and The International betting markets. You can wager on Game Winner, Kills Handicap, Over/Under Total Kills and unique Dota 2 betting markets, like which team will bring down the first Roshan.
The Main Event opens with an 09:00 CEST matchup between Invictus Gaming, at 1/4 (1.25) to win, and Team Spirit, who are at 11/4 (3.75) to slow the top dogs down.
In the past, the 2018 and 2019 TI champs OG have made a point about not caring who they face in high-stakes competitions — but they might care this time around. Pitted against Team Secret for the first time in a TI event, OG are at 5/8 (1.62) to win a matchup that historically favours Secret. Team Secret don’t have as many trophies in their cabinet, but they’re coming in with an awe-inspiring 61.80% win rate against OG, putting them at 6/5 (2.20) to take the lead in Round 1 and at 9/10 (1.90) to draw first blood.
On Wednesday, 13 October, Group B’s top seed PSG.LGD are hoping to continue their clean sweep in a matchup against T1, who have no experience in the crowning event of competitive Dota 2. PSG.LGD are at 1/5 (1.20) to take down T1, who are at 61/20 (4.05) to overcome the true test of skill.
Russians Virtus.pro, at 5/9 (1.55) to win, will face China’s Vici Gaming, who are at 27/20 (2.35) to turn the tides of battle. The two teams have a history of locking horns for top positions, so we’re bound to see some bone-rattling action at 11:00 CEST.
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*Odds subject to change. Odds correct at time of publishing.