Title image courtesy of Dreamhack
The first set of TI9 open qualifiers have all come to an end, awarding teams in all six regions a place in the regional qualifiers.
With the first wave of TI9 open qualifiers done, several teams across the globe have secured their places in the regional affair set to begin in merely days.
China was awarded a total of four spots up for grabs to participate in the regional qualifiers. So far Invictus Gaming and CDEC have made the cut. Two more teams will find a home in the regional event by the end of tomorrow.
With SEA having a whopping six slots open for teams in the open qualifiers, the registration filled up quick. EVOS esports, Team Adroit (a Filipino team comprised of veteran players) and Team Jinesbrus (the Korean plus Nico "Gunnar" Lopez stack) triumphed in the first set. All other SEA teams will have a chance to secure one of three remaining spots starting today.
The CIS region is already stacked with teams and was given the fewest open slots of all the regions. As only three teams can qualify, only one team- FlytoMoon was still standing out the end of the first battle. Two more teams will have a chance to prove themselves in the open affair starting out later today.
Its been a long time since Europe saw over 500 teams registering to compete in the open qualifiers for a Valve sanctioned event. With a staggering total of six spots up for grabs, everyone in the region wanted in on the action. The first three teams to claim a place were Troels "syndereN" Nielsen stack called Anti-MagE, Hippomaniacs from the Czech Republic and EPIC Name, a lineup consisting of veteran regional players. Three more teams will be able to advance and signups are once again busting with hopefuls.
The North American open qualifiers didn't seem to have any upsets in the first round. Team Xolotl from Mexico, a team that has become a stable fixture in the region, and Kookaburra, the stack featuring pro players such as Danylo "Kingrd" Nascimento and David "MoonMeander" Tan, dominated. Two more teams will have their chance for a place in the regional event.
South America had some strong contenders this year. With four spots on the table, it was SG Esports and Furia Esports, the Brazilian squad with known players including Heitor "Duster" Pereira, that landed on their feet. Two more teams will join them in the regional qualifiers after surviving the second set of opens scheduled to start today.
All of the teams for the regional event will be determined by tomorrow night.
The closed qualifiers will be held July 7-10th for SEA, SA, and CIS. Europe, NA, and China will compete July 11-14th.
In the last several years 18 has been the magical number of teams headed for the pinnacle of all Dota 2 events. With 12 invites being handed out, only six teams - one per region- will now end up at TI9 via the qualifiers. The competition will be cut-throat and teams are seeking out any competitive edge.
The International 9
Valve will bring the biggest Dota 2 event of the year to the Mercedes Benz Arena in Shanghai, China —home of infamous Shanghai Major of 2016. The venue is an indoor arena located on the former grounds of Expo 2010 in Pudong, Shanghai, China, with a seating capacity for 18,000 people. Thus far, 12 teams are confirmed to attend - Team Secret, Virtus Pro, Evil Geniuses, ViCi Gaming, Fnatic, PSG.LGD, Team Liquid, NiP, OG, Keen Gaming, TNC Predator and Alliance. The current prize pool has exceeded $25 million and that of TI8 (more than $23 million added by crowdfunding) with more than one month still to go until the big event.
