The ESL Berlin Main has been some of the anticipated Dota 2 occasions of the 12 months, and for good purpose. Day 2 of Playoffs noticed OG lose out to EG, 9 Pandas misstep in opposition to Gaimin Gladiators and at last, South America’s final hope fell to Group Liquid.
Among the many gamers on the primary stage was Boxi from Group Liquid, a Dota 2 veteran with years of expertise underneath his belt. The ESL Berlin Main isn’t his first rodeo!
We acquired the prospect to take a seat down with him earlier than his sport on day 2 of the ESL Berlin Main and get his tackle town, the Main and all issues 7.33b!
How are you having fun with Berlin to this point?
Boxi: Berlin has been good. I haven’t been outdoors that a lot, largely simply on the lodge or the venue however I’ve been strolling round, I don’t know what the park is named, however subsequent to the Brandenburg Gate there’s this actually large park so I’ve simply been strolling round it like 20 instances. Gotta get some daylight however 99% of my go to right here has been the park and the lodge.
How is your expertise of the Main in Berlin in comparison with Lima to this point?
Boxi: The expertise in Lima was just a little bit completely different than the opposite Majors. I feel with it being the primary time the match organisers deliberate the Main, there have been some minor hiccups however there have been plenty of passionate folks concerned, individuals who actually wished to assist out and issues like that. ESL runs issues just a little bit extra structured, there’s much less hiccups when it comes to journey or meals or the venue. I do know folks at Peru complained concerning the venue. The primary couple of days there weren’t that many individuals there sadly however the crowd was very loud and it gave the impression of there have been much more. In Berlin, there are much more folks however perhaps they make rather less noise.
Peru was actually nice and it’s good to go to a brand new a part of the world. I’ve by no means been to South America earlier than. The meals and the fruit…the fruit is so-so. However I’ve by no means been to Berlin both so it’s enjoyable to go to a brand new place and the tournaments themselves. I imply each are cool, you present as much as a LAN and there are plenty of passionate followers!
Your run in Berlin has been just a little completely different to Lima. How does it really feel to be going by means of the decrease bracket as a substitute of storming by means of the higher bracket?
Boxi: I feel in Peru we had been extra dominant or relatively now, we’re much less dominant as a result of a giant patch dropped and the sport modified fairly a bit. I feel generally you want to lose to study as effectively about what works and what doesn’t work and I really feel like now we’ve figured it out a bit extra to this point within the decrease bracket run than we did within the group stage. In Peru, I suppose the sport was just a little extra stale because of the nature of the patch so there wasn’t as a lot to determine. In earlier tournaments, it was about honing what you already know.
When the patch dropped, we weren’t given plenty of discover. How did that change your strategy heading right into a Main?
Boxi: I feel you need to be very open minded and perhaps abandon what doesn’t work so nice. It’s essential to adapt concepts which can be good or are working for different groups. In a patch that’s so new, you’re by no means going to determine the whole lot out straight away however in an older patch, I might say, you don’t wanna copy different groups as a lot. You must do what works for you and discover your individual methods. Now it’s extra like this factor is balanced, this factor could be very robust or this factor could be very unhealthy. You kinda have to just accept that you simply’re proper or settle for that you simply’re mistaken.
You’re going to face off in opposition to both EG or OG later tonight. When you might choose one, who would you choose?
Boxi: I feel OG looks like the crew we’re extra accustomed to. Maybe from taking part in within the European DPC and we’ve performed in opposition to them rather a lot. However they do have two stand ins, which appears to be a buff to their crew. I don’t know, I used to be just a little amazed that they misplaced their first sport in opposition to EG. However then they gained the second simply. It was a loopy draft in sport one. I really feel it’s higher for us to play in opposition to one thing that’s much less wild. I wish to play in opposition to OG however I wouldn’t say I actually have a choice or that one crew is best than the opposite, it’s about what we’re accustomed to.
After our interview with Boxi, Group Liquid went on to play Evil Geniuses within the decrease bracket semi finals. They got here out on prime with a fast and decisive 2-0. Boxi himself placed on a formidable efficiency as Oracle and Mirana in each video games.
Now, Liquid heads straight into the decrease bracket finals in opposition to 9 Pandas. If Group Liquid win, followers will see a repeat of the Lima Main grand finals with Liquid’s full crew able to tackle GG. There’s nonetheless an extended day of Dota 2 left to play on the ESL Berlin Main!