Main intrigues at The Bali Major 2023!

As the ESL DreamLeague Season 20 came to an end, the Dota 2 community now eagerly awaits the start of a new tournament, The Bali Major 2023. This tournament marks the final event of the Dota Pro Circuit and presents the last opportunity for teams to earn points and secure an invitation to The International. In this article, we will discuss the teams that are in dire need of breaking into the top 8 and explore the main favorites for the tournament.

Gaimin Gladiators: Aiming for Their Third Trophy

The Gaimin Gladiators have been absolutely outstanding this season! With their impressive fourth victory, it is safe to say that the WorldGaimin Gladiators are strong in every aspect. If there are any vulnerabilities in their gameplay, no team has been able to exploit them enough to shake their confidence.

The WorldGaimin Gladiators have shown an exceptional ability to adapt to any opponent. Even during the grand finals of DreamLeague Season 20, where BetBoom Team gave them a tough time, the Gladiators remained unshaken. The only impact it had was forcing them to play their least comfortable heroes in the final game, which the BetBoom Team couldn't handle. The participating teams in The Bali Major 2023 will face a formidable challenge against the Gladiators. It's frustrating to realize that even with a series of successful bans, it's nearly impossible to eliminate the WorldGaimin Gladiators from the game. Each player on the team has a wide hero pool and feels comfortable playing on any of them. The expectations for the Gladiators to win the championship are high, but challenges can arise anywhere. Are the Gladiators truly fatigue-resistant?

Who Will Shine This Time?

Eastern Europe is represented by three teams in The Bali Major 2023: Team Spirit, BetBoom Team and 9 Pandas.

BetBoom Team has already showcased their abilities in ESL DreamLeague Season 20 and proved that underestimating them is a mistake. The roster changes have been beneficial for the team, but will that be enough to perform well in a LAN tournament? While the team feels comfortable playing in online championships, the pressure of a live audience can be a different experience altogether.

On the other hand, Team Spirit handles such pressure much better. They are in dire need of DPC points to secure an invitation to The International. They performed exceptionally well during the summer DPC league, but their participation in ESL DreamLeague Season 20 hindered their progress. Team Spirit seemed to lose their way during some games, and players like Yatoro from Ukraine and Larl from Russia didn't perform at their best. However, Team Spirit has had ample time to prepare for The Bali Major 2023, so they can be expected to start the tournament with confidence.

9 Pandas have the ability to surprise, as they did during the Berlin Major. However, they couldn't replicate that success in the second group stage of DreamLeague. Fans questioned whether they made the right decision by not replacing RodjER with Solo as a coach. They have to make the best out of their current lineup, which means building the game around their exceptional mid-laner, who possesses more talent than players like Larl or gpk.

A Chance for China

PSG.LGD managed to break the losing streak that had plagued the professional scene in the region. They reached the top 3 in ESL DreamLeague Season 20, which is already a great achievement for the region. NothingToSay is still in excellent form, and he has carried the team in most games. This time, the team will heavily rely on the efforts of their mid-laner to secure a strong placement in the top 8 of the tournament. However, PSG.LGD is not willing to settle for anything less.

On the other hand, Team Aster needs to be cautious. The team has visible issues, especially with language barriers. Communicating in broken English doesn't always work effectively for Team Aster. During DreamLeague Season 20, in the second group stage, the team suddenly shifted their focus away from the mid-lane, leaving SumaiL from Pakistan to fend for himself while trying to play around Monet from China. It became apparent that even China's strongest carry player cannot single-handedly defeat all opponents. Team Aster is slowly losing their ground. If these issues are not resolved before The Bali Major 2023, the team shouldn't expect remarkable results.

The same caution applies to the "wildcard" teams, Invictus Gaming and Azure Ray. The latter formed a team with the belief that China's top stars could solve all the problems that arose in the region's professional scene. However, even qualifying for The Bali Major 2023 was a struggle for Azure Ray. Something tells us that if PSG.LGD couldn't overcome the WorldGaimin Gladiators and BetBoom Team, then Azure Ray won't be able to either.

Are You Already on Vacation?

For Team Liquid and Tundra Esports, The Bali Major 2023 may not seem important or necessary since both teams have already received their invites. While the Gaming Gladiators are basking in their victories, the "Liquid" team appears to be fatigued. They have already done everything possible to qualify for The International, so one may question if it's worth exerting more effort. There's a strong feeling that Team Liquid treated ESL DreamLeague Season 20 as just another "fan" tournament, which is quite surprising considering that the prize pool for the Riyadh Masters 2023 will likely be much larger than what is expected at the upcoming main tournament of the year.

Or perhaps the problem isn't fatigue? The carry player of the team, SEmiCKe from Sweden, often posts somewhat depressing tweets on his Twitter after each defeat, which has earned him a reputation as an easily unsettled player. It is challenging to perform well when your core player is not in form. This ultimately affects the overall performance of PLNisha from Poland, the main star of Team Liquid. However, let's assume that their underwhelming performance at ESL DreamLeague Season 20 was simply due to fatigue, which the "Liquid" team has managed to overcome by The Bali Major 2023.

As for Tundra Esports, they participated in the last DreamLeague season with three substitutes, so it doesn't make much sense to judge their effectiveness based on those games. It's too early to dismiss the winners of the DPC in Western Europe, as the team will come to The Bali Major 2023 in full strength.

Dark Horses of the Tournament

While everyone is talking about the main favorites, Quest Esports and Bleed Esports are often overlooked.

Quest Esports strengthened their position with the renowned Jordan, JordanATF, who now has full creative control within the new team. Finally, JordanATF can play the way he wants, impose an aggressive game on opponents, and select only the heroes he prefers. The Quest Esports team seems to accommodate all of JordanATF's desires and follows his strategies. This can be both beneficial and risky since JordanATF has been known for his aggressive playstyle, but also for occasional recklessness and excessive self-confidenceon the professional scene. While this plays into the hands of Quest Esports, their gameplay carries significant risks. Expect incredible results from the team, but also be aware of the potential pitfalls associated with such a playstyle.

In Bleed Esports, stars from Southeast Asia have come together, including iceiceice from Singapore, DuBu from Korea, and DJ from the Philippines. With Denmark's DKMISERY as the coach, they form an ambiguous roster with high ambitions. DKMISERY has managed to bring Bleed Esports together since their inception in the Southeast Asian professional scene, creating effective strategies and likely establishing good communication within the team. However, that alone is not enough to secure victories on the global stage, where practically every team boasts its own top talent. It is difficult, unfortunately, to single out any one player in Bleed Esports, as stars often shine inconsistently.

Who will you be cheering for? Share your opinion in the comments!

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