Teams continue their battle in the BLAST Slam I Dota 2 Championship, held from November 26 to December 1 in Copenhagen, Denmark. With a prize pool of 1 million dollars, the tournament has already drawn significant attention from both players and spectators. Western European and South American players shared their thoughts on the results of the group stage and the unique tournament format.
Neta "33" Shapira (Tundra Esports)
Off-laner from Tundra Esports, Neta "33" Shapira from Israel, summarised his team’s performance, noting that the first and only day of the group stage went successfully. In this new format, where each team plays a Bo1 against every other team in their group in a single day, Tundra managed to secure the top spot and showcased strong gameplay. After the group stage, the team has several days of rest before their semi-final match on Saturday.
"We performed well and took first place in our group. Now we have a few days to rest, and on Saturday, we’ll play in the semi-finals."
Cedric "Davai Lama" Deckmyn (HEROIC)
HEROIC player from Belgium, Cedric "Davai Lama" Deckmyn, shared his experience of a tough group stage that took place in just one day. He admitted to making several individual mistakes and feeling fatigued, which impacted his performance. However, despite the disappointing group stage results, the team advanced to the playoffs, regrouped, and is now ready to show their best game.
"We had a terrible group stage. I made a lot of mistakes, but we regrouped, made it to the playoffs, and now we’ll show our game."
Matheus "KJ" Diniz (HEROIC)
HEROIC support player from Brazil, Matheus "KJ" Diniz, expressed his thoughts on the final stage format of the tournament without a lower bracket. He pointed out that to win, teams will have to defeat the strongest opponents, which adds emotional intensity and excitement to the tournament. Unlike the double-elimination format, where favourites could use an extra "life", the current structure, according to him, makes the victory even more significant.
"If you want to win, you’ll still have to face half of the participants. It’s part of the road to victory. I think this format makes everything more interesting and emotional."
Playoff Expectations and General Impressions
With teams advancing to the playoffs, BLAST Slam I is set for thrilling matchups. The group stage has already delivered high-level gameplay, and now the most intense matches of the tournament lie ahead. With a prize pool of 1 million dollars, there’s an extra layer of excitement, and despite the challenges faced in the group stage, teams are focused on claiming victory in the main bracket.
The tournament continues in Copenhagen until December 1, and viewers can look forward to more thrilling matches and spectacular victories.