Last Chance Qualifier playoffs predictions

The Group Stage of the Last Chance Qualifier has ended. As was expected, the Dota 2 representatives of Europe, China, and Southeast Asia proved their strength and finished their respective groups in the top four, thus securing a spot for the upper bracket.

The playoffs stage of the tournament is scheduled to be played between October 10-12. With so many top teams in the race and only two available tickets for The International 11, the battles will be brutal.

From pocket strats to cheese, anything goes at this point. There’s no reason to keep anything hidden until the start of The International. The stakes are simply too high and nobody’s spot is guaranteed.

The favorites seem to be Team Liquid, Natus Vincere, Team Secret, and Xtreme Gaming. But several other teams have proved themselves capable of causing serious upsets. Virtus.pro, T1, Polaris Esports, and Vici Gaming could easily be among the two teams qualified for TI11.

Group stage results

The group stage results of the Last Chance Qualifier speak for themselves. There have been a lot of draws, which clearly suggests that many teams are close to each other in strength. The difference will ultimately be made by the players’ experience, and that’s where competitors such as Team Secret and T1 might have an edge.

Group A:

• Natus Vincere: 2 W – 3 D – 0 L
• Vici Gaming: 2 W – 2 D – 1 L
• Team Secret: 1 W – 4 D – 0 L
• Polaris Esports: 2 W – 2 D – 1 L
• Nouns: 1 W – 2 D – 2 L
• Tempest: 0 W – 1 D – 4 L

Group B:

• Team Liquid: 3 W – 2 D – 0 L
• Xtreme Gaming: 2 W – 2 D – 1 L
• pro: 1 W – 3 D – 1 L
• T1: 1 W – 3 D – 1 L
• Infamous: 0 W – 3 D – 2 L
• Wildcard Gaming: 0 W – 3 D – 2 L

Playoffs predictions

The strongest teams in the race will have a tough path to the upper bracket Final. For those of them that fail to win it or get to it, there’s a second chance in the lower bracket. The seeding for the playoffs looks rough.

• T1 vs. Natus Vincere
• Team Secret vs. Xtreme Gaming
• pro vs. Vici Gaming
• Team Liquid vs. Polaris

This is the upper bracket. The lower bracket is far less important for now because its teams have absolutely no chance of qualifying for The International 2022.

Out of the top eight teams, only one will win the next three matches. The seeding favors Liquid quite a bit, at least until the upper bracket Final. But we’ll have to see if they can triumph. Plenty of other competitors have the same objective and the capacity to succeed.

Header: Valve Corporation