T1 and BOOM pick up wins on Day 1 of the DPC SEA Regionals.
The first day of the DPC SEA Regionals saw some intense matches and a bit of stubbornness from some teams. While BOOM crushed Team SMG’s strat, T1 managed to survive the Fnatic scare.
The DPC SEA Regionals is the final event on the current patch. It is no surprise to see teams bring out innovative drafts, although some might just backfired in today’s games.
Series of the Day: T1 vs Fnatic
T1 started the series on a strong note winning multiple lanes. Karl was dominant in the mid-lane and quickly transitioned to exerting pressure all over the map with his Queen of Pain. Despite the T1 dominance in the mid-game, Fnatic managed to play its trademark farming style to keep the networth within reach.
However, ultimately, T1’s heroes had the superior items and were able to pull a series of dominant fights to win the game.
The strong support duo of Fnatic in the second game ensured the players were able to take on mid-game team fights at their own pace. With an 888 GPM, Fnatic’s Raven on his Medusa was unstoppable and went the entire game without a single death.
The third match was a lot of back and forth between the two teams. While T1 had the advantage from the early-mid game, a rare positioning error by Karl cost them a crucial teamfight. It almost seemed like it was Fnatic’s way back into the game, especially in light of Tide having two ravages.
I think we were winning in Game 3 but somehow they jumped on us and we dragged the game. They just played good, so it dragged the game.
Unfortunately, he blew them both on Phantom Assasin’s BKB, essentially wasting the one advantage Fnatic had in that teamfight.
Speaking in a post-match interview, Kuku highlighted how Fnatic like to farm and play slow. "They play slow, farm. They are a much slower team than the rest. But they play really good."
T1 esports recently added Gabbi to replace 23savage on the roster. A star in his own right, the team's decision to replace 23savage came as a surprise to many.
"I feel its not an upgrade or downgrade. They are both good players." said Kuku. "Its just an issue of communication. But yea, I think they are both good players."
The Bara + Morph combo in BOOM vs SMG match
At first, we knew they were going to play Bara. But we didn’t expect them to play Bara and Morph. But yeah, we were ready for the Bara.
Meanwhile, in the first match of the day, BOOM esports defeated Team SMG 2-0 in their opening match. Team SMG used a unique combination of Barathrum and Morphling in the first match. But in the post-match interview, Skem said they were prepared for SMG’s Barathrum and were able to counter it easily. SMG tried the same combo again, but the result was no different.
There was an interesting development in the BOOM vs SMG game. A power failure meant Skem tried to rush to a cafe to continue the game; however
With this victory, BOOM esports and T1 move on to the upper bracket of the DPC SEA Regionals. SMG will face off against Fnatic in the lower bracket.
The DPC Regional Finals are Valve's replacement for the canceled Dota 2 Major. Each regional final has a $100,000 prize pool and DPC points on offer. The WEU, SEA and South American Regional finals start today, while the rest will start on the 18th.
Stay tuned to esports.gg for the latest Dota 2 news and updates.