Go zenith!

THis matchup is looking good! Is Team Infused any good? Not quite familiar with them...

Infused is great, wins against big teams. Gonna be hard for Zenith!

the boys from sweden got this np

I want to see more lolzy picks from Zenith

I want to see a little bit of respect from Zenith

Hard to predict this one. Can't wait to see what is on Waga's bag.

Infused are a great team, but Zenith are probably better. Except that Zenith straight trolled their match against CLG yesterday--still don't know what that was about.

edited by dotaplayer at 02.08.2012, 08:39 CEST

Of only the few games I have ever seen zenith play (probably about 4 matches) I have never seen them play a recognized top tier strategy. I think one of the reasons that Zenith has been successful against so many teams is that, they have very unorthodox picks which intimidates the opposing team, duh. However, CLG did not seem to scare off from zeniths eccentric picks, yesterday, and ended up steam roling them in game 1. However zenith refuse to try out any more stable and established line up in the second game. Because of this, and all the other matches I have seen zenith play, I doubt they know how to properly play a line up with only standard and high tier picks. In other words, can zenith really play a match without 'lolzy' picks? Maybe I'm way off.

edited by GrizzlyBr at 02.08.2012, 12:49 CEST

In the Gigabyte Dota Masters Finals they picked standard stuff against LGD. Also, they are not playing rookie teams. They are playing top Chinese and Malaysian teams. These teams are not intimidated by weird picks.

edited by bpeter at 02.08.2012, 13:32 CEST

Do note that Zenith have a long and respectable history in the DoTa scene since 2008, with some of their original members like hyhy and iceiceice(ant is also one of their team managers). And we have Loda as well. I am sure he didnt make a choice to leave his team to join a team that is incapable

edited by jellypea_ at 02.08.2012, 14:40 CEST

#9 No, Zenith are a favorite to win TI2 and are *perhaps* the best team in the world right now; their players are all established WC3 DotA veterans who have troves of skill and experience. This is what enables them to use oddball lineups in the first place; their game sense and knowledge is so extensive that they can pull off unusual, more demanding strategies that other, inferior teams lack the ability to replicate. Intimidation? No, like #10 said they're not playing against amateurs, they're playing against other world-class teams.

Their match against CLG, Loda's old team which is also comprised of WC3 DotA superstars, was just a case of WTF? It *seemed* like Zenith took the first game seriously and CLG legitimately beat them, but then no one on Zenith except for Loda called gg for some reason. And the second game was just dumbfounding. Pretty surprising actually, you'd expect something a bit more professional from a team of Zenith's stature. Teams like CLG and Na'Vi have thrown games on purpose before, but they don't just blatantly rofl it up the way Zenith did that one--they at least make it *seem* like they're trying. Who knows.

edited by dotaplayer at 02.08.2012, 14:47 CEST

For anyone interested, Zenith is playing right now in a bo1 against MUFC. Joindota did not list this match.

Here is the link: http://www.twitch.tv/gamevictoriousmysg

#10 and #12, I know that zenith are one of the top teams in Dota 2, I was just wonder if there unpredictability was their main advantage, and the aspect which was winning them games over other world class teams. My question was, due to the lack of normal picks, is their ability to play with a standard line up not as strong making them unwilling to use standard picks in official matches? Perhaps their unpredictability is their main advantage that pushes them over the top of world class teams. Just to reiterate, there is no doubt in my mind that they are one of the strongest teams in the world.

#10 Perhaps your right about the Gigabyte Dota Master Finals, but that was 1 month ago. It's hard to think that after getting beaten quite convincingly in the first game against CLG, most teams would have tried a strategy that is safer. Going into middle lane as five and giving away the first 2 kills to CLG within 5 minutes, (if I remember correctly) seems like a long shot strategy (let along picking bara). Perhaps they just haven't practiced the normal meta game strategies. Still one of the best teams in the world and definitely top contender for TI2.

Zenith just beat MUFC in bo1. Loda went Akash with BKB,Augamans,Lev 5 Dagon lol

#14 In-case u didnt know, Zenith picked a pretty standard line-up last Sunday against LGD in IG Monthly Madness Asia #1 - Final in a bo5. Zenith won with a 3:0 straight win against them.

Team Infused will win!! :D!!

Would be hard to loose against a t2 EU team ... no offence against infused :D

Who won the first game?? (I´m at work, cant see the VOD) =D
GOGO INFUSED...

Right.

No offense, Zenith got hammered on by a 2 EU team. Mad bro???

#16 I guess I'm wrong. Thank you.

Well-played by Infused+Bleek. This is one of those rare cases when stand-in player brings the team to a higher level. I enjoyed both games and have no regret over lost cheese. Entertaining dota ftw.

However, mass-buybacks still piss me off.

This tournament... :D

fantastic series, there were errors from both teams, but the quality of plays and the teamfights were just a level above most