posted by Abelle,
The Chinese Qualifier for ESL One Hamburg 2017 has already wrapped up and a lesser-known team, cn Keen Gaming, has risen through the ranks to represent China at this year's first Major. All the way from the Open Qualifiers - welcome to the Major Keen Gaming! #ESLOne 🇨🇳🇨🇳🇨🇳 pic.twitter.com/kJWIx8g60z— ESL Dota2 (@ESLDota2) September 20, 2017


The ESL One Hamburg Closed Qualifiers each had 12 teams - eight direct invites divided into two tiers and four Open Qualifier squads. Open Qualifiers were divided into four groups with one team advancing per group, and Keen Gaming came through as the winner of Group C.

As an Open Qualifier team, Keen Gaming had to start the bracket in the first round, where they capably defeated cn Sun 'Agressif' Zheng's new team us For the Dream*. When they beat cn Invictus Gaming, they became the only team from the opening round to make it past one of the four teams directly seeded into the Quarterfinals. cn iG.Vitality were their next opponent, but they fell in a short 2-0.

Their final challenge was cn PSG.LGD, who put up one hell of a fight. The series went to a full five games with impressive play from both sides but, after losing a fairly one-sided Game 4 to LGD, Keen Gaming dominated Game 5 with Monkey King and Death Prophet cores wreaking havoc on LGD's heroes and buildings in equal measure.

Keen Gaming roster
cn Jin 'flyfly' Zhiyi
cn Zhai 'Ying' Jingkai
cn Song 'dark' Runxi
cn Jiang 'Tianming' An
cn Chen 'Rong' Jingwu

Chinese Qualifier bracket


ESL One Hamburg
Keen Gaming are the first team to qualify for the Major. The remaining five Closed Qualifiers start today, Sept 21, and run through Sept 24. eu Team Liquid and cn Newbee have been directly invited to the main event, which will take place Oct 26-29 at the Barclaycard Arena in Hamburg, Germany.

  • Abelle
    Abelle

    Abelle

    Annabelle Fischer
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