Entering the final week of the Round Robin stage of Dota Cinema's Captains Draft 2, the tournament is still wide open and an open playing field. With Team Secret and Virtus.pro confirmed for the playoffs, the rest of the teams have some crucial games to reach the top four with only six remaining games and only two spots left to claim.
The dust is beginning to settle on who will proceed in the Dota Cinema Captains Draft 2.0 tournament with only four available spots in the playoffs to compete for the growing prize pool of $255,715. The Captains Draft mode tournament has been in action since October 31st, with the playoffs due to begin on December 19th. Secret Team have guaranteed their place in those playoffs alongside Virtus.Pro with Team Tinker likely to join them. But there are some must win games on the horizon for both Evil Geniuses and Natus Vincere to stay in the competition and anything is a possibility.
Matches Completed: 23/29
Teams Confirmed: Secret Team, Virtus.pro
Teams Eliminated: Alliance
Positioned just outside the top four, Evil Geniuses have one remaining two-game series against Team Tinker to try to stay in the tournament after a faltering campaign has left them with five wins and seven losses. They will be hoping a victory will be enough to hold off current fourth placed Natus Vincere and the incoming barrage of Power Rangers and Four Anchors.
Perhaps the biggest story of this tournament so far is the demise of Swedish team Alliance, who were the first team confirmed as being out of contention after only picking up four points from their fourteen games. They sit only three points above all-Finnish team 4 Anchors, who replaced Fnatic at the start of the month after they pulled out from the tournament. 4 Anchors will be hoping to continue their promising form at DreamLeague Season 2 to pick up six points from six for a chance to pick up that fourth playoff spot.
The door is also left open for Power Rangers, currently in six place with four points from their ten games played. Picking up four points from their final two series would place the team above Evil Geniuses regardless if they win their final game. Needless to say, with three playoff places still up for grabs the final week will bring some dramatic games for the remaining teams.
So let's take a look at some of the highlights from the upcoming six remaining games.
One of the biggest games out of the final six, Evil Geniuses will be trying to get the full two points from this series to bring them to level with their opponent and put them two points ahead of Natus Vincere before their final two games and put them (possibly temporarily) in that all important fourth spot. On the other hand Team Tinker will almost guarantee their place in the playoffs if they win the series. A draw between the teams leave Evil Geniuses hoping for a miracle, with all of the remaining games involving teams that could overtake them.
With the group being this open, this game between current sixth and eighth place could mean survival or settling for the bottom four places. With both teams having games remaining, this is vital for survival. A loss for either team almost seals their exit from the tournament, so both teams will be hoping to take the two points and continue their upward battle to the playoffs.
A victory here will guarantee Virtus Pro their second place, but this is also big game for Natus Vincere. Currently sitting on five points, they will need to start taking points from their remaining matches. If Evil Geniuses win in their game against Team Tinker, victory will be essential for Natus Vincere to remain the competition.
The Round Robin stage of Dota Cinema's Captains Draft 2 tournament concludes on the 25th November. The Playoffs are due to start on the 19th of December and through the weekend.
Headline image by Helena Kristiansson and ESL One (flickr)
