The first StarLadder event of the year is set to begin on January 15th. While last seasons group stage has been scrapped entirely for a double elimination bracket, all the teams competing will play on the opening day beginning with StarLadder veterans Team Empire taking on American debutants Fire.
The format and schedule has been announced for the eleventh season of StarLadder which will see all eight teams compete on the opening day in a double elimination bracket. The bracket has been devised so the top European team will not meet the top Chinese team until the final, while the four European teams face the winners of other qualifiers in the opening round.
StarLadder veterans Team Empire, who are entering their seventh StarLadder finals since 2012, take on the lone American hope Fire in the opening game of the tournament. Following yesterdays victory in the Dota 2 Asia Championships European qualifiers, Hellraisers will begin their StarLadder campaign against the current in form Chinese team CDEC Gaming. Appearing at their second StarLadder event at the Cyberarena, South Korean powerhouse MVP Phoenix take on the Russian team Virtus Pro Polar, while the ex-LAJONS team Ninjas in Pyjamas will be the final game of the day taking on The International 2 champions Invictus Gaming, who travel to the event with former-Team DK member Xu 'BurNing' Zhilei as a stand-in for Wong 'ChuaN' Hock Chuan.
The games will recommence on January 16th when the defeated teams will begin their journey in the loser bracket quarter finals, while the semi-finals of the upper bracket will take place in evening as the teams will attempt to secure their place in the winner bracket final. This will continue until January 18th when the tournament will conclude with the loser bracket final and the grand final, which will be a best-of-five, with a one game disadvantage for the team coming up from the loser bracket.
Headline image from the SLTV Facebook page.
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