BLAST Slam 2 and its group stage kicked off earlier today, starting with Team Liquid vs. Talon Esports in group A and Team Falcons vs. Nigma Galaxy in group B. At first glance, this group stage looks like any other in competitive Dota 2 tournaments: a round robin format that just so happens to feature best-of-one matchups rather than best-of-two or three.
But this belies the true nature of the competition’s format: King of the Hill. The group stage actually seeds teams as far as the semifinals in the following single elimination playoff bracket, which creates a chaotic and exciting atmosphere for teams and spectators alike. This style isn’t really used anywhere else in professional Dota due to its potential volatility, and so BLAST is bringing something unique to the table that we haven’t really seen before.
Group Stage
So, as I was saying, there’s the group stage — which takes place over just one day (February 4th). The 10 squads in contention for the title and the $1 million prize pool are split into two groups of five teams each, then play each other in a round robin format composed of best-of-one matches.
The first place teams of each group go straight to the playoff semifinals, which grants them a huge advantage in terms of how many days they can rest and prepare for their eventual opponents. This can of course backfire for certain squads that rely on momentum to do well though, because the extended break can cause them to become too relaxed.
Teams that finish below the first placers in their group get seeded into the quarterfinals, the second round, and the first round of the playoffs, in descending order. No team will be eliminated from the competition as a result of placing last in the group stage, so every club in attendance will get to play at least one playoff series before having to go home.
BLAST Slam 2 Playoffs
Here’s the fun part. As mentioned, all matches before the grand finals here will be best-of-three single elimination sets, which means teams will not get a second chance to advance further if they lose a series. Most Dota tournaments feature double elimination brackets, where teams from the upper bracket can rally in the lower bracket in order to advance.
This kind of format can be a chaotic nightmare for teams involved in BLAST Slam 2, but undoubtedly creates huge tension and the potential for massive upsets right off the bat. Team Liquid’s Jonáš “SabeRLight-” Volek seems to agree, as he recognizes the hype that King of the Hill could make.
The format also means that every game played at the tournament matters — even the group stage games. In tournaments with double elimination brackets, the group stage can kind of feel like a formality at times, but not here. Each game counts towards a potential semifinal berth, something that the participating squads will be looking to grab if they can.
Personally, I think this format is incredibly thrilling, as it forces do-or-die situations on every team after the group stage. It makes for an amazing experience as a viewer, but I can certainly sympathize with the players in this regard. The pressure put upon them in a King of the Hill bracket must be immense, and I don’t envy their positions at all.
This format also wouldn’t really work for something like The International, where lower bracket Cinderella runs like OG at TI8 make for compelling stories. I feel that King of the Hill should be reserved for just a select few major competitions per Dota 2 season, like BLAST Slam.
