There are only a few gamers in esports that may say they’ve remained on the very prime of their particular sport since earlier than it formally launched, however Clement “Puppey” Ivanov can say that and extra about his Dota 2 profession. Not solely did he assist hoist the primary Aegis of Champions on the inaugural iteration of The Worldwide in 2011, however he’s the final remaining participant to have attended each TI up to now.
That streak is once again on the chopping block this 12 months after a tough Dota Professional Circuit season, nonetheless, however Puppey doesn’t appear too involved. In an interview with Dot Esports, Staff Secret’s captain mentioned he doesn’t suppose a lot about his longstanding Dota 2 report and is simply centered on successful video games, whatever the 12 months.
“I don’t actually care about some narrative,” Puppey mentioned to Dot Esports. “In fact, it’s in my head that ‘Oh no, perhaps I’m going to overlook TI, lastly I’m going to overlook it,’ or one thing like that. However some issues are simply certain to occur and also you shouldn’t actually fear about it. I simply suppose within the second and attempt to win the sport. If I put every little thing into it and I lose, no less than I put every little thing into it.”
From successful the primary TI with NAVI, Puppey has by no means been capable of declare the Aegis once more even with 11 journeys to Dota’s greatest stage underneath his belt.
He has come shut with a number of groups however retains falling simply brief, with a miracle run that began within the Final Likelihood Qualifier ending with him smiling and walking off the stage after a second-place finish that shocked the world. And, much more stunning, was the stark downfall of Secret this season as they’ve gone by way of three main roster shifts since Nisha left to affix Staff Liquid in December.
Even when he does ignore the narrative, outside of some jokes, Secret has improved its placement at each TI it has attended since TI6—doubtlessly resulting in the Dota Gods to attempt to cease Puppey from attending this 12 months and persevering with the climb to a second Aegis. However he’s taking all of it in stride.
“I’ve had dangerous runs at TI, I’ve had dangerous years, I’ve had good years, and quite a lot of the time you simply find yourself unfortunate in a means,” Puppey mentioned. “Issues simply don’t work out and also you begin shedding quite a bit that 12 months. I’ve been in these years the place I misplaced quite a bit and didn’t win something, most likely three or 4 totally different occasions in my profession. That is a kind of occasions the place, you recognize, that I’ve been unfortunate for a bit of bit. I’ve additionally perhaps not performed as nicely, however there are quite a lot of issues concerned.”
With the entire roster modifications Secret has made throughout turbulent seasons, Puppey has retained a pointy give attention to the sport and labored to maintain an open thoughts round new concepts.
That open-mindedness has turn into more and more necessary to him as Dota continues to evolve 10 years into the sport as a result of adaptation is extra necessary now than ever. With the ability to discover the place one participant excels after which implementing these distinctive traits inside the workforce is a essential wrestle whereas the sport is constructed round hero specialists.
“Persons are specialists on some heroes that you just can not actually management within the sense that you just’re going to [end up] drafting issues which are very distinctive,” Puppey mentioned. “That’s an adaptation you need to do as a result of every little thing has turn into extra about getting the most effective out of your gamers and understanding their technique far more than making an attempt to pressure a method of your personal in direction of them. Individuals carry distinctive concepts advert you’ll want to be taught them and perceive what they’re good at.”
Puppey calls this course of “adaptation mode,” as a result of he’s much less centered on looking for issues that work historically and extra on making an attempt to craft methods the place these distinctive elements and heroes every participant brings to the desk can turn into a cohesive strategy to Dota.
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Understanding totally different heroes, the timings they’ve for sure skills, and the way a participant with experience on a hero modifications these dynamics is a problem that solely will get tougher the extra various the sport turns into. For Puppey, implementing these concepts into a method that may hopefully carry him to a twelfth straight TI in October is simply a part of a “pure adaptation of what’s occurring in Dota.”
For Puppey and Secret, that adaptation led to a stable ninth-place end at Riyadh Masters 2023 towards a number of the greatest groups on the planet. Now they should take it up a notch and earn a spot at TI12 within the regional qualifiers, which start on Aug. 17.
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