Abed Continues To Struggle To Win a BO3 Series at The International Playoffs

Dorjee Palzang
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<div class="paragraphs"><p>Abed Dota 2 player at The International playoffs</p></div>
Abed Dota 2 player at The International playoffs

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Highlights
TI12 was Abed's seventh appearance. He participated in The International 2023 with Shopify Rebellion.
Since his very first TI appearance in 2016, Abed has never made it out of the playoffs.

Abed "Abed" Yusop, mid-laner for Shopify Rebellion and a name synonymous with Dota 2 excellence, has forged an illustrious path in the competitive Dota 2 esports scene. However, the pro player has yet to clinch a best-of-three (BO3) victory in The International (TI) playoffs, despite seven valiant campaigns at the most prestigious Dota 2 tournament. Since his very first TI appearance in 2016, Abed has never made it out of the playoffs, having lost every single BO3 series. 

A Reddit post titled “Abed has never won a single BO3 in TI playoffs in his whopping 7 TI appearances” started a discourse about Abed and his journey at TI, and many Dota 2 esports fans and enthusiasts weighed in on this rather unfortunate statistic that Abed holds.


Abed’s TI Playoff Runs So Far

Abed "Abed" Yusop is known for his remarkable control over Meepo. His mastery over this hero drew early comparisons to Sumail "SumaiL" Hassan, another exceptionally talented mid-lane player in the Dota 2 scene. Both players made significant names for themselves in the professional esports world, and their unique skills set them apart.

The comparisons between Abed and SumaiL were partly due to their shared roles in the mid-lane and their similarity in age. They both burst onto the scene as young talents and quickly established themselves as key players for their respective teams.

SumaiL, for instance, was part of Evil Geniuses when it won The International 2015. Meanwhile, Abed's performance on Meepo brought him considerable attention as a rising star.

Abed's TI chronicle is a tale of ebbs and flows. Let's delve into his journey through the years:

  • TI6 - A Modest Debut: Abed embarked on his TI odyssey at TI6, where his team, Execration, bowed out during the Wildcard stage, eliminated by Escape Gaming. While it was a challenging initiation, it was evident that Abed was a talent to watch.

  • TI7 - The Digital Chaos Days: Abed's fortunes took an upward trajectory at TI7, finishing 9th-12th. He managed to secure a solitary BO1 victory while navigating the lower bracket with Digital Chaos but ultimately was eliminated by LGD Gaming.

  • TI8 and TI9 - The Fnatic Stint: Abed donned Fnatic's colors for two consecutive TIs. Regrettably, he encountered similar outcomes, concluding both TI8 and TI9 in the 13th-16th position, succumbing to Team Serenity and Team Liquid, respectively.

  • TI10 - Joining the Ranks of Evil Geniuses: Abed's journey led him to Evil Geniuses at TI10, yet the result remained consistent as he secured another 9th-12th spot. In the lower bracket, he clinched a BO1 victory but was later outmaneuvered by Vici Gaming.

  • TI11 - Stumbling from the Upper Bracket: TI11 saw Abed alongside Evil Geniuses yet again. However, this time, the team started from the upper bracket. Unexpectedly, Abed and his team still ended up in the 9th-12th tier, succumbing to two BO3 defeats and ultimately losing against beastcoast.

  • TI12 - The Shopify Rebellion Challenge: Abed's latest venture at TI12 featured him as a part of Shopify Rebellion. This concluded in another 13th-16th place finish. Shopify’s journey was curtailed by TSM in the playoffs.


Gorgc Says Individual Skill Is Not Measured by Tournament Results

Upon encountering the Reddit post discussing Abed's TI performances, prominent Twitch streamer and Dota 2 personality Janne "Gorgc" Stefanovski expressed a mix of surprise and empathy for Abed's situation. His reaction suggested that he found it astonishing that Abed, with seven TI appearances under his belt, had never secured a BO3 victory in the playoffs.

Jesus, Abed has had the worst f**** results. That is some Nightfall level sh**... Now, Nightfall has won a best-of-three in the main stage at TI. Well, that’s kind of wild, no?,” said Gorgc. 

Responding to a comment that pointed out how Abed was called a “prodigy,” Gorgc said that one’s individual skill is not measured by tournament results, hinting that Abed's talent might not be accurately reflected by his track record at TIs. 


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Dorjee is an avid Dota enthusiast, he has been playing the game since it was just a map in Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne back in 2009, he transitioned to Dota 2 in 2014 and can't stop playing ever since!