Puppey Shares His Thoughts On Making It To TI12 and Team Secret’s Curse

After a rollercoaster journey in the Dota Pro Circuit (DPC), Team Secret has emerged stronger, securing promotion to Division I following their successful run in the DPC Western Europe (WEU) 2023 Tour 2: Division II. The team's path has been marked by both triumph and adversity, with a rough start in Tour 3 against Gaimin Gladiators and Team Liquid, both of which are considered to be the Top 2 teams in the world currently. However, their perseverance paid off as they clinched a decisive 2-0 victory against D1 Hustlers, which was crucial for their standings in the Division. In a post-match interview, the team's captain and veteran Dota 2 player, Clement "Puppey" Ivanov, addressed the team's aspirations of making it to TI12 and broke down their notorious placement "curse" at The International.

Puppey states he will win TI if he makes it

Team Secret's captain, Puppey, appeared in a post-match interview after their convincing 2-0 win against D1 Hustlers, where he delved into the topic of Team Secret's placement "curse" at The International. Puppey was asked about the team's consistent pattern of securing higher placements at each successive TI, finishing 4th in TI9, 3rd in TI10, and 2nd in TI11. 

“I mean, yeah thats the pattern, but at the same time this is maybe even a harder scenario getting to TI than i’ve ever been in. I went to Div II and basically i’ve never been in Div II and that means its really hard to get to TI. I mean if I get to TI, they’re f*cked you know? If i get to TI its over, they will lose. They will lose to Gaben god, the Gaben god of numbers, the numbers will add up,” Puppey said.

He then goes on to talk about how his team has gotten off to a rough start and jokingly states that there is a conspiracy against him.

“But thats the problem, im getting off to a really really rough start right now, they really dont want it to happen, whatever the gambling gods are doing. Probably Valve is doing it, because to be fair, everyone’s gonna bet on me cause they know im gonna get 1st place and the whole world will explode and the banks will explode. I get why this all is happening, its a conspiracy,” he joked.

Making it to TI - Team Secret’s DPC Points

Despite their impressive performance in the DPC Tour 3: Division I and their aspirations for TI12, Team Secret's path to qualifying for The International through DPC points seems highly improbable. Even if they secure a 1st place finish in the Division I standings and emerge victorious at the Bali Major 2023, they will fall short of the minimum required DPC points, which is 1325. This leaves Team Secret facing the daunting task of navigating the open qualifiers, where they will have to compete against numerous formidable teams from around the world, including the likes of Nigma Galaxy and Alliance. With Valve remaining silent on the possibility of Last Chance Qualifiers, the stakes are raised even higher for Team Secret, emphasizing the importance of winning the open qualifiers for a shot at participating in TI12.

Team Secret's journey in the Dota Pro Circuit has been a test of their resilience and determination. Despite facing challenges and a rough start in the DPC Tour 3: Division I, they showcased their strength by securing a resounding 2-0 victory against D1 Hustlers. Puppey's unwavering confidence and his humorous take on the team's "curse" at The International added a touch of optimism to their aspirations. However, their path to qualifying for TI12 through DPC points appears to be an uphill battle, requiring them to navigate the demanding open qualifiers. As the journey continues, fans eagerly await Team Secret's pursuit of glory and breaking their ‘curse’ and finally winning The International.