Players to Watch Out For in the TI10 SEA Qualifier

We are one day away from the start of the TI10 SEA qualifier, and fans in the region are excited to watch this bloodbath from which only one team will emerge victorious. The qualifier will begin on June 30, 2021, and conclude with the grand final on July 4. During the course of these four days, we will witness 21 series in total, with some players coming in clutch and others faltering. It will not only be a test of teamwork but also of individual skill since every player will be under enormous pressure, with just one crucial mistake having the potential of throwing your team out of the tournament.

Four players deserve your attention as the TI10 SEA qualifier gets underway. Discover who you should be paying attention to in what could turn out to be one of the most important tournaments of the year for SEA Dota 2.

Four Dota 2 Players to keep an eye on in the TI10 SEA qualifier

JaCkky

Despite his controversial departure from T1's Dota 2 roster, Souliya "JaCkky" Khoomphetsavong has become somewhat of a fan favourite thanks to his incredible skill, his exceptional Dota 2 abilities, and the rare achievement of reaching 12k MMR.

However, that is not to say that JaCkky has been on top of his game just in pub games. In competitive matches with Motivate.Trust Gaming, he has outshone many of his carry counterparts and has become one of the most reliable carry players in the scene. With a wide variety of heroes at his disposal, he provides his team with a strategic advantage which proved to be crucial for them securing an Upper Bracket seed in The International 10 (TI10) SEA qualifier.

While he can be efficient with early game heroes, it is the strength of his carry performances in the late game that has turned heads and won many taxing games.

Despite recent success in tournaments such as BTS Pro Series Season 6: Southeast Asia and PNXBET Invitationals Southeast Asia, JaCkky has not been in a situation where the stakes are as high as they are in this qualifier with a spot at the biggest esports tournament in history, on the line.

JaCkky is perhaps the most integral part of the upcoming Motivate.Trust Gaming squad and will hence have the burden of expectations on his back, it will be intriguing to see if he will live up to expectations in such a high pressure tournament.

Tims

As a pillar of TNC Predator, Timothy John "Tims" Randrup is an integral member of the team. The fact that he has been with the team for nearly five years is a testament to his abilities and his strategical strength as a position 4 player.

Tims is widely considered to be one of the more stable position four players in Dota 2 both in SEA and globally. While his consistency is one of his key strengths, he is also a player who can go toe-to-toe with the best positions 4s in the world in terms of raw skill. His amazing Earth Spirit and Rubick plays over the years, even in multiple international tournaments is a testament to this.

TNC Predator put on a decent performance at the WePlay AniMajor and Tims was as steady as a rock in the event, but we have been missing him delivering some game-winning MVP performances.

It will be interesting to see whether Tims can showcase his flashy side once again, provided TNC Predator drafts some of the heroes he is renowned for. Tims is known to come in clutch when it counts, so we might be in for a treat from the Filipino position four player in the TI10 SEA qualifier.

Raven

Marc Polo Luis "Raven" Fausto, the carry player for Fnatic, is perhaps the most experienced carry player in the TI10 SEA qualifier having played in multiple TIs and winning multiple other premier tournaments like the WESG. With consistent performances over the years and playing in SEA’s best teams such as TNC Predator, Geek Fam and Fnatic, Raven is arguably a top three carry player in the region.

In Fnatic, Raven's style of carrying relies on a steady flow of kills to complement his CS. This is a stylistic choice, but also one that’s needed with his Position 4 player, Anucha “Jabz” Jirawong, playing a slightly more farm-dependent support. Unfortunately, this has prevented him from truly showing what he’s capable of as he’s often shoehorned into the Fnatic style without much consideration for his true talents. However, with the departure of Moon and nothing to lose, Fnatic might just let Raven loose allowing him to transcend and showcase the plays he is capable of making when he is unhinged.

While Raven's recent performances may indicate that he is far from his peak which he has exhibited in previous years. He has shown that he puts his best foot forward when the stakes are high, as evidenced by his performances in the WESG 2016 and WESG 2018 finals as well as several TIs. This is as critical as it gets and is make or break situation for Fnatic’s lineup, it will be interesting to see if he can turn Fnatic’s fortunes in one swift go.

Moon

Kam "Moon" Boon Seng enters the TI10 SEA qualifier with his new Dota 2 squad, Team SMG. Following a string of lackluster performances from him as well as from his former team, Fnatic, the two parties parted ways last month.

Moon has not been in his prime lately, but with the experience he possesses, he will be able to bounce back after a prolonged period of a downward trend. A stable laner, he knows the way he should approach and play many matchups. While he may not be as flashy as other SEA midlaners such as Karl, Armel, and Yopaj, he is known for quietly accomplishing his midlane job.

Everyone remembers Mineski’s run at TI9 where they almost took down one of the tournament favourites, ‘Team Secret’. Moon's performance in the midlane was one of the key factors contributing to Mineski's success, which enabled the team to earn the highest placement among the three SEA teams that competed at the tournament.

Moon has been the subject of a lot of memes recently. He had been referred to as "CEO Moon" by the community since he stuck to this position in Fnatic throughout multiple roster changes. Perhaps, this will offer him some additional motivation to prove his haters wrong. He now plays in Team SMG filled with some of the best players in the scene such as MidOne and kpii and has a lot to prove in the TI10 SEA qualifier. His experience will definitely prove valuable in a pressure qualifier like this and he will be looking to lead his team to a TI10 slot.

So, our picks for the four players you should keep an eye on in the TI10 SEA qualifier are JaCkky, Tims, Raven, and Moon. Tell us in the comments section which players you feel should not be missed in this qualifier.