A little more than two weeks remain before the start of DPC 2023, but this does not mean that competitive Dota 2 is on pause. Matches on the professional stage of MOBA games are held in different regions, and one of them is Eastern Europe.
The playoffs of the New Year's Eve event - BetBoom Xmas Show - started here. A kind of analogue of DPC decided to take new heights: top teams from Eastern Europe were invited to the BetBoom Xmas Show and residents of Western Europe were hooked.
In a heated match, we will watch an inter-regional derby with an application for top DotA. HellRaisers will play against Nigma Galaxy.
Both clubs held reshuffles, but of different sizes. HellRaisers radically changed the roster, while Nigma Galaxy changed only one player, but both the former and the latter have radical changes and will definitely affect the teams' performance.
We figure out who will be stronger in this confrontation and earn a pass to the upper bracket semi-finals, and who will have to put up with the situation in the lower bracket.
Shape Nigma Galaxy
Let's start the review with representatives of the DPC WEU. In this match, Nigma Galaxy will play as a favorite.
The club's chance of winning is estimated at around 1.2. Nigma Galaxy is seen in the status of an absolute favorite and, probably, not with ease.
As mentioned above, the club made minimal substitutions, changing one position in the squad. However, given the playstyle of Nigma Galaxy itself and the style of play of a European club newcomer, this may be enough to change the club's game diametrically.
Composition of Nigma Galaxy
Having held a reshuffle, Nigma managed to keep the backbone of the trio of KuroKy, GH and MinD_ContRoL, as well as extend cooperation with SumaiL, who joined last season. The team's newcomer was the OG star from last season.
Nigma Players
- SumaiL
- ATF
- MinD_ControlRoL
- GH
- KuroKy
The arrival of ATF should refresh the stagnant team and bring new colors to the gameplay of Nigma. With his aggressive playstyle, ATF can become number one and lead the team, which he may have lacked as a hardliner at OG.
However, this brings up the problem of adapting both the ATF in the carry position and the team to the new player in the first position. In fact, we will see the debut of ATF in the first position.
Performance of Nigma Galaxy
Since Nigma managed to keep almost the entire roster, we can remember what they were remembered for last season. He brought little cause for joy.
Nigma Galaxy started the year in the TOP 6 at DPC WEU 2021/2022 Tour 1: Division 1, which briefly separated them from relegation to the second division. The actual relegation came a season later when Nigma took last place at DPC WEU 2021/2022 Tour 2: Division 1.
Once in the second league, the stellar team nevertheless easily took the first line and regained their place in the elite division for the 2023 season. In addition, the team played Riyadh Masters 2022 and ESL One Malaysia 2022, where they took the TOP 6 in the first and the second TOP -eight.
The last tournament before the BetBoom Xmas Show and the replacement of the roster was the qualifier for The International 2022 from Western Europe. There, the team took the TOP-6, missing out on the second in a row of The International.
Before the BetBoom Xmas Show, Nigma was not played anywhere, and they received a direct invitation to the playoffs for the event itself.
Heroes of Nigma Galaxy
In patch 7.32, Nigma played in their repertoire, not following the dictates of the meta too much. However, this did not bring any particular results.
The most common picks were Io (6 matches, 66% wins), Death Prophet (5 matches, 60% wins), Chen (5 matches, 60% wins), Dawnbreaker (4 matches, 75% wins), Earth Spirit (4 matches, 75% of wins).
HellRaisers form
We continue the review of the match with the form of HellRaisers. They will play as an outsider in this match.
The bookmaker estimates the chance of Nigma Galaxy to win with odds around 4.2. The gap in the strength of the teams is felt.
As in the case with Nigma, HellRaisers has been reshuffled, and very drastic ones at that. They don't allow giving better odds on HellRaisers. However, their game also left questions.
HellRaisers roster
After last season, HR management resorted to a big reshuffle. We have collected a kind of mix of experience and youth, but does it bear fruit?
HellRaisers players
- Daxak
- depressed kid
- MieRo`
- Antares
- Solo
Here we see a classic Eastern European fable. Let's take an experienced captain and put together a roster around.
It kind of works, but not too much. Solo last season tried to do the same in NaVi and as a result, the roster could not resist. Before that there were other attempts and here again.
I don't want to be a skeptic, but this composition looks like a short-term thing with meager chances of staying in the same form for longer. However, it is possible that HR's speeches will prove the opposite.
HellRaisers performance
Looking at HR's previous season, one wonders why the club resorted to such a drastic reshuffling. Before the big reshuffle, then with Malady and other young and promising HR, they won Last-Last Chance.
Before that, there was a performance in the second division of Eastern Europe, where HellRaisers went after relegation from the elite echelon, but later successfully got out.
BetBoom Xmas Show HellRaisers started from the group stage. Once in Group A, they faced teams like Monaspa, YNT, RISE and Nemiga Gaming.
Objectively speaking, it would be good for a team with big names and title players to close such a group without a chance, however, they managed to give the series to Nemiga Gaming, but advanced to the playoffs from the second place.
Heroes HellRaisers
HellRaisers have the freshest game already within the BetBoom Xmas Show. They played differently.
The most picked heroes by HellRaisers were: Enchantress (4 matches, 75% wins), Tusk (4 matches, 75% wins), Alchemist (3 matches, 100% wins), Crystal Maiden (3 matches, 100% wins), Legion Commander (3 matches, 100% wins).
History of personal confrontations
Previously, the teams did not play each other in official games after the reshuffle. The duel within the quarterfinals of the BetBoom Xmas Show will be the debut head-to-head confrontation between the clubs.
Match outcome
The situation is twofold, although the opinion is quite reasonable. Twofold, because Nigma Galaxy are raw and it is not clear what Ammar will do in the first position in a professional game. On the other hand, our HellRaisers manage to stumble in matches against teams that are no match on paper.
In any case, it will be interesting to watch, even with a conditional 2-0 from Nigma Galaxy. However, I don’t advise you to set it as a prefire: it’s better to watch the first bo3 and make a choice in live. I will give HR a discount in one card, because I am sure that Nigma will be harnessed for a long time.
Result: +1.5 on HellRaisers.
