Hello again to EGamersWorld.
We continue to follow the biggest esports event of this summer. The Riyadh Masters 2023 with a prize pool in the region of $15,000,000 is on our screens, where the play-offs stage has begun.
We're watching the top set of the main stage where the best of the best are playing. Liquid and Gaimin Gladiators are among them.
The main derby of the year returns in a new entourage. Liquid and Gladiators will play each other to advance to the semi-finals of the biggest commercial event of the year.
Let's find out if this match will be different from all the other Liquid and GG derbies this year, or if it will end the same way.
Upcoming.
Gaimin Gladiators uniforms
Let's open this match with an analysis of the Gaimin Gladiators uniforms. In this match the team will play as favourites.
Bookmakers, as it always happens in 2023, are on the side of Gaimin Gladiators. The odds for their victory are estimated at around 1.4.
There is no point in doubting the Gaimin Gladiators' advantage. This season in general and especially against Liquid in particular.
At the DPC 2023 Tour 1 WEU Division 1 DPC 2023, the team took the top 2, which opened the way for them to The Lima Major 2023. The first Major season of the tournament was a trailblazing triumph for the Gladiators. Gaimin Gladiators won the tournament without losing a single map in the championship play-offs.
The next DPC cycle in the home league ended even worse than the previous one. Then GG lost to tiebreaker for the top 2, but more than compensated for the failure with a performance on the international stage. Even twice.
On the eve of Long Copega DPC 2023: Tour 3, GG took the championship in two international arenas. They won the $1,000,000 DreamLeague S19 and The Berlin Major 2023, defending their status.
In the third round of the domestic league, Gaimin Gladiators were expectedly one of the top contenders to win the league, but failed to get the regional championship. At the end of DPC 2023: WEU Tour 3 GG took 2nd place, but they made it to the Major, and that's the main thing.
- Gaimin Gladiators lineup: dyrachyo, Quinn, Ace, tOfu, Seleri .
There was also DreamLeague Season 20, where in the first group stage GG felt like they played half-heartedly. Nevertheless, they made it to the next stage and then won the grand final.
The last tournament before the Riyadh Masters 2023 was The Bali Major 2023. The third Major tournament ended with another triumph for Gaimin Gladiators. In the grand finals, Liquid were once again run over.
It would be strange if Gladiators did NOT directly qualify for the Riyadh Masters 2023, but it did NOT happen. They started right from the group stage and went 8-6, finishing top 3 in Group A.
Most popular Gaimin Gladiators heroes
The most frequent pick was Rubick. The character has appeared in the GG peak 8 times and has an 87% win rate.
Next came Pangolier (6 matches, 83% wins), Doom (6 matches, 66% wins), Keeper of the Light (5 matches, 80% wins), Ember Spirit (5 matches, 80% wins).
We also took Ember Spirit (4 matches, 100% wins), Terrorblade (4 matches, 75% wins).
Team Liquid uniforms
We continue our review of the grand derby with a breakdown of Team Liquid's game performance. In this match, the team will play in the status of outsider, as many times before.
Bookmakers simply can not believe in the success of Team Liquid. Hence the odds around 2.6, as Liquid is also a grand and to give them a bigger figure is somehow not comical.
Liquid's lag is easy to explain. They are a TOP team, but they are always behind the Gladiators.
Liquid didn't lose a single match at DPC 2023: WEU Division 1 Tour 1, and then took the top 2 at The Lima Major 2023 while playing with substitutes. More than decent.
The second round of the DPC was as similar to the previous round as possible. Liquid again took the Top 1, but now with only one loss in the table. On the international stage, Liquid shone again, but were still overshadowed by Gaimin Gladiators, who took their second Major a Champions Cup of the season.
In their third season, Liquid were no longer able to cement their supremacy. "Liquid" fell to the fourth place, but it was good enough to pass at Bali Major 2023, which in the case of the past at The International 2023 Team Liquid does not play any role.
- Liquid lineup: miCKe, Nisha, zai, Boxi, Insania .
After the disappointing result at DreamLeague Season 20, where Team Liquid fell out of the first group stage, there was a feeling that Bali Major 2023 will be held for "Liquid" on miCKe notes. However, Liquid decided to switch on and play to the fullest.
And they almost succeeded: they took the top 2, losing in the grand final to Gaimin Glaidators! Again. Third time at a Major tournament in a year.
Riyadh Masters 2023 Team Liquid started at the Play-In stage, as they surprisingly didn't collect enough ESL ranking points. They finished the Play-In with a 3-1-1 score and second place in Basket A, and then played the group stage with a 3-3-1 statistic, advancing to the top set of play-offs.
Team Liquid's most popular heroes
Team Liquid has Crystal Maiden in the top picks with 7 games and 6 wins.
In addition to Crystal Maiden, Doom (4 matches, 100% wins), Sven (4 matches, 75% wins), Skywrath Mage (4 matches, 75% wins) are the picks.
Rubick (4 matches, 25% wins), Void Spirit (3 matches, 100% wins) appear in spades, Underlord, Pangolier, Storm Spirit have 3 matches each and all have 2 wins.
History of head-to-head matches
The teams have a lot of experience in head-to-head matches. They played in all Major finals, and Gaimin Gladiators always won. And then there was DreamLeague Season 19, where Liquid lost the final again, as well as DPC, where Liquid won almost the only time in a year.
The outcome of the match
The most logical option in this match would be to bet on Gaimin Gladiators. They are literally kryptonite for Liquid. "Liquid just can't outplay them, as miCKe himself said.
However, I have a feeling that this is the matchup where Liquid will still take the upper hand. It's a huge risk, of course, but it's a gut feeling, what can you do.
Outcome: Liquid win (risk).
