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“It can be called “Gamer” but for me, It’s something different. One way to forget about pain is to do something you’ll be in completely. So, Computer games.” – Danil “Dendi” Ishutin
There are many Dota2 professionals who have a huge fan following or won multiple titles but when it comes to the face of Dota or the legend of the legends, there is only one name – Dendi.
From winning the very first The International to game-breaking plays he has done it all. Dendi is one of those players who came from Dota1 and instantly made a name for themselves in the Dota2 scene from the very beginning. Even around that time when there were players like Burning-, Kuroky, Puppey were dominating the scene, Dendi became the legend, one of a kind and the face of Dota.
From a regular impatient kid with an ever smiling face who entered the scene recently, he became a mature, composed player, arguably the Greatest Of All Time. Every E-sports player has their ups and downs throughout their career but a very few managed to make a name for themselves that will be acknowledged even after their time, those who managed to did that became a legend.
Dendi is one of those players who came very early, who were there since the beginning and paved the path for others. He did not only just came and won but he inspired people. Players like Dendi, Fear they inspired people to join the scene. They showed the world that yes you can make a career in gaming, you can become a brand, a legend. Dendi is not only a legend but also the most celebrated player of all time. He did not only inspired the fans, he inspired many who are playing as a professional at present. He showed the world the endless possibilities of Dota, he taught things to his fellow teammates and others. Regardless of his present form he is still a legend and respected by every single professional player.
Dendi did not only just play the game or inspired people, he created magic. Let’s take a look at some of the finest moments of Dota and Dendi.
# Dendi and Enigma
The International 1 Grand Final. Na’Vi vs EHOME. Needless to say, Ehome was probably the most feared and most successful Chinese team of that time. The discipline, they play, the coordination of everything just scared their opponents. Ehome entered the tournament as the favorite to lift the Aegis. They met Na’Vi on the Grand Final and managed to win the first game of the series. It was 1-1. Most of the players and fans predicted Ehome to win the game and the tournament. Na’Vi picked Enigma to have a better team fight. After the Heroes were assigned to players they figured that the only hero left for Dendi is Enigma and he had never played it before. In a tournament, it’s a suicide and when it comes to the Grand Final of The International and you are playing against Ehome, picking a hero that you have never played before is same as calling GG before the game even starts.
“Navi lost the game now they are playing with something they are not confident with. Ehome figured out how to play against Na’Vi, they figured out how to win against them so I’ll stick to my word and say Ehome will win it” – Synderen.
“That’s very very stupid. That’s suicidal.” – Zou Yitian, Professional gamer, Ehome.
The game for Na’Vi started very passively. Really really passive. Dendi kept getting caught out and as a result, end up dead. Ehome was in a commanding position. But then something happened, Ehome caught Na’vi beside the Roshan Pit or I should say Dendi caught Ehome. As Puppey describes, “They were not ready for Dendi Enigma. It was a patient Engima, that was the most patient Enigma in the world.” As Artstyle hits Ehome with Ravage Dendi Blinks in and catches Ehome in his black hole. Ehome lost the gank and now Na’Vi was in the commanding position. Few more black holes and game was over. Na’Vi won the game.
That transition was legendary, Playing a hero for the first time under that pressure and even after getting killed so many times he managed to come back. As Puppey said, “He was scared to lose and that's why this time he was patient and he did everything right.” Ehome called GG and Na'Vi won the game.
# Dendi and the Million Dollar Dream Coil
After Na’Vi managed to win the Game 2 against Ehome it was 2-1 and Na’Vi was one win away from winning the title.
Na’Vi was inside Roshan Pit all 5 trying to slay Roshan while Ehome decided to rotate and catch Na’Vi off guard. What they were not ready for, was Dendi. Dendi jumped out on Ehome alone catching the whole team off Ehome in his Dream Coil. As rest of the Na’Vi joined the battle and wiped Ehome out of the face of the earth. Dendi with his ultra kill demolished Ehome chasing them to their tier 4 tower slaughtering every single enemy as Ehome called GG and the history was made. Na’Vi won the first ever The International.
# The Play
What can I say about the play that has not been already said? The International 2012, Na’Vi met Invictus gaming in their upper bracket match in game 2. Na’Vi were in control of the game, as Na’Vi grouped up to take down the Tier2 of the bot lane Invictus Gaming saw the opportunity to catch Na’Vi off guard. They smoked up and rotated through the river to catch Na’Vi from the behind.
Naga siren caught Na’Vi with her ultimate as IG’s tidehunter ravaged the team Na’Vi. LightofHeaven managed to pop up his BKB landing a 4 man blackhole on the grouped up IG. At the same moment, Dendi managed to use force staff and get out of IG’s attack as he stole the Ravage and returned it on team IG caught inside the Blackhole demolishing team IG with a team wipe. Na’Vi did not only won the game but the series as well. The Play from TI2 is one of the iconic moments in the history od Dota2.
# Fountain Hooks
Tongfu met Na’Vi in the upper bracket Semi-Finals of The International. The series was 1-1 and this is was the final game of the series. Na’Vi picked Pudge and Chen planning the crush Tongfu early in the game. But for some reason, their strategy did not work out. Tongfu was winning ganks after ganks and was in a commanding position already.
“At this point of the game, there is nothing that can change the game” – Loda.
When Tongfu came to push the bottom tier 2 tower of Na’Vi there was something they did not expect. Fountain Hook. Chen’s teleport and Pudge’s meat hook together creates a synergy of spells that hooks the enemy back to the fountain, needless to say, it’s a secured kill. There is no way to survive that. Whenever they saw an enemy Puppey would teleport Dendi to base while Dendi would try to hook an enemy. Fountain hooks after fountain hooks after fountain hooks and the game started to change in Na’Vis favor. Gyrocopter got the Aegis, the game should be very simple. You take Aegis, you push, you fight and you win the game. But then there was Fountain Hooks, a player with an Aegis got removed from the game in a matter of seconds.
As N0tail said, “In a game like that Gyrocopter probably would have won the game, probably he would have never gotten hooked, probably probably probably, Dota is like life, Sh*t happens and you gotta deal with it.”
Na’Vi ends up winning the game and the series. Fountain hook became an iconic legend in the history of dota. A lot of people said it was against the rule, unfair or game breaking but in the end, it just shows the world that there are ways like this to win a game, something that has never done before in the history of Dota, something that nobody tried. Dendi and Puppey did and they won the series. The fountain Hook is not only one of the most important plays of Dendi’s career it is one of the most famous and iconic moments of Dota2.
Let us know which one is your favorite moment in the comments.
