"The underdog wins TI way more often than the favorite going in": Tundra Esports Aui_2000 discusses standing-in, Dota 2 Patch 7.34, and more

As Dota 2 fans around the world gear up for the upcoming Regional Qualifiers to determine who makes it to The International 2023, I had the opportunity to talk with Aui_2000, the iconic Tundra Esports coach. Being the only one to have won the Aegis of the Champions both as a coach and player, the man needs no introduction.

I picked his brain about his time as a stand-in in Bali Major 2023 and Riyadh Masters 2023, about the latest patch 7.34, the upcoming TI, and more.

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Aui_2000 on standing in, Gaimin Gladiators, Dota 2 patch 7.34, and more

Tundra Esports is the TI 2022 champion (Image via Dota 2)

Q: Having played in both Bali Major 2023 and the recently concluded Riyadh Masters 2023, what was the experience like standing in as a player? Did you feel rusty at all? How did your perspective as a coach influence your plays?

Aui_2000: The experience of standing in as a player was very nostalgic for me. I think my team made it very easy and unstressful otherwise, I could have seen it being a negative experience.

I was very rusty for the Bali major, which hurt my performance a lot. For Riyadh, I played a bit more during our bootcamp before, but the setup at the tournament itself didn’t allow the coach to play any games before the tournament, so I was still out of practice.

I think during both tournaments, my performance was improving a lot as the tournament went on. My perspective as a coach made it very easy for me to slot into the team.

It felt really easy to support calls and the players in-game, and it was a lot easier for me to recognize macro errors in terms of communication and morale compared to when I played.

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Q: While the results were not all positive, what was your favorite play from either of the tournament?

Aui_2000: My favorite was definitely when TSM ran four heroes into my blackhole, and then a fifth joined during it.

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Q: Ever since their historic win back at The International 2022, Tundra Esports has struggled to emulate a similar performance throughout this DPC season. Why do you think that is?

Aui_2000: I think it’s pretty hard to emulate our TI performance into a longer timeframe, and we struggled with some burnout issues. Our performance going into Bali and Riyadh would have been similar to TI11 without outside factors.

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Q: Gaimin Gladiators dominance has been emphatic, with the team winning almost everything this season had to offer and knocking Tundra out in Riyadh Masters. What is your opinion regarding their form and sustained success?

Aui_2000: I think that Gaimin Gladiators are very mentally stable, and it allows them to perform well under pressure and be consistent. They have very nice ideas about playing the map and draft, which also helps.

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Q: Patch 7.34 is finally out, and there are quite a few things for the average Dota 2 player to wrap their heads around. What are your thoughts on the latest patch? Any tips on which heroes or items will shine the brightest over the next few months?

Aui_2000: I haven’t really formed a strong opinion about the recent patch. I think Vessel and Veil look strong.

For heroes, there look to be a lot of options, but I think people can sort of just check out win-rates on DOTABUFF or Protracker and see what heroes they like that have a high win rate.

Patch 7.34 is out (Image via Dota 2)

If there’s no B patch, I think Sandking, Riki, and Invoker are looking a bit imbalanced.

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Q: What do you think about the recent pick/ban changes in the Captains Mode Draft order? Do you find it to be better for meta-health?

Aui_2000: Honestly, I welcome the change, but I have no idea. The last draft order was a bit more solved, so I think we’ll have some new interesting ideas come out. So many early bans means that maybe low hero pool players can be targeted more.

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Q: The rumor wheel has been recently churning regarding Topson being a new inductee to the Tundra Esports Dota 2 roster. Anything you can say regarding the same?

Aui_2000: No comment.

(Topson has been officially announced as part of the Tundra Esports roster on September 7, 2023).

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Q: Dota 2 recently celebrated its 10-year anniversary. Given your storied career, can you share a few insights into how you feel the game has evolved over the past decade?

Aui_2000: I think, in general, the game has and continues to become better and more accessible without hurting the core principles that make it so fun. I’m very grateful for how this game has progressed over time.

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Q: Winning Dota 2 TI 2022 etched your name in the annals of Dota 2 history as the only one to have won the crown both as a player and as a coach. What would you say are a few of the most memorable moments (apart from the two Dota 2 TI wins) and regrets of your career looking back?

Aui_2000: My favorite tournament win has always been MLG Columbus with Speed Gaming because of the circumstances and storyline that went into that win. I don’t think I truly regret many things throughout my career because I’ve learned a lot from every mistake I’ve made over the years.

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Q: Having been in the Dota 2 trenches for so long, what would your advice be to any new player looking to get into the competitive scene?

Aui_2000: If you want to become a competitive player, I think it’s very important to develop a good learning model and use that to push consistent improvement. From there, you have to climb high on the leaderboards to make a name for yourself.

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Q: TI is finally returning to Seattle, and with all the changes Valve is introducing, the hype is through the roof. How is Tundra Esports preparing for their title defense in the upcoming The International? Which other teams do you think will have a significant run at the tournament?

It's Seattle in October 2023 (Image via Dota 2)

Aui_2000: We will be having an extended bootcamp both in Europe and NA to prepare for TI. I think Gladiators, Liquid, BetBoom, and Spirit are looking very strong right now, but honestly, I feel like anything can happen at TI. I feel like the underdog wins TI way more often than the favorite going in.