The first elimination of The International 2019 has been decided.
European qualifier winner Chaos Esports Club is mathematically guaranteed to be eliminated from the group stage. The team’s current record is 2-12.
Chaos Esports Club entered TI9 as an intriguing dark horse. Formed shortly before the start of the qualifiers, the team brought together a number of respected European veterans including Rasmus “MISERY” Filipsen and Lasse Aukusti “MATUMBAMAN” Urpalainen. The squad looked shaky in the European qualifiers, but stood as a team that could gel into a solid contender.
That did not come to pass.
The team started off TI9 with a rocky 1-5 day one, where it was run over by PSG.LGD and lost a grudge match with Team Liquid. Their rough day one was redeemed to some degree when they split their series with Alliance 1-1, but things did not improve with time.
While there was some hope for Chaos as they moved past two of the assumed best teams in their group, an 0-2 series against Mineski on day two suggested that their ceiling at the event was significantly lower than some were expecting. Day three saw those struggles surface again, as they lost 0-2 series to Keen Gaming and Newbee. Their only win of the day came over TNC Predator.
Three points behind eighth-place Keen Gaming, Chaos has no way to sneak their way on-stage. They will be forced to play against Team Secret on day four of the group stage in a stakes-free series, as Secret has already assured its spot in the upper bracket.
The outcome is no doubt a disappointing one for the players, but also stands as a rough turn of events for the Chaos Esports Club.
Formerly known as Digital Chaos, the brand made a shock run to the grand finals of The International 2016. Its roster largely stuck together for the following season, but split off from the organization under mysterious circumstances in the months that followed.
Digital Chaos bounced in and out of the Dota 2 scene in 2017 and 2018, most notably qualifying for The International 2017 with a new roster captained by Sam “BuLba” Sosale. The organization left the Dota 2 scene entirely after witnessing its Stanley “Stan King” Yang-led North American squad and short-lived South American Digital Chaos.SA teams disband just weeks after forming.
The organization returned to Dota 2 in 2019 by signing the former PaiN Gaming team. While it planned to use that squad as a way to establish a foothold in South America, struggles both in and out of the game resulted in the organization releasing most of its players and starting over in Europe.
Odds are that the current Chaos Esports Club will dissolve in the days following The International 2019. Where the players land, and whether Chaos will stick around in Dota 2, remains to be seen.
