ptkovsky
Team Aster has once again won over their rivals Vici Gaming with the 3:1 score in the grand finals of the i‑League 2021 Season 2.
The second season of the Chinese Dota 2 league was held in a hybrid format and was played during August-September 2021, with seven invited teams participating.
Prize distribution at i‑League 2021 Season 2:
- 1st: Team Aster — $66,582;
- 2nd: Vici Gaming — $46,452;
- 3rd: Invictus Gaming — $30,968;
- 4th: Elephant — $18,581;
- 5-6th: Team MagMa — $9,290;
- 5-6th: Royal Never Give Up — $9,290;
- 7th: Aster.Aries — $4,465.
All matches in the playoffs of this Dota 2 tournament, hosted by Shanghai-based ImbaTV, were best of three series, and the final game was Bo5.
Team Aster secured first place during the group stage. They ended up victorious in five matches and lost only one time. VG started the playoffs from the quarterfinals.
In the end, Vici Gaming took home $46,452 for placing second.
Instead, winners — the Chinese Dota 2 organization, created by the legendary carry player Xu “BurNIng” Zhilei, took home the prize of $66,582.
BurNIng
As the organization’s founder, BurNIng is considered one of the most popular players in China, and has a huge fan base all over the world. He started his professional career playing DotA Allstars in 2008.
His best career result was placing 5-6th with Invictus Gaming at The International 2017 in August, winning $1,110,956.
He also took 3-4th place and the $250,000 prize at The Kiev Major 2017 in April, losing to Virtus.pro 0:2 in the semifinals of the Ukrainian tournament.
BurNIng finally placed first earlier in the same month at Dota 2 Asia Championships 2017, where his team convincingly won 3:0 against OG and earned $244,798.
The 33-year-old player recently casted ONE Esports Singapore Major 2021 as a non-studio commentator and also worked as an analyst at The International 2019.
LaNm
The other famous old-school personality, who is still active as a support player and coach for Team Aster, is Zhang “LaNm” Zhicheng.
The 31-year-old has managed to win more than $1,400,000 in prize money during his professional career. Zhicheng started playing Dota 2 with EHOME in 2011.
He placed second at The International 2011, losing to Na’Vi team 1:3 in the finals, and earning a $250,000 prize.
One of his best results was placing 5-6th and taking away $1,197,925 at The International 2015, when his team EHOME lost to no one else but Vici Gaming — 0:2 in the lower bracket.
It is interesting that LaNm played for the rivalry Vici Gaming team during the 2017-2018 season, participating at The International 2018.
Team Aster’s performance
Team Aster managed to win the first season of the league too, the i-League 2021 Season 1, with a 3:0 score against the same old opponent — Vici Gaming, taking away $93,000 of prize money.
The team also recently won another tier 2 tournament, StarLadder ImbaTV Dota 2 Minor Season 3 3:1 over Alliance in the final match, grabbing $72,000.