Thoughts on TI3 Groups

With the play-in game and solo championships taking place tomorrow, Valve has announced the groups for the preliminary rounds of TI3.

Team Dignitas will be playing with:
Fnatic
DK
mouz
iNv.MUFC
Zenith
LGD
Na'vi

This is fantastic news for Team Dignitas, as they dodge Alliance, and iG.  A top 4 finish in the group stages puts Team Dignitas into what I call the money rounds.  In other words, Valve has decided that even though this is a record amount of prize money, it will only be split 8 ways.  The bottom 8 teams leave with nothing but fond memories, while the remaining 8 teams duke it out for $2.7 million.

Here's how that money will be split:
1st place: ~$1,360,000
2nd place: ~$600,000
3rd place: ~$272,000
4th place: ~$190,000
6-5th place: ~$110,000
8-7th place: ~$41,000

All numbers are approximate, as compendiums are still being sold. 

I'm not sure why Valve decided to award only half of the teams they invited to TI3, but it is their decision to make.  This should lead to some interesting games, however.  In my opinion, I think you'll see the teams who feel like they might not make it to the final eight will use all of their crazy strategies during the preliminaries in an attempt to secure themselves at least $40,000 in cash.

Meanwhile, I think you'll see teams that feel like they will make it to the final eight will instead employ vanilla strategies in an attempt to save their tricks for the money round.  It should lead to some very interesting early tournament matches.  You won't want to miss these!

Here's a cuddly Bloodseeker background to help get you through the night.