Streams for the elimination segment of the TDSL Dota 1 league can be found here: http://tdsl.gamefy.cn/

Interestingly, this is a Dota 1 league sponsored by none other than… Tencent. The choice of Tencent to sponsor Dota is strange, but perhaps less strange if you consider the fact that it is Dota 1 and not Dota 2… Prize pool of nearly 10k USD for first place, with a few thousand more split between the next couple places. Also interestingly, the team with 820 and Nekomata (both former pros turned commentators) crashed out early on in the event, so 820’s competitive cameo return was short-lived, apparently.

A brief interview was done with 820, who had a team in the tournament, and is also the lead caster for the league.

Q: 820, hello, very happy that you are able to participate in this as a commentator. What led you to also participating as a player?
820: As a former professional Dota player, I still have a lot of love for this game. Even though I’ve transitioned into commentating, I’m still very passionate about the game, so I put my name in for the competition.

Q: Regarding version 6.79b, what strategies do you feel are more flexible, and are stronger in pubs?
820: This version has changed a lot of heroes, causing heroes that formerly had no chance of being used seriously to emerge left and right, such as Venomancer, Clinkz, Bristleback, etc. Lots of strategies still remain to be developed.

Q: There are fewer and fewer Dota 1 events nowadays, how long do you think Dota 1 can continue on, and why?
820: This is a very normal thing, after all Dota 1 was popular for so many years, so its fading away now isn’t unexpected. But there are still many people playing it right now.

Q: This event will be played on the Tencent matchmaking platform. You’ve also used this platform before, what do you think of it?
820: A pretty good software, lots of functions have optimized the small details, allowing the whole experience to be more streamlined. I hope they can continue to improve on it.

Q: Because you have a team participating, you became favorites for the event. PIS (YaphetS) and his friends are also participating, what do you think of this old adversary of yours?
820: PIS is a very good player, and he’s been doing vods and practicing all along so I believe that he will be a threat to us.

Q: What do you do in your spare time outside of Dota?
820: Watch some shows and make some vods.

Q: If you were given another chance to play professionally right now, would you choose to do so? Why?
820: I think probably not, because I’ve already experienced life as a professional player, so if I was given the chance again, I would probably choose to go do something I haven’t done before.

Q: Anything to say to those fans that still stick with Dota 1?
820: There is no Dota without friends.

Sources: http://www.gamefy.cn/nview.php?id=362&class_id=51 – http://tdsl.gamefy.cn/ – http://www.gamefy.cn/nview.php?id=393&class_id=51