Sometimes, a team doesn't go out of an open qualifier with a bang or even a whimper.
Sometimes, it's because the team's carry has to go take a college final.
This dire situation is what led to one of the fastest "GG" calls in Dota 2 history. This all happened during the American open qualifiers for the upcoming Manila Major. It might seem like the skill gap between the Vegetable Esports Club and Team Watermelon Delight was inherently unbalanced in this blazing six-minute match, but there's some interesting insight into why this game went horribly wrong for the WD hopefuls.
The Manila Major open qualifiers, currently ongoing, follows a best of one format up until the quarterfinals, so it isn't strange to see certain combinations and drafts that try to catch teams off guard in order to secure the win. It happens so often in esports, actually, that players often refer to them as "cheese strats" -- cheesy tactics that often result in immediate victory or failure, much like a four-move checkmate in chess.
During the draft, WD picks up an interesting combination of Luna, Vengeful Spirit, Nature's Prophet, Dazzle, and Abbadon. It's a little odd, as there's no clear mid lane player, and three supports (or three carries). What do they all have in common? Damage auras, armor reduction, healing, and minions that can tank extra hits. This is a team designed to take Roshan at level one.
Roshan, the massive beast that dwells in a river-side cave, gives a great deal of gold and experience when killed, as well as granting an Aegis of the Immortal, which revives the holder immediately if they die while carrying it. It's a huge boon, so much so that WD planned to take it before the horn blew -- and then use the resulting advantage to snowball to victory.
Veggie is no newcomer, though. Of all the teams WD could have faced, it chose to run a level one Roshan strategy against a team made up of Dota 2 casters and analysts. Ben "Merlini" Wu, the carry for Veggie and a talented draft analyst, instantly picked up on this and rushed in to put a stop to it, with the help of his two supports and mid player.
Although there were trades in kills, WD's plan was in ruins, and the team only had only one choice left: charge down the middle lane with reckless abandon, in hopes of forcing an early barracks push and an early "GG." Despite being unable to secure an early advantage, the team still had a lineup effective at taking early tower objectives. Between Luna's aura, Vengeful Spirit's armor-reducing Wave of Terror, and a host of treants being spawned by Nature's Prophet, it would be easy to take towers and push the way to a win.
Veggie's seasoned players once again adapted, while Blitz's Shadow Fiend cleared waves, Austin "Capitalist" Walsh's Tusk and Kevin "Purge" Godec's Witch Doctor ensured his safety and held back the steady assault. All the while, Ioannis "Fogged" Loucas and Merlini were content to farm top and bottom respectively, with Merlini having "the most relaxing laning phase of his life" according to the team's comms. Once WD had reached the Radiant team's high ground, Fogged simply rejoined the team with a fully equipped Batrider, ready to take an ultra kill on the under-leveled, under-farmed, and ill-prepared WD assault.
After Fogged launched into Firefly and ensured his team a massive gold lead, WD realized the insurmountable feat between the team and the Radiant Ancient. The team left a Naga Siren in a lane alone, free to farm up the core items she needed, and gave an ultra kill to one of the best initiators in the game, while losing wave after wave of gold and experience in the empty side lanes.
WD saw the writing on the wall and surrendered the match. According to its post-match chat, the quick win strategy was due to one of its players having a college final during the same time as the qualifier match. A sad way to end the team's run in the tournament, but quite an entertaining match to go out on.