Alliance edged NAVI 3–2 in The International 2013 final

Alliance defeated Natus Vincere 3–2 in The International 2013 grand final on August 11 in Seattle. It was the first TI final to reach a fifth game and ended with one of Dota 2’s most replayed strategic moments.

Road to the final

Alliance dominated the group stage and stayed in the upper bracket, beating LGD, Team DK and NAVI. NAVI dropped to the lower bracket, eliminated Orange and earned an immediate rematch. Alliance’s signature split push met a team with unmatched experience in the tournament’s biggest series.

Alliance vs NAVI TI 2013 final: map-by-map recap

The teams traded the first four games, producing sharp swings rather than one steady narrative. In game five, NAVI tried to teleport home and defend its exposed base after forcing Alliance away from Roshan. S4’s Puck used Dream Coil to interrupt the retreat, buying enough time for Alliance to destroy the Ancient.

The decisive pattern

The famous coil worked because Alliance had already stretched the map. AdmiralBulldog’s Nature’s Prophet and the team’s objective pressure made every rotation expensive. NAVI’s decision to contest Roshan was understandable, but the escape required uninterrupted teleports. S4 recognized the exact point where one control spell could convert strategic pressure into the championship.

Why the result still matters

The final established Alliance as TI champions and crystallized split pushing as a complete competitive identity rather than a side tactic. It also gave Dota 2 the “Million-Dollar Dream Coil,” a moment whose fame rests on map state and timing, not only mechanical difficulty.

Dates, scores, placements and prize information were checked against published tournament records. Tactical conclusions describe the recorded games and are not presented as quotations from players or coaches.

Sources: primary release notes or official records. Factual claims were checked against these records; interpretation is our own.

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