Biggest tournaments
The International
Highlight of the year in Dota 2 is always The International. Most of its prize pool is crowdfunded and increases each year. 2018 saw a combined prize pool of over 25 million dollar. Team Liquid took home 10.8 million dollars as the winners, with each member becoming a millionaire. Winners also earn the Aegis, a prestigious trophy. The International is always held in July or August in Seattle.
The International has a famous streak of Western and Eastern teams alternating the championship. Since 2011, Na’Vi (West), Invictus Gaming (East), Alliance (West), Newbee (East), EG (West), Wings (East) and Team Liquid (West) won. Watch the Eastern teams next year to win it!
Majors
Leading up to The International is a multitude of tournaments. The biggest are called “Majors” and give out qualification points for The International. The 2017/2018 season had 11 Majors, hosted by third parties. Most notable are ESL One and Epicenter. The top teams are automatically invited to the Majors, other teams need to qualify in their region. Team Virtus.pro typically does well at these Majors.
ESL One
ESL typically hosts two or three ESL One tournaments throughout the year. The dates and locations vary. This year all ESL One tournaments are Majors.
Epicenter
Prestigious yearly tournament held in Moscow. Epicenter is one of the Majors in 2019. The event also features a CS:GO tournament.
WESG
The World Electronic Sport Games is yearly Olympics-like tournament featuring many games. Teams have to be formed by nationality and represent their country. The event also features CS:GO, Hearthstone and StarCraft 2.
DreamLeague
DreamLeague is a league organized by DreamHack. Most of its games are played online in regional Round Robin groups, with live finals. As of yet, DreamLeague Season 8 is confirmed as a Major.
StarLadder
StarLadder is of of the oldest tournament series in Dota 2, going back to 2011. Na’Vi are the StarLadder kings, winning 7 times. StarLadder is being held in Kiev, Ukraine.
Mars Dota 2 League
The premier Chinese tournament series and in 2018 also Majors. Mars also hosts the Dota 2 Professional League, a league for Chinese teams.
The Summit
An invitational based on popularity. The Summit brings a relaxed and lighthearted atmosphere in a bootcamp-like environment. That being said, the competition in the tournament is still high level.