Pumpkin Spice Latte Pops Recipe

Pumpkin Spice Latte season is almost here and we are getting a head start with these popsicles. They taste just like a frozen PSL and we couldn't love them more. The perfect way to get your caffeine fix!  

Ingredients:

1 (15-oz.) can pumpkin pureé

1 c. cold coffee

3/4 c. heavy cream

3 tbsp. honey 

1 tsp. pumpkin spice

Directions:

*In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin, coffee, cream, honey, and pumpkin spice.

*Pour into popsicle molds. Place lid on and insert popsicle sticks.

*Freeze until solid, at least 4 hours.

*To unmold, quickly run under warm water.

Pumpkin Soup Recipe

Pumpkin soup in the fall is something that never gets old. It's healthy, super creamy, and keeps you cozy. You can use various winter squashes to make this soup but our top two favorite types are sugar pumpkins and kabocha squash, with calabaza and butternut squashes as runner-ups. Some squashes will take longer than others to cook, so be sure to keep the simmer going until the squash is completely softened and fork-tender for the creamiest soup texture. We use a little heavy cream in our version for extra richness, but if you want to skip the dairy, you can totally sub coconut milk. If you want to make it vegetarian, a simple swap for vegetable broth will do the trick. We also keep the seasoning to a minimum in this recipe, but don't let us stop you from adding some of your favorite herbs and spices: pumpkin plays really well with both sweet spices and savory herbs.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1 large onion, coarsely chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

4 lb. pumpkin (any kind but preferably sugar pie)

4 c. low-sodium chicken broth

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1/2 c. heavy cream, plus more for garnish

Directions:

*In a heavy soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, heat oil. Add onion and garlic and cook until golden.

*Meanwhile, halve, peel, and scrape out seeds of the pumpkin. Cut into chunks.

*Add pumpkin chunks and broth to pot. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, uncovered, then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer until pumpkin is fork-tender, about 30 minutes.

*Remove pot from heat and, using an immersion blender, blend mixture until smooth. (Alternatively, let soup cool, then blend in a blender.) Stir in cream and season to taste.

*To serve, ladle soup into bowls, add a swirl of cream, and garnish with pepper.

Pumpkin Chiffon Pie Recipe

Sure, homemade pumpkin pie is a Thanksgiving classic. But let us make our case for the under-appreciated fancy cousin of pumpkin pie, Pumpkin Chiffon Pie. Impossibly light and fluffy, the filling is made by folding meringue into a pumpkin curd-esque mixture for a slice that truly is light as a feather. With this at your Thanksgiving table, we doubt anyone would miss the classic.

Ingredients:

1 pie crust

3/4 c. granulated sugar

1 envelope unflavored gelatin

1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice, plus more for garnish

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1 (15-oz) can pumpkin puree

3 egg yolks

1/2 c. whole milk

3 egg whites

1/4 tsp. cream of tartar

Whipped cream, for serving

Directions:

*Preheat oven to 400°. Lightly grease a 9” pie dish with cooking spray.

*On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough into a 12” circle. Drape over pie dish and gently press to fit (don’t stretch). Prick bottom with a fork, trim edge to 1”, tuck overhang under itself, and crimp the edges. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes or freezer for 10 minutes.

*Line crust with parchment paper and fill with dried beans or pie weights. Blind bake until edges are lightly golden, 18 to 20 minutes, then remove parchment and weights and bake 10 to 15 minutes more, until golden and fully baked. Let cool completely.

*Whisk to combine 1/2 cup sugar, gelatin, pumpkin pie spice, and salt in a medium sauce pan.

*In a medium bowl, whisk to combine pumpkin, egg yolks, and milk. Whisk until smooth, then pour into sauce pan and whisk to combine with sugar mixture.

*Place saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is hot and small bubbles are starting to form around the edges. Remove from heat, transfer to a large bowl, and cool to room temperature.

*In a large bowl, combine egg whites and cream of tartar. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Add sugar a tablespoon at a time until all is used, and beat again until stiff peaks form.

*Transfer 1/4 of the whipped egg whites to the bowl with the cooled pumpkin mixture. Gently fold to combine, then add remaining whipped egg whites and fold to combine. Pour mixture into cooled pie shell and smooth top. Refrigerate at least 4 hours, up to overnight, before serving. Slice and top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of pumpkin spice.

Candied Sweet Potatoes Recipe

These easy candied sweet potatoes make the perfect Thanksgiving side to go alongside your Thanksgiving turkey and creamy green bean casserole. But they're also too good to only have once a year. They pair perfectly with roast chicken, pot roast, or prime rib, too! Trust us, with a brown sugar, apple cider and bourbon glaze, these are the best candied sweet potatoes you'll EVER make. Everyone should know how to make them.

Ingredients:

6 tbsp. butter, plus more room temperature for baking dish

3 lb. sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch rounds

2/3 c. packed dark brown sugar

1/4 c. apple cider

3 tbsp. bourbon, optional

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

*Preheat oven to 400°. Brush a medium baking dish with butter.

*In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium. Whisk in the brown sugar, apple cider, bourbon if using, and cinnamon. Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium and simmer until thickened slightly, about 2 minutes.

*Layer potatoes in prepared baking dish, seasoning with salt and pepper, and pour warm syrup over top. Cover dish with foil and bake 30 minutes.

*Remove foil, stir, and continue to bake until sweet potatoes are tender and coated in sauce, about TK 40 minutes more.

Jalapeño Popper Cornbread Recipe

We love corn bread. We love jalapeño . So why not combine the two? This easy and delicious cornbread is loaded with all the essentials: bacon, cheddar, jalapeños, and plenty of corn flavor courtesy of yellow cornmeal. Try it with a big pat of butter or alongside a big bowl of beef chili.

Ingredients:

5 slices thick-cut bacon

Nonstick cooking spray

1 1/2 c. yellow cornmeal

3/4 c. all-purpose flour 

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. kosher salt

1 1/2 c. whole milk 

2 large eggs

2 1/2 tbsp. maple syrup

1 large jalapeño, minced

3/4 c. shredded Cheddar

1 green onion, thinly sliced (white and light green parts only)

Directions:

*Preheat oven to 400°. In a 8" skillet over medium-low heat, arrange bacon slices in an even layer, cutting to fit if necessary. Cook, flipping halfway through cooking, until bacon is mostly crisp and has released most of its fat, 8 minutes in total.

*Drain bacon on a paper towel lined plate and transfer bacon fat to a small bowl (Don’t toss it out!). Wipe skillet clean and grease with nonstick cooking spray. Add cooked bacon back to skillet in a single layer.

*In a large bowl whisk together cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

*In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, maple syrup, and one tablespoon reserved bacon fat. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir with a fork until just incorporated. Add jalapeño, cheddar, and green onion and stir until just combined.

*Transfer batter to skillet with bacon and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes.

*Let cool 15 minutes, then turn out onto a serving dish.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Sandwich Recipe

Just because pumpkin spice has started taking over sooner and sooner doesn't mean you have to give up summer. Our famous pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are the perfect way to ease into pumpkin season by turning them into ice cream sandwiches. Pick your favorite ice cream and your favorite topping for a perfect anytime treat. We chose vanilla, cinnamon, and coffee ice cream for ours because we just couldn't choose!

Ingredients:

For the cookies:

2 1/2 c.   all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. pumpkin spice 

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1 c. (2 sticks) butter, softened

1 1/4 c. granulated sugar

1/2 c. pumpkin puree

1 large egg

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract 
2 c. chocolate chips 

For the filling:

1 1/2 qt. vanilla ice cream

1 tsp. cinnamon

2 pt. coffee ice cream

Mini chocolate chips 

Crushed gingersnaps

Directions:

*Preheat oven to 350° and line two large baking sheets with parchment. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, pumpkin spice, and salt.

*In a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat butter and sugar together. Add pumpkin puree, egg, and vanilla and beat until incorporated. Add dry ingredients and beat until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.

*Using a medium cookie scoop, scoop dough (about 1 ½ tablespoons) onto prepared pans about 2” apart.

*Bake until edges are golden, about 14 minutes. Let cool completely.

*Add about 2 cups vanilla ice cream to a medium bowl and stir in cinnamon.

*Using a medium cookie scoop, put a scoop of vanilla, coffee, or cinnamon ice cream onto half the cookies, then top with other half of cookies. Roll edges of cookies in mini chocolate chips or crushed gingersnaps, if desired.

*Freeze until solid, at least 2 hours and up to overnight. 

Best-Ever Brown Betty Recipe

So what is a brown betty exactly? Think of it like an apple crisp, but instead of flour and oat topping, bread crumbs are used! We've found that homemade bread crumbs are a MUST for this simple recipe—the varieties in shape and size give the dish a completely irresistible texture.

Ingredients:

5 large slices country bread, torn into large pieces

6 tbsp. melted butter

1 tbsp. granulated sugar
5 large apples, such as Granny Smith, peeled and sliced

Juice of ½ lemon

3/4 packed light brown sugar

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

Vanilla ice cream, for serving

Directions:

*Preheat oven to 375°. In the bowl of a food processor, process bread until coarse crumbs form. Transfer to a large baking sheet and spread into an even layer. Toast until golden, 5 to 7 minutes.

*When bread crumbs are toasted, transfer to a bowl and mix with melted butter and granulated sugar.

*Toss apples with lemon juice. In a separate medium bowl, stir to combine brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt.

*To assemble: add half the apples to the bottom of a large baking dish. Top with an even layer of 1/2 the brown sugar mixture and and 1/2 the bread crumbs. Repeat, using remaining ingredients, ending on bread crumbs.

*Cover dish with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove foil and bake until bread crumbs are golden and apples are tender, 8 to 10 minutes more. Serve hot with ice cream.

Pumpkin Pudding Recipe

We all love a good Snack Pack and miss the days of finding one in our lunchboxes. This easy hack for pumpkin pudding will take your right back to the good days and will satisfy every pumpkin spice latte craving you have. You can buy pumpkin pie spice or make your own with a simple mix of spices you likely already have. Either way, just don't skimp on the whipped cream!

Ingredients:

2 (3.4-oz.) package instant vanilla pudding mix
1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin puree
3 c. whole milk
1/4 c. packed brown sugar 
2 tps. pumpkin pie spice mix, plus more for garnish
Whipped topping, for garnish 

Directions:

*In a large bowl, whisk together pudding mix, pumpkin, milk, brown sugar, and pumpkin pie spice mix according to package directions. Let sit 5 minutes to thicken. 

*Spoon into 6 small cups. Refrigerate until well chilled and pudding is set, about 1 hour. 

*Top with whipped cream and sprinkle with more pumpkin pie spice mix. 

Pumpkin Fireball Cakes Recipe

Who doesn't love a good boozy dessert? These easy mini-trifles are perfect for a hungry crowd. That is, if you can hold off snacking on the cake before building them!
Looking for more Fireball recipes? This Fireball cake is an ode to our favorite cinnamon booze.  Made this recipe? Let us know how it went in the comment section below!

Ingredients:

For the cake

Cooking spray

2 c. all-purpose flour 

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. baking powder 

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 c. (1 stick) butter, softened

1 c. packed brown sugar

1/2 c. granulated sugar

4 large eggs

1 (15-oz.) can pumpkin puree

2 tbsp. Fireball whiskey

For whipped cream frosting

12 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 1/2 c. powdered sugar

3 3/4 c. cold heavy cream

1/4 c. Fireball whiskey

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

Pinch cayenne (optional)

Pinch kosher salt

Caramel, for drizzling

Fireball nips, for serving

Directions:

*Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 9”-x-13” baking pan with parchment and grease with cooking spray. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.

*In a large bowl using a hand mixer (or in the bowl of a stand mixer), beat butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add pumpkin puree and Fireball and beat until incorporated. Add dry ingredients and mix until just combined.

*Pour batter into prepared baking pan and smooth top. Bake until a toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean, 30 minutes. Let cool completely.

*Meanwhile, make whipped cream frosting: In a large mixing bowl using a hand mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Add in cream, Fireball, cinnamon, cayenne if using, and salt and beat until medium-stiff peaks form.

*When cake is cool, cut into 1" cubes. Place 3 pieces of cake in the bottom of each serving glass, top with a dollop of Fireball whipped cream, and drizzle with caramel. Repeat layering until glasses are full.

*Serve with a Fireball nip overturned in every serving. 

Canada shatter single-game record for three-pointers made

Kyle Wiltjer hit the most threes, making 7-of-9 from beyond the arc, while Cory Joseph and Phil Scrubb each nailed three triples. Kevin Pangos and Conor Morgan sank two three-pointers each, while Melvin Ejim, Kaza Kajami-Keane, Andrew Nembhard and Thomas Scrubb all notched the target from deep once. Canada were so efficient from long range, shooting at a 54.5% clip (24-of-44) for the game, that they had already made 19 triples - tying the previous mark - in just three quarters. The Canadians also hit a milestone in terms of playmaking as their 37 assists tied the World Cup all-time single-game record set by Serbia earlier in the tournament in their meeting with the Philippines.

Canada may be out of title contention at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019, but setting a new standard for three-point shooting is a distinction Team Canada can certainly be proud of as they close their World Cup campaign.Canada sank 24 three-pointers in their convincing win over Jordan to shatter the FIBA Basketball World Cup single-game three-point shooting record, previously held by Team USA. The Americans had set the record for the highest number of threes made in a single game in the 1994 World Cup , hitting 19 shots from deep on two occasions - against Puerto Rico in a 134-83 win and once more against Russia in a 111-94 victory. That was also the year FIBA started tracking all statistical categories per game. In today's 126-71 win over Jordan, coach Nick Nurse's wards made a conscious effort to locate the shooters, and his snipers did not disappoint.

USA rise above Greece to book fourth win

Team USA would not be denied their fourth straight win at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 after beating Greece, 69-53, in a low-scoring Second Round encounter at the Shenzhen Bay Sports Center. Greek superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo put up big numbers in this game, but it was the stifling defense of coach Gregg Popovich's squad that ultimately proved to be the difference. The Greeks were held to their lowest scoring output of the World Cup so far, and their prospects of advancing to the Quarter-Finals suffered because of it. Team USA had six players score 8 points or more, led by Kemba Walker's 15 points, while Antetokounmpo paced Hellas with a 15-point, 13-rebound double-double and Kostas Sloukas added 13 points.

 It was a tight game to start, with Team USA leading by just 2 points after the first 10 minutes, but the Americans outscored the Greeks 35-19 in the middle two periods to break the game open. Coach Thanasis Skourtopoulos's team would be able to trim the deficit to as low as 11 in the final quarter, but they were never able to mount a big enough run to seriously threaten the still unbeaten Americans. "It was a tough game. We congratulate the US team. They have too much intensity for 40 minutes. We tried to stop them with zone and matchup defense, but they are just too much. We missed a lot even with free-throws, too, so it's very difficult to beat a team like the US when we play like this." - Greece head coach Thanasis Skourtopoulos. "I think we tried to play our game, but we let them play their playing style. We let them have easy shots, and we lost offensive rebounds to them."

FIBA World Cup 2019:Spain and Serbia reach quarter-finals

Spain and Serbia booked their spots in the quarter-finals of the FIBA World Cup on Friday. Spain overcame Italy 67-60 and Serbia thrashed Puerto Rico 90-47 as they both guaranteed qualification from Group J. The two nations will battle it out for top spot when they meet in a mouth-watering clash in Wuhan on Sunday. Poland and Argentina also advanced with victories over Russia and Venezuela respectively. Hosts China scored a 77-73 win over South Korea in the classification round, while there were also triumphs for Nigeria, Iran and Tunisia. Spain were trailing 56-52 with four minutes to play against Italy, but Ricky Rubio helped lead a 10-0 run as Italy were put to the sword. The Phoenix Suns guard finished with 15 points, two assists and two steals, though he recorded seven turnovers – a joint-high for him in a World Cup game. Juancho Hernangomez had a game-high 16 points as Italy came up short and saw their hopes of reaching the last eight go up in smoke. Marc Gasol had just two points and four rebounds in his 27 minutes on the floor. A fourth win on the trot always looked likely for Serbia, who opened the scoring and never trailed against Puerto Rico. Five Serbia players reached double figures in points, while the towering Boban Marjanovic went seven-of-eight from the field for 16 points.

The European side out-rebounded their opponents 48-26 and used all 12 of their players in a routine victory. Nikola Jokic claimed a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Spain, ranked 2nd in the world behind world and Olympic champions the United States, was a different proposition for most of the 3rd quarter, but saw its initial decent advantage narrowed to just two points going into the 4th. The Italians, ranked 13th, were the underdogs but they refused to lie down and tied the game at 50-50 with a lay-up by Marco Belinelli of NBA team San Antonio Spurs. Italy streaked into a four-point lead with 4 minutes left, as the pressure cranked up another notch. But Spain and Ricky Rubio were not done, the Phoenix Suns guard getting the freedom of the court to edge ahead by two points once more. The 28-year-old was increasingly influential when he was needed most. He made two unerring free throws for a precious 60-56 lead, part of a game-winning 10-0 run for the Spaniards in the closing stages. Spain coach Scariolo pointedly refused to answer any questions about the match with Serbia. Jokic had 14 points and 10 rebounds, and made a sublime laser pass to cut open the Puerto Rico defense, as Serbia began the second-round group phase much as they finished the first. Sacramento Kings forward Nemanja Bjelica also impressed once more, drilling a leading 18 points. World and Olympic silver medalists Serbia has been in devastating form, comfortably winning all 4 matches in China and claiming the unofficial title of favorites from holders the United States. Denver Nuggets All-Star Nikola Jokic pulled the strings as formidable Serbia demolished Puerto Rico, 90-47, to likewise advance. Spain's low-scoring victory later in the day was enough to send the impressive Serbs through but the two countries will still play on Sunday in a mouthwatering match-up for supremacy of the group.

Emboldened Australia closes on another first at Fiba World Cup

Now the Boomers are eyeing another first, having never gone beyond the quarter-finals in 11 previous World Cup appearances. A historic win over the United States, then three victories in a row at the World Cup in China to top the “Group of Death” — Australian basketball is setting new landmarks for itself. “We speak about it a lot: in international basketball, you need the size, you need the beef, there’s big men playing this game,” said coach Andrej Lemanis after his team beat European heavyweights Lithuania 87-82 in a gritty encounter in Dongguan. Australia not only survived the “Group of Death” also including Canada and Senegal, but they also topped it. The hard-earned victory on Thursday — the game was tied with just under two minutes left — made it three wins in a row to start their World Cup, a first for the Boomers.

Putting the gloss on the evening, defeat for neighbors New Zealand against a Giannis Antetokounmpo-inspired Greece propelled Australia into the Tokyo 2020 Olympics as the best team in Oceania. They will be favorites to triumph over the Dominicans, who have the joint-shortest roster at the 32-team World Cup and were well-beaten 90-56 by France on Thursday. On Monday, with the quarter-finals in sight, Australia will face their toughest task yet in the form of France, who finished third at the 2014 World Cup. Next, San Antonio Spurs guard Patty Mills and the rest of the Boomers play surprise-package the Dominican Republic on Saturday in the second round. They are missing a couple of big players in Philadelphia 76er Jonah Bolden and his teammate Ben Simmons. But their roster still has a slew of NBA standouts and in the lead-up to the competition they ended the USA’s run of 78 consecutive wins in major competitions and exhibition games. But rather than being cowed by increasing expectations, the likes of Mills, the Utah Jazz’s Joe Ingles and seasoned veteran Andrew Bogut have flourished. The 98-94 victory in Melbourne was the Boomers’ first victory against the world and Olympic champions.

Lowkey Esports enter the SEA Dota 2 challenger

Southeast Asian Dota 2 has been thriving for many years now and we have seen multiple teams coming and going in the scene over the seasons – and now, there is a new roster on the cards filled with Philippine’s talent, Lowkey Esports.The full roster was confirmed only a few days ago via their Facebook page, but they had been slowly informing the public of it for a few days. As an organisation, Lowkey Esports have been around for some time in the gaming sphere, hosting teams in the likes of Overwatch and Rocket League, but now they have decided to step forth into the world of Dota 2 with a roster of some extremely well-known SEA players.

While we will have to wait some time to see this team fighting in the Dota 2 Pro Circuit, they are currently playing in a SEA tournament – the Lupon Invitationals, fighting against the likes of Neon Esports, Team Adroit and Execration. This event is currently underway and concludes over the weekend. It will be interesting to see if this new squad can challenge the likes of TNC, Fnatic and Mineski, amongst many others, for dominance of the Southeast Asian Dota 2 scene. Some of these players will be extremely well-known to those following the SEA scene, with the likes of Sam_H and Klo both having spent time at TNC Predator in 2015/16. Alongside this, all the players have a big history in Dota 2, with the captain, Flysolo having even played with the Malaysian Yap ‘xNova’ Jian Wei and TNC’s Armel Paul ‘Armel’ Tabios on Clutch Gamers for a very short time.

ONE Esports confirms the first two teams of their Dota2 tournament

The Singapore leg of the tournament will occur between December 17th and 22nd and the first two teams heading to this event have now been confirmed, being two of the biggest teams in the game; Team Secret and PSG.LGD.Back in July we had an announcement of a new Dota 2 tournament coming up in Singapore and Jakarta, the ONE Esports Dota 2 Invitational. While there has not been any news from this for some time, now two massive teams have been confirmed for the event. The event was said to be played over two separate legs; one taking place in December of 2019 and the other in April of 2020 – with both featuring 12 of the best Dota 2 teams from around the world and both boasting a prize pool of $500,000. The event will take place at the Singapore Indoor Stadium with the format and talent for the event still to be announced soon.

Both Secret and LGD had high place finishes at the recent TI9, finishing in 4th and 3rd place respectively and both always showcase some of the best Dota 2 in the world – which will now be coming to Singapore, along with what is certain to be many more amazing teams. The ONE Dota 2 Singapore World Pro Invitational will showcase the world’s best Dota 2 talent, and we are pleased to confirm the attendance of PSG.LGD and Team Secret at our event. We will announce more teams soon and look forward to giving fans the best Dota 2 experience this December. The Main Event of the tournament will be open to the public, with ticket sales hopefully opening soon for those who want to attend. While there is still some time until the tournament kicks off, we will keep you informed on all information about the event, including which other world class teams join in the mix. With Dota 2 thriving in the Southeast Asia region, the ONE Esports Dota 2 Singapore World Invitational as well as the Jakarta leg of the event are sure to be absolutely massive.

Dota 2 New patch Update 7.22g released!!

Patch 7.22g is a few buffs and a lot of nerfs based on what was seen at TI9. The three heroes who weren’t picked at TI9 – Clockwerk, Keeper of the Light and Ursa have received new ammo to flex their muscles. The heroes that made the headlines in Shanghai have been nerfed to ensure we don’t get the same meta once again when the competetive season begins. The International 2019 ended two weeks ago. The next big patch won’t be released until after the first Major of the new season, which will be sometime in November. But till then, to mix things up for the start of the 2019-2020 DPC season, the good folks at Valve have released a small patch in the form of 7.22g. Alchemist, Chen and Enchantress were the biggest culprits and they have been dealt with accordingly.The interesting change is the one that has been made to Io. OG popularized the carry Io at TI9 and it seems the Wisp will now be moving back to a support role after 7.22g. Having the +75 Spirits Hero Damage talent at level 15 was very important for a position 1 Io. With the talent being pushed to level 20, by the time Io comes online as a carry, it will be a bit too late. However, a +90 GPM talent at level 10 is kind of a buff for support Io.
 

Alchemist

  Chen

Enchantress

IO

  Besides heroes and items, the basic neutral bounties have been reduced by 5%, making jungling a little less fruitful. The changes are small but enough to stir up the meta. The qualifiers for the first set of Major and Minor will begin towards the end of Septermber, which is when we will get to see Dota 2 patch 7.22g in action!

Items have only been nerfed in 7.22g and no item has received a buff. Like heroes, the list of items with that have gotten nerfed are the ones that were used a lot at TI9. Hand of Midas, after numerous nerfs, was still very popular with strength carries at TI9 and it sees another nerf coming its way. Considering the fact that Phase Boots have submerged Power Treads in the depths of the nether realms, it is suprising to see just a minor nerf for Phase Boots.

Team Liquid eliminated by Astralis from the Berlin Major

The Danes came in with an ingenious map veto, picking to play on Liquid’s 100% win rate Vertigo in the first game. Cerebral AWPing from Nicolai “dev1ce” Reedtz and on-point rifling from Peter “dupreeh” Rasmussen shut down Team Liquid hard and Astralis gave their opponents just one round in the second half to win Vertigo with a clean 16-8. Astralis won the highlight quarterfinal of the StarLadder Berlin Major against tournament favorites Team Liquid. The face-off was hyped as the meeting between the best teams of 2018 and 2019, with Liquid being the ones to take over the Astralis era and create their own. Game 2 was Overpass, Liquid’s pick, but even there the North Americans looked timid and allowed Astralis to make aggressive, contact plays. Emil “Magisk” Reif was the star player for the Danes, and the entry fragger put on 28 kills and 1.48 rating.

Team Liquid gave it their best and for a moment an OT was in sights, but Astralis’ T side was unforgiving and Liquid could not muster a defence convincing enough to stop the Danes. Team Liquid gave it their best and for a moment an OT was in sights, but Astralis’ T side was unforgiving and Liquid could not muster a defence convincing enough to stop the Danes. Game 2 was Overpass, Liquid’s pick, but even there the North Americans looked timid and allowed Astralis to make aggressive, contact plays. Emil “Magisk” Reif was the star player for the Danes, and the entry fragger put on 28 kills and 1.48 rating. On both maps, the Liquid players lacked their characteristic firepower and only Jonathan “EliGE” Jablonowski put on a positive K/D rating and even star fraggers Keith “NAF” Markovic and Russel “Twistzz” Van Dulken couldn’t put on a positive rating on the server. With the biggest favorite out of the tournament, the Berlin Major trophy is up in the air. Having beaten Liquid, Astralis look threatening as they are on the verge of breaking multiple records: becoming the first four-time Major winners and the first team to take three in a row. At the same time, NRG Esports, which will be Astralis’ next opponent, have been in top form the entire tournament and just ousted NaVi from the major.

PSG.LGD - Fei: "we are also actively trying to get Xiao8"

After a thorough discussion, all of us feel that our current roster is promising and we all want to achieve better results next year. The team are very eager to prove themselves and as a result, sometimes they would rush things in the game, even though the optimal choice would be slowing down the tempo and putting pressure on the map. Secondly, we didn’t manage to pivot our drafting theory in time. Teams like Liquid and OG prefer lineups that peak at the 20-minute mark while the power spike of our drafts is around the 30 or 40-minute mark. As such, if we couldn’t withstand their aggression at around 20 minutes, we would lose right then. That’s something we need to work on in the future. I think the atmosphere inside our team has always been pretty good, we get along well with each other. I think now is the toughest period for us as everyone is feeling a bit powerless and desperate. I had a long conversation with Maybe on the night we lost, both of us feel our issue is never the roster. We did try experimenting with different playstyles and strategies during the bootcamp but we still ended in a disappointing third, for us. But that’s esports.As always, a big thank you to all the fans for your continued support and love for LGD gaming as well as our players. We will work hard to bring you better results.

Belandrial said "With The International 2019 behind us, we’ve moved into a rather interesting post TI roster shuffle period with many massive teams announcing lineup changes – while others confirm short breaks for their players. One of these teams, PSG.LGD have already assured everyone that their roster will remain the same, but that due to some personal issues, they will be skipping the first Major of the new Dota 2 Pro Circuit season." Pan ‘Fei’ Fei, General Manager of PSG.LGD , has released a video on the squad’s Weibo account, answering some questions which have been asked of the team and shedding some light on what the post TI9 feelings are for the Chinese squad. After TI concluded, we had some sort of mental turbulence. Lu ‘Maybe’ Yao wanted to take a long break. On top of that, Xu ‘fy’ Linsen also needed 3 months to recover from his eye surgery. The reason we had not confirmed our roster until now is because we were negotiating the renewal of contracts with the players.

New One Piece Chapter 955 Makes Unexpected Alliance

When something serious is about to go down in the popular franchise One Piece chapter 955, creator Eiichiro Oda lets you know in the most dramatic way possible: by Beast Pirates And Bigmom Pirates Alliance. Seven days before the raid of Onigashima, Kawamatsu succeeded in obtaining a large number of swords their forces can use for the battle. Along with this, Zoro finally agrees to return the Shusui to the people of Wano in exchange of Enma. Princess Hiyori insisted on the return of the sword as they considered it a relic to the country. She expressed that the country of Wano has been in much tribulation ever since the sword was taken from them, and hopes that the return of Shusui will bring good fortune once again to the country.

Zoro probably agrees because of Hiyori’s tale that the Enma – her own father’s sword – was the only blade to ever injure Kaido in battle. And knowing Zoro’s interest in legendary swords, he would probably want to test if the tales were true. The last time we saw Law and Hawkins’ confrontation, Law was at a great disadvantage as Hawkins took upon himself the lives of Law’s crewmen using the Stra-straw fruit. This means that Law would have to kill three of his subordinates first before he can get through Hawkins.



After revealing Hawkins’ real purpose of joining Kaido, Law decided to help him as he must have felt that Hawkins also holds grudge against the Emperor. After suffering an almost immediate defeat against a battle with Kaido, Luffy determined to make himself stronger with whatever little time he has left before the raid. While a prisoner in Udon, he learned how to use Ryuo, an advanced form of armament haki he once saw Rayleigh use during their training in Rusukaina. He then learned the principle of Ryuo from yakuza boss Hyogoro, under whose supervision he trains. His training includes punching a huge, thick slab of metal using Ryuo. Being almost helpless against Big Mom and Kaido, he must have realized by now that he has to be much stronger if he wants to win the battle against the Emperors. On the other side of the Island, Kinemon gives instructions to make certain changes in the picture puzzle they distributed to their allies, signifying a change in their meeting place. Kinemon assures that changing their meeting place will nearly guarantee that their raid won’t be stopped by their enemies. Near the end of the chapter, we saw Apoo arriving at Wano with a band of curious creatures called ‘numbers’. Kaido seems to be in shock hearing about this as he was not expecting them at all. This gives us an idea that Apoo might have some other plans in play that might give another twist in the plot. Probably the highlight of chapter 954, Big Mom and Kaido’s unforeseen alliance shook the whole One Piece fandom. Their alliance is based on their common goal to take over the world and a common hatred towards Strawhat. With this, we might see the appearance of the rest of the Big Mom pirates already in Wano on the next chapter. More epic events and revelations are highly anticipated in the next chapter of One Piece. Chapter 955 of One piece will officially return after a week and is expected to be released of September 16th in the weekly Shonen Jump issue.