Scrim

A scrim is a private or arranged practice match between Dota 2 teams, played to test drafts, strategies and coordination outside official competition.

What is Scrim in Dota 2?

Scrim is short for scrimmage and is the standard esports term for organized practice against another team. Unlike a public matchmaking game, a scrim is arranged specifically for training. Teams can use it to test a draft idea, practice lane setups, improve calls or prepare for an opponent with a similar style.

Scrims are not official tournament results. Their format, number of games and confidentiality are agreed by the teams, and practices differ across the professional scene. Some teams use the shorter word prac, while older regional vocabulary may include clan war or CW.

How Scrim is used in a match

A team may schedule several scrims during a bootcamp and give each block a different purpose. One set can focus on early-game lanes while another tests how a draft behaves after the first major objectives. Coaches can review the games afterward even when the practice result itself is not important.

Because opponents are also practicing, teams do not always reveal every prepared strategy. A scrim can provide useful information, but official tournament pressure, drafting incentives and preparation are different enough that practice results should not be treated as direct predictions of competitive outcomes.

Do not confuse Scrim with...

Do not confuse scrim with pub. A scrim is an arranged team practice match; a pub is a public matchmaking game with players assembled through the matchmaker.