Jesse “JerAx” Vainikka was one of Dota 2’s best support players — and he’s now extending that support outside the game.
The 30-year-old, whose last stint in the pro space was as Team Liquid’s coach in December 2022, reached out to pros and semi-pros who wants the advice of somebody who’s been there and done that.
“If you are pro/semi pro player and you need someone to talk to, feel free to PM me. I’ll happily help however I can,” JerAx wrote on his personal Twitter.
The former two-time The International champion said that any conversation would be private, with no vested interest in any teams or players that are currently competing.
“I’m giving this a try. I’ve struggled a lot and with that I think I can help you.”
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JerAx has gone through the highs and lows of esports
Credit: Valve
JerAx is a former Heroes of Newerth and Dota 2 pro. Though he’s now best known for his time with OG, where he helped transform the team into serial winners — claiming two Valve Majors and two TI titles with the Western European squad — the 30-year-old has been through it all.
The Finnish support player bounced around pro teams when he first started Dota 2 — including short-lived stacks like QPAD Red Pands, 4Anchors, and Team Tinker. He was known as one of the first pubstars to dominate using Earth Spirit, earning a name for himself as one of the premier players on the hero — still at more than 75 percent win rate in pubs and having a nearly 70 percent win rate on the hero in pro games.
JerAx’s big break came in 2015, when he played for Kuro “KuroKy” Takhasomi’s 5jungz in a roster that eventually became the first iteration of a legendary Team Liquid era. He moved on to OG in 2016, where he became known as one of the best position fours in the world.
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He’s even done the classic Dota retirement. After leaving OG in January 2020 and going inactive for nearly a year, JerAx came back in the pro scene for a six-month tenure with Evil Geniuses. Then, he moved on to coach Team Liquid and left in December 2022, putting an end to an illustrious career.
In a follow-up tweet, many people have apparently taken up JerAx’s offer for a listening ear. But ever the dependable support, JerAx promised that everybody will be seen and heard.
“I’ll get back to you all,” JerAx wrote. “Cheers.”
