TL vs TSM As is tradition, LCS started with a match between titans expected to go top two. Team Liquid had an interesting storyline to deserve the opening match largely due to $teve’s offseason roster changes. From bottoming all of Spring and Summer split to an expected World’s contender this year, it was as if he played Moneyball with the biggest budget in the league. Given the opportunity, Liquid picked up members from the three teams which attended Worlds last year – Impact from C9, Pobelter/Olleh/Xmithie from IMT, and Doublelift from TSM to create a menacing superteam led by Cain which generated hype with every reddit post. The match had been further discussed largely in depth as it pitted Doublelift with his old team that seemingly replaced him and Biofrost (TSM’s old support) overnight with the proclaimed “Best in the West” botlane duo in Zven and Mithy. TSM, using their two import slots, decided the investment was worth replacing Svenskeren as well, given his poor performance at Worlds, with Mike “MikeYeung” Yeung, the Yeungler. Naturally, we expected a clash of epic proportions. What we got instead was everything I hoped as a long-time Team Liquid supporter. In just 28 minutes, Liquid dismantled TSM, due largely in part to Xmithie and Pobelter’s pressure, but also the lack thereof by Bjergsen and MikeYeung. I know two things to be true for TSM: 1) As well as Bjergsen plays, he almost always crumbles with his team, and 2) It’s always the jungler’s fault. Most times, the latter isn’t true. However, Mike “The Overhyped” Yeung seemed to be genuinely disinterested in anything other than his neutral camps. I guess that’s what you get for picking Shyvana, right Par—er, I mean, incredibly successful ex-IMT coach Ssong. ‘Scapegoating’ and ‘TSM fans’ should rhyme.

100T vs Optic The second storyline here is new to the League of Legends scene but holds deep roots in esports. After franchising took place, 100Thieves, a new organization led by Matthew ‘Nadeshot’ Haag and Optic Gaming, Nadeshot’s old Call of Duty team, squared off in a grueling 65-minute slugfest resulting in a win for the red-and-blacks. As expected with veterans such as Meteos, Aphromoo, Ryu and Ssumday, along with rookie worlds-attendee Cody Sun, the team flexed their muscles both on and off the rift with their mechanics and stylish apparel, taking down Optic’s questionable roster of Zig, Akaadian, Power of Cash, Arrow and LemonNation. Relative to their counterparts, the team seemed to consist of an expensive midlaner and whatever the budget allowed for the remaining members. Considering the team’s lack of macro-play and shot-calling, Optic performed well – but not well enough to overcome Aphro’s mid-and-late game decision-making.

CG vs GGS Not every match can be as exciting as new organizations facing off for the first time or contenders to win the split. The All-Americans, consisting of Hai, Contracz, Lourlo, Matt, and rookie Deftly took on Clutch Gaming, aka ex-NV with a better midlaner in Febiven and Solo in place of Seraph. As you would expect, Clutch Gaming took the victory as they had more experience and mechanical skill within the roster. What I want to highlight specifically, however, is the lack of aggression we’ve grown to love out of Lira and Febiven. What we thought would be a bloody match centred around midlane turned out to be rather…tame. We can only hope one of these two will rise to the role of shot-caller, but even those aren’t enough to drastically improve performance nowadays. Yes, of course I’m talking about Hai. Gone are the days of glory gauntlet runs, teams now play a steady game focused on macro and snowballing leads, something you cannot do without a mechanically skilled mid-laner. You can call for the dragon or Baron, Hai, but without mid control, most of the Guardians would ask themselves, “is he high?”.

EF vs FQ Moving on to two teams I actually care about. Echo Fox, in my opinion, made the most underrated roster moves during the offseason. As they were out-shined by the likes of Team Liquid and 100Thieves, I feel obligated to talk about how great this roster truly is. Huni, ex-Worlds finalist whipped into shape by the authoritarian coach Kkoma, makes his return to NA since his dominant days playing for Immortals. If that isn’t enough to be the considered the best top-laner in the league, think about this: throughout his career, Huni has already won splits in EU and KR, and claimed second to TSM in NA. He came back, better than ever, hungry to take that title for good. Matched with Dardoch, the proclaimed badboy of League, Fenix, one of the most mechanically skilled mid-laners in NA, and a low-resource botlane in Altec and Adrian, I expect this team to go top 4 in their debut split. All of their members have previously played with at least one other member to varying degrees of success, and I only expect great things moving forward. That being said, FlyQuest made impressive roster changes adding Flame and Fly to their solo lanes with rookies AnDa and Stunt to follow veteran Wildturtle, the sole-remaining member of FlyQuest’s old roster. Flame had his ups-and-downs last year on Immortals, but attended (and held his own) at Worlds against the best. Fly, an unproven Korean import, has been hyped to MikeYeung levels, but I reserve my judgment for after he plays (currently solving Visa issues and replaced by Keane). Although increasing their fanbase this split, people seem to disregard the need for decisive shot-calling, something this roster lacks heavily. If the in-game leader is Wildturtle as the team expressed, then expect everyone to hold their flashes for when he decides to jump into five opposing members. As expected (at least, for me) Dardoch capitalized on his strong solo-laners, repeatedly ganking top and mid until Keane and Flame crumbled, while botlane quietly farmed until late-game to unleash Altec’s monstrous teamfighting mechanics.

CLG vs C9 Was this the split for #FaithAge to return? Even if week 1 hadn’t already passed, I’d still say no. Why? Aphromoo left. Yep, that’s the ONLY reason. The one analogy I can think of to explain the new CLG without Aphro is taking the heart out of a body and expecting it to pump blood. Of course, they did replace him with a quieter heartbeat in Biofrost and a more mechanically-intense jungler in Reignover, whom everyone expects great things from this split. But this raises more question marks than my Diamond 5 ranked games. Huhi has gone on record as taking over the shot-calling role for CLG, but those are big shoes to fill. Even with Aphro, the team struggled. Now imagine that role in the hands of an already inconsistent mid-laner who can barely fulfill his own duties? ‘Who, He?!’ indeed. On the flipside, Cloud 9 maintained the three core members in Jensen, Sneaky, and Smoothie while adding in rookie top-laner Licorice and ex-TSM ward Svenskeren, to what everyone (reddit) exclaimed to be a disappointing offseason by Jack Etienne, Cloud 9’s owner. I’d have believed it too, if I hadn’t witnessed Licorice crushing challenger players in solo queue on popular streams. On top of which, Jensen’s aggression combined with Svenskeren’s early-game pressure can only mesh one way: extremely well. Once again, the truly faithful shall be rewarded. No, I’m not talking about fans of CLG. If you haven’t given up hope by now, I think you’re the one that’s hopeless instead of the team. I’m talking about the ones who believed in Jack and Reapered’s roster changes, no-bullshit attitude when correcting mistakes, and flexibility in drafts. Cloud 9 took the match after a rocky early game, but Svenskeren proved crucial in mid-to-late game teamfights catching Stixxay out not once, but twice, with his Sejuani ultimates. The plays were so unbelievable that the CLG carry had to pause the game in order to collect himself, make up some excuse about not being able to use his QSS, and reluctantly resume minutes later to witness the defeat screen.

OG vs TL All I can say is What. A. Game. from Optic. Honestly, they put up a huge fight and I was worried as Kog’Maw, in the hands of Arrow, began ramping up in the mid-late game. His positioning was nearly perfect, minus the dragon fight where Akaadian trapped him in the Jarvan IV ultimate and at Baron when his team fought 4v5 as he slowly waddled from base. If they had better macro play, I honestly saw them taking an enormous upset. Alas, Liquid’s experience came into play when Jake ‘Xmithie’ Puchero called for the game-winning flank on the disadvantaged Optic squad.

FQ vs TSM I’m still shook over this one. FlyQuest, a team with two rookies that lost their botlane tier 1 tower 2v2 managed to out-macro TSM mid-and-late game by playing around the top-half of the map. With some impressive baron calls and Keane’s Kleane Azir play, not even Bjergsen’s deathless shoulders could carry the heavily outclassed superteam. Everybody reviewing the game relates the team’s poor performance to how the old team played at Worlds, but I beg to differ. It was worse. Way worse. Miscommunications to contest for Baron, taking fights with little to no vision, horrendous positioning by God of Europe, and what you’re left with is a dying Doublelift’s flash meme. We all know if DL used it, he would have lived. But Zven used it, and STILL died. Case in point.

100T vs CLG The third storyline of the weekend goes to Aphromoo as he faces off against his old teammates. Riot has a deep obsession with games that can (and will) raise discussion before and after the match. Was Aphro right to leave? How good is CLG without him? Good enough to beat him? Is it really the Suite Lane of Zaq and Cody or is it Shanghai Noon? Not to mention the clash in similarities between junglers Reignover and Meteos. Both are supportive junglers whom can hold their own, and the matchup was said to be determined by whichever one played better. Me? I hoped at least one of them would whip out the Olaf but I guess the meta isn’t right for him (yet). Still, I wasn’t surprised by the result. Although it wasn’t determined by anything more than decisive mid-game decisions, we see a cohesive 100Thieves, and a not-so-great CLG. How important are shot-callers? This game should tell you that much.

GGS vs C9 The final storyline pertains to Hai and Contractz versus C9. Although, I don’t really consider it a storyline as Hai has been disconnected from the organization for all of last year, and Contractz left C9 of his own volition, to a worse team. That being said, Hai’s Zoe was the only reason Golden Guardians had kills this game. Quite honestly, it was disgusting, and I was hoping for a nerf in 8.2. But Riot likes to give even bottom-tier teams a chance. I can’t imagine Zoe being left up for Hai any longer, but that’s a testament to the champion moreso than the player. Also, Licorice can play Kled. Who would’ve thought?