Chexx Profile Joined May 2011 Korea (South) 5348 Posts Last Edited: 2013-11-19 23:09:27 November 19 2013 23:07 GMT #1



Welcome,



After the OGN and the players returned to Seoul. We summarized the first week of OGN Winter 2013-14 and will give you a preview for the upcoming matches. In case you missed it while the G-Star festival was happening the Kespa Chairman announced during a press conference that he considers Busan as a venue for Worlds 2014. Also Jpak translated the



As usual I hope you like our writeup and visit us on Teamliquid.

Enjoy!

Signing off,

Chexx



Welcome,After the OGN and the players returned to Seoul. We summarized the first week of OGN Winter 2013-14 and will give you a preview for the upcoming matches. In case you missed it while the G-Star festival was happening the Kespa Chairman announced during a press conference that he considers Busan as a venue for Worlds 2014. Also Jpak translated the Q&A with the new OGN sponsor PandoraTV which aims to be a competitor for TwitchTV.As usual I hope you like our writeup and visit us on Teamliquid.Enjoy!



Table of Contents

Week 1 Recap



Week 2 Preview





Week 1 Recap

By: Chexx Farewell Busan!



With the conclusion of the first week of PANDORA.TV Champions Winter 2013-14, it is time to review the events of the G-Star event in Busan. The first game of the new season brought a similar story to previous Champions tournaments, as the reigning Champions would need to prove their title by taking on a rookie team, while the rookie team would seek to prove their worthiness of being in Champions. Team NB was the obvious underdog, but LongPanda came prepared and took his Panda Note with him to summon greater powers than his own to defeat his opponents. The influence of the Panda Note would not be lost on SKT T1 K, as even summer MVP Faker feared its presence. Yet, the Panda Note was not enough, as Team NB stood no chance against the former Champions SKT T1 K, and were promptly defeated.



The second match of the night blew open the doors to the group of death. Fans were treated to a rematch of NLB Summer 2013 between NaJin Black Sword and IM #2, in which the latter opted for a hard push composition involving Lucian mid and a Blood Boiled Caitlyn. NaJin Black Sword came out of the gates swinging, holding out in a volatile early to mid-game in order to crush IM #2 in the latter parts of the game. In the hotly contested Group B, where a 0:2 loss could mean elimination, IM #2 rallied for the second game, proving that they are solid contenders for this Winter season as kur0 showed the audience just how powerful of a pick Riven is at the moment. As IM #2 fixed the mistakes of their first game, they snowballed an early lead and closed out the game against NaJin Black Sword.



The last game of the night was the struggling Samsung Galaxy Ozone against rookie team Alienware Arena. We saw for the first time why the Lucian and Nidalee combination is not allowed in Korea, as dade and imp joined forces to ruthlessly siege Alienware. After he dust settled and the towers fell, Alienware had no chance to get back into the game under a barrage of spears and lasers. In the second game, Dade was able to select Zed and demonstrated just why Zed had been a ban priority in the past. With cute shadow dodging, fans voted Dade as MVP as his roam carried Ozone to a second victory. Ozone looked solid in their first performance after a disastrous Worlds performance, but their performance against a top team has yet to be seen.



Of course, the highlight for many fans was interviewer Cho Eunnarae as the upcoming Popstar Ahri. Day 1 ended, and the Bexco Auditorium in Busan was quiet for another day.



+ Show Spoiler [ Results Day 1] +

SKT T1 K 2:0 Team NB







SKT T1 K 2:0 Team NBNajin Black Sword 1:1 IM #2Samsung Ozone 2:0 Alienware Andromeda



Day 2 began with a match between Xenics Storm and Jin Air Falcons. Though many fans saw this match as the least interesting of the day, they were in for a pleasant surprise. The first game between the two mid-tier teams was easily one of the most exciting of all time. It had everything: a lot of action, close teamfights, and a gold lead that changed hands more often than Faker gets kills. The audience’s attention was nicely caught by the OGN cameramen and transmited to viewers at home, driving home just how enraptured everyone was by the game. This game alone was worth the OGN subscription. Yet, all good things come to an end, and it happened with Reapered being caught out at a critical time, and Xenics taking the win. Mentally shattered, the second game was a whitewash for the Falcons as they were rolled over by Xenics Storm, with exceptional play from Piccaboo’s roaming support.



The second match was highly anticipated, a match between CJ Entus Blaze and SKT T1 S. Blaze tried to get in control of the game from the start with aggressive dives from Daydream, but SKT T1 S were able to respond at every turn. Seizing the momentum, a three-on-three victory in the top lane gave the rookie team three kills and a tower for only one death. With the game firmly in SKT’s hands, they pressured objectives all around the map for a clean win. The greatly hyped SKT top laner MaRin was of special note, landing pinpoint Equalizers as Rumble to push Blaze off objectives. A Ryze pick from easyhoon also garnered attention, as Ryze has fallen out of favour recently. In the second game, Daydream turned into a nightmare (shoutout to DoA for the joke) for SKT T1 S. With exceptional map awareness, Daydream was always at the right spot at the right time for ganks and counterganks. Securing the early game for Blaze, the CJ Entus side did what they did best, closing out early leads with incredible pressure from Flame. Despite MaRin’s efforts to minimise Flame’s gold income, the macro play of Blaze proved superior.



The last match was the most anticipated of the night, a group of death clash between Samsung Blue and the KT Bullets. KT B anticipated a lane swap in the first game, but Samsung Blue opted to play it safe and put their duo lane bottom instead. With inSec’s Rengar struggling in a 1v2 lane, Blue continued to push towers and increase their gold lead, snowballing to a quick win. In the second game, KT B had a much better start than in the first game, getting both first blood and the first dragon. With an exceptional gank from KaKAO and Mafa onto PawN, it seemed the teams’ positions were reversed in the second game. In the second half of the game, quick reactions and great decision making from Samsung Blue kept them afloat, but in the end the Bullets were victorious and solidified Group B’s status as the group of death, tying all teams with one point.



+ Show Spoiler [ Results Day 2] +











Xenics Storm 2:0 Jin Air FalconsSKT T1 S 1:1 CJ Entus BlazeKT Rolster B 1:1 Samsung Blue



Week 2 Preview

By: Manisier Hottest Storylines



As we look forward to the second week of Champions Winter, there are a few stories that stand out. We've picked out two stories that you should be following as we approach the next exciting week of Champions Winter. If you can only pick one day to watch Champions, though, pick Friday. Samsung Blue vs NaJin Black Sword and an SK Telecom T1 teamkill - Champions heaven.



A New Challenger Approaches! MakNoon Is In



Happy to be at CJ Entus



With all the roster changes that occured in the lead-up to Champions Winter, one stands above the rest. The acquisition of MakNooN by CJ Entus, not as a top laner (because let's face it, Shy and Flame are on top of their game), but as a mid laner shocked the world, and many skeptics questioned the decision or even accused CJ Entus of making a money grab through the popular MakNooN. However, when examining the switch, two factors stand out and make the acquisition not as crazy as some have declared. One: RapidStar is no longer a good mid laner. Though his Ahri showed flashes of previous brilliance, RapidStar has been unable to keep up in the new age of mid laners, especially against powerful players like Faker. Two: Ganked by mom needs training. His Orianna may well be the best in Korea, but is useless when banned out. His worrisome Zed play in Frost's third place match against MVP Ozone in Champions Summer showed that there is still some work to be done.



This is where MakNooN comes in. There are virtually no free agents in Korean League of Legends with as much experience as MakNooN as a competitive player, and certainly none that match his level of understanding of the game. Switching to mid lane theoretically should not be a huge deal, as bigger switches have happened in the past, such as inSec's move to top lane from jungle and Impact's move to top lane from support. MakNooN's aggressive playstyle should sync well with mid lane, where the range of viable champions is much higher than top lane (where the current strong champions tend to lean to one side of the carry-tank spectrum). Additionally, his playcalling ability will be of utmost importance to CJ Entus Frost after the departure of veteran jungler and playcaller CloudTemplar.



Against the upcoming Jin Air Stealths, MakNooN will have his work cut out for him against another veteran, HooN. Audiences will be watching with bated breath as Frost's season could sink or swim in their first match. Word on the street is that MakNooN has been crushing in scrims, so watch with some optimism.



A Match of Mirrors



Brothers here, but enemies on the stage

Source: Inven



One week in, and Champions Winter already has its first teamkills. For the uninformed, teamkills are a long celebrated (or accursed?) tradition of Korean esports, in which organisations pit two of their teams against each other. This often has bad consequences for one of the teams, as one usually loses their chance at advancing further. The only organisation in Champions history to send both of their teams through to the bracket stage when both teams were in the same group is, strangely enough, Counter Logic Gaming in Champions Summer 2012. This week, SK Telecom T1 and Jin Air Greenwings will be the victims of teamkills.



Let's not beat around the bush - the SK Telecom T1 match-up is the more exciting here. The presence of CJ Entus Blaze in Group A means that advancement for both S and K will be highly unlikely, as Blaze seem to be on top of their game. However, S' strong performance against Blaze could make them a strong contender in the group, and undoubtedly they will need to win against their sister team here to feel more secure in advancing. A 0:2 loss spells defeat for a team more often than not, and must be avoided at all costs if a team is intending to advance. Of course, the ideal outcome for spectators would be a 1:1 split. With the two teams being as close to each other as the are, this teamkill should prove very exciting, especially with mid lane legend Faker against top lane legend MaRin. K will look to teach their brothers a lesson, and turn their aggressive playstyle against them with their experience, while S will look to use their vast a knowledge of K to formulate counter-strategies.



Reapered's Falcons will play a do-or-die match against their Stealths brothers. With a disappointing first match against Xenics Storm, they will be starving for a victory, and should channel this energy if they want to win. The Stealths, on the other hand, are on a slow rise as they posted up good pre-season results. With HooN outclassing Reapered in the mid lane, the Falcons must rely on ActScene and Roar to get things done, as the two are considered to be quite talented in their positions when compared to their Stealths counterparts. The Stealths will play this match after a match against CJ Entus Frost, so being more warmed up may be an advantage against the Falcons, especially if they come off a win. Should the Falcons fall to their sister team, it is anyone's guess as to which position Reapered will play next season.



As we look forward to the second week of Champions Winter, there are a few stories that stand out. We've picked out two stories that you should be following as we approach the next exciting week of Champions Winter. If you can only pick one day to watch Champions, though, pick Friday. Samsung Blue vs NaJin Black Sword and an SK Telecom T1 teamkill - Champions heaven.With all the roster changes that occured in the lead-up to Champions Winter, one stands above the rest. The acquisition of MakNooN by CJ Entus, not as a top laner (because let's face it, Shy and Flame are on top of their game), but as a mid laner shocked the world, and many skeptics questioned the decision or even accused CJ Entus of making a money grab through the popular MakNooN. However, when examining the switch, two factors stand out and make the acquisition not as crazy as some have declared. One: RapidStar is no longer a good mid laner. Though his Ahri showed flashes of previous brilliance, RapidStar has been unable to keep up in the new age of mid laners, especially against powerful players like Faker. Two: Ganked by mom needs training. His Orianna may well be the best in Korea, but is useless when banned out. His worrisome Zed play in Frost's third place match against MVP Ozone in Champions Summer showed that there is still some work to be done.This is where MakNooN comes in. There are virtually no free agents in Korean League of Legends with as much experience as MakNooN as a competitive player, and certainly none that match his level of understanding of the game. Switching to mid lane theoretically should not be a huge deal, as bigger switches have happened in the past, such as inSec's move to top lane from jungle and Impact's move to top lane from support. MakNooN's aggressive playstyle should sync well with mid lane, where the range of viable champions is much higher than top lane (where the current strong champions tend to lean to one side of the carry-tank spectrum). Additionally, his playcalling ability will be of utmost importance to CJ Entus Frost after the departure of veteran jungler and playcaller CloudTemplar.Against the upcoming Jin Air Stealths, MakNooN will have his work cut out for him against another veteran, HooN. Audiences will be watching with bated breath as Frost's season could sink or swim in their first match. Word on the street is that MakNooN has been crushing in scrims, so watch with some optimism.One week in, and Champions Winter already has its first teamkills. For the uninformed, teamkills are a long celebrated (or accursed?) tradition of Korean esports, in which organisations pit two of their teams against each other. This often has bad consequences for one of the teams, as one usually loses their chance at advancing further. The only organisation in Champions history to send both of their teams through to the bracket stage when both teams were in the same group is, strangely enough, Counter Logic Gaming in Champions Summer 2012. This week, SK Telecom T1 and Jin Air Greenwings will be the victims of teamkills.Let's not beat around the bush - the SK Telecom T1 match-up is the more exciting here. The presence of CJ Entus Blaze in Group A means that advancement for both S and K will be highly unlikely, as Blaze seem to be on top of their game. However, S' strong performance against Blaze could make them a strong contender in the group, and undoubtedly they will need to win against their sister team here to feel more secure in advancing. A 0:2 loss spells defeat for a team more often than not, and must be avoided at all costs if a team is intending to advance. Of course, the ideal outcome for spectators would be a 1:1 split. With the two teams being as close to each other as the are, this teamkill should prove very exciting, especially with mid lane legend Faker against top lane legend MaRin. K will look to teach their brothers a lesson, and turn their aggressive playstyle against them with their experience, while S will look to use their vast a knowledge of K to formulate counter-strategies.Reapered's Falcons will play a do-or-die match against their Stealths brothers. With a disappointing first match against Xenics Storm, they will be starving for a victory, and should channel this energy if they want to win. The Stealths, on the other hand, are on a slow rise as they posted up good pre-season results. With HooN outclassing Reapered in the mid lane, the Falcons must rely on ActScene and Roar to get things done, as the two are considered to be quite talented in their positions when compared to their Stealths counterparts. The Stealths will play this match after a match against CJ Entus Frost, so being more warmed up may be an advantage against the Falcons, especially if they come off a win. Should the Falcons fall to their sister team, it is anyone's guess as to which position Reapered will play next season.

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Art by ATK402 (Deviantart) This edition of the TeamLiquid LoL write-up was brought to you by GTR, Chexx, Mafia, Manisier and Waxangel. Administrator Follow me @TL_Chexx With the conclusion of the first week of PANDORA.TV Champions Winter 2013-14, it is time to review the events of the G-Star event in Busan. The first game of the new season brought a similar story to previous Champions tournaments, as the reigning Champions would need to prove their title by taking on a rookie team, while the rookie team would seek to prove their worthiness of being in Champions. Team NB was the obvious underdog, but LongPanda came prepared and took his Panda Note with him to summon greater powers than his own to defeat his opponents. The influence of the Panda Note would not be lost on SKT T1 K, as even summer MVP Faker feared its presence. Yet, the Panda Note was not enough, as Team NB stood no chance against the former Champions SKT T1 K, and were promptly defeated.The second match of the night blew open the doors to the group of death. Fans were treated to a rematch of NLB Summer 2013 between NaJin Black Sword and IM #2, in which the latter opted for a hard push composition involving Lucian mid and a Blood Boiled Caitlyn. NaJin Black Sword came out of the gates swinging, holding out in a volatile early to mid-game in order to crush IM #2 in the latter parts of the game. In the hotly contested Group B, where a 0:2 loss could mean elimination, IM #2 rallied for the second game, proving that they are solid contenders for this Winter season as kur0 showed the audience just how powerful of a pick Riven is at the moment. As IM #2 fixed the mistakes of their first game, they snowballed an early lead and closed out the game against NaJin Black Sword.The last game of the night was the struggling Samsung Galaxy Ozone against rookie team Alienware Arena. We saw for the first time why the Lucian and Nidalee combination is not allowed in Korea, as dade and imp joined forces to ruthlessly siege Alienware. After he dust settled and the towers fell, Alienware had no chance to get back into the game under a barrage of spears and lasers. In the second game, Dade was able to select Zed and demonstrated just why Zed had been a ban priority in the past. With cute shadow dodging, fans voted Dade as MVP as his roam carried Ozone to a second victory. Ozone looked solid in their first performance after a disastrous Worlds performance, but their performance against a top team has yet to be seen.Of course, the highlight for many fans was interviewer Cho Eunnarae as the upcoming Popstar Ahri. Day 1 ended, and the Bexco Auditorium in Busan was quiet for another day.Day 2 began with a match between Xenics Storm and Jin Air Falcons. Though many fans saw this match as the least interesting of the day, they were in for a pleasant surprise. The first game between the two mid-tier teams was easily one of the most exciting of all time. It had everything: a lot of action, close teamfights, and a gold lead that changed hands more often than Faker gets kills. The audience’s attention was nicely caught by the OGN cameramen and transmited to viewers at home, driving home just how enraptured everyone was by the game. This game alone was worth the OGN subscription. Yet, all good things come to an end, and it happened with Reapered being caught out at a critical time, and Xenics taking the win. Mentally shattered, the second game was a whitewash for the Falcons as they were rolled over by Xenics Storm, with exceptional play from Piccaboo’s roaming support.The second match was highly anticipated, a match between CJ Entus Blaze and SKT T1 S. Blaze tried to get in control of the game from the start with aggressive dives from Daydream, but SKT T1 S were able to respond at every turn. Seizing the momentum, a three-on-three victory in the top lane gave the rookie team three kills and a tower for only one death. With the game firmly in SKT’s hands, they pressured objectives all around the map for a clean win. The greatly hyped SKT top laner MaRin was of special note, landing pinpoint Equalizers as Rumble to push Blaze off objectives. A Ryze pick from easyhoon also garnered attention, as Ryze has fallen out of favour recently. In the second game, Daydream turned into a nightmare (shoutout to DoA for the joke) for SKT T1 S. With exceptional map awareness, Daydream was always at the right spot at the right time for ganks and counterganks. Securing the early game for Blaze, the CJ Entus side did what they did best, closing out early leads with incredible pressure from Flame. Despite MaRin’s efforts to minimise Flame’s gold income, the macro play of Blaze proved superior.The last match was the most anticipated of the night, a group of death clash between Samsung Blue and the KT Bullets. KT B anticipated a lane swap in the first game, but Samsung Blue opted to play it safe and put their duo lane bottom instead. With inSec’s Rengar struggling in a 1v2 lane, Blue continued to push towers and increase their gold lead, snowballing to a quick win. In the second game, KT B had a much better start than in the first game, getting both first blood and the first dragon. With an exceptional gank from KaKAO and Mafa onto PawN, it seemed the teams’ positions were reversed in the second game. In the second half of the game, quick reactions and great decision making from Samsung Blue kept them afloat, but in the end the Bullets were victorious and solidified Group B’s status as the group of death, tying all teams with one point.