One of the most legendary and respected teams in the history of League of Legends is Gambit Esports. Although the days of Moscow.5 and the original dominance of Gambit Gaming are far back in the rearview mirror, the longtime European powerhouse has taken refuge in the CIS, where the team has found success in every aspect of the game.

With a 19-3 record in the Spring of 2018 en route to the CIS title, Gambit has established itself as one of the strongest wild card teams in all of League of Legends. Old guard legends in Edward “Edward” Abgaryan and Danil “Diamondprox” Reshetnikov man the front line of the roster while miracle workers from 2016’s Albus Nox Luna squad Mykhailo “Kira” Harmash and Alexander “PvPStejos” Glazkov represent the solo lanes. Additionally, fresh-faced AD Carry Stanislav “Lodik” Kornelyuk has played to an All-Star caliber level this split, giving Gambit a sincere boost to the team’s aggressive playstyle.

With an elite roster in tow, Gambit has assembled a team of champions, underdogs, and superstars alike, and to say that the team is a heavy favorite entering the MSI Play-in Stage would not be entirely far-fetched. Edward and Lodik made for an incredibly threatening bottom lane this Split, as they were involved in 67% of all kills when laning together. That success continued through the postseason for Gambit, as 4 of the 5 highest KDAs during the LCL playoffs belonged to Gambit players, with Lodik topping the list at an impressive 7.5.

By securing kills and objectives through an incredibly aggressive playstyle, Gambit was able to run rampant across the rest of the LCL, as their 13.9 kills per game was the most in the entire league. These kills led to 63% of dragons landing in Gambit’s back pocket, while the team managed to secure at least 9 towers in 85% of all of their wins this Split.

If there’s one thing Gambit does best, it’s kicking their opponents while they’re down, taking advantage of every corner of Summoner’s Rift and depleting the enemy team members of every last one of their resources. During the season, there were only 2 occasions where Gambit had won a game by less than 10,000 gold, exemplifying how once the team is able to acquire a lead, they never let go.

At MSI, look for Gambit to do just that. Once they gain any sort of advantage over the teams in their group, it will be hard for any opposing team to find a gap in their armor. The Gambit Esports roster is too talented and too established to struggle on the big stage, and if the team plays like it did back home in the CIS, the possibilities for Gambit’s success are limitless.

Photo Credit: Lolesports, Gambit Esports