Once one of the most feared teams in the world, Flash Wolves have gone through tough times this year. Not only did they fail to win the LMS Summer Split for the first time since 2015, they did not even qualify for the second stage and finished at a disastrous sixth spot in the regular season.
Their poor results were brought about by the departure of some key members during the 2018 off-season, when their support player Hu ��SwordArt�� Shuo-Chieh and mid-laner Huang ��Maple�� Yi-Tang left to continue their careers at Suning in the LPL. The Taiwanese team had already lost star jungler Hung ��Karsa�� Hao-Hsuan in late 2017.
After parting ways with Karsa, Maple and SwordArt, Flash Wolves were left without any real quality in their team. However, their roster issues were not the only thing that contributed to the team’s disbandment,
As already revealed in late September, the LMS and LST will merge to form the Pacific League Championship Series (PCS) in a bid to make the region more competitive on the global stage. However, financial restraints and lack of funding have taken a significant toll on teams and players from weaker leagues such as the LMS and OPL.
Flash Wolves’ venture into the competitive LoL scene started in April 2013, when yoe IRONMEN were formed by drafting nine players from the Taiwan eSports League Draft. Their first official tournament was the TeSL Professional Challenges in July the same year, where yoe IRONMEN placed dead-last with a 4-21 record.
Despite their dismissal results, the team was invited to the Season 3 Taiwan Regional Finals, where they went on to qualify for the playoffs. However, due to the departure of four members, yoe IRONMEN were unable to continue competing in the tournament and had to drop out.
In October 2013, yoe IRONMEN reformed their roster by signing the recently disbanded Gamania Bears and rebranded themselves as yoe Flash Wolves. They held onto that name until 2015, when they dropped the sponsorship and became known simply as Flash Wolves.
The same year, Flash Wolves participated at the LoL World Championship, where they went above and beyond all expectations. Seen by many analysts as one of the weakest teams at the tournament, Flash Wolves not only made it out of the group ahead of KOO Tigers, paiN Gaming and CLG, they also became the first team in two years to finish above a Korean team in the LoL Worlds group stage.
That run to the quarter-finals remains Flash Wolves’ biggest achievement on the international stage. Other notable results include their IEM Season 11 World Championship title, third-fourth finishes at MSI 2016, 2017 and 2018, and seven LMS titles, making Flash Wolves the most successful team in LoL Master Series history.
Historically the most dominant team in League of Legends esports, T1 are enduring a rather up and down season. After an excellent showing at the LCK Spring Split, the South Koreans did not perform as well as they had hoped at the Mid-Season Invitational, where they had to admit defeat to eventual champions G2 Esports (2-3) in the semi-finals.
Four weeks into the LCK Summer Split, SKT T1 sit in seventh place with a 3-5 record and 35% win rate. While they started their campaign with a win against Jin Air Green Wings (2-0), SKT found themselves kneeling down to Afreeca Freecs (1-2) only two days later. That marked the beginning of a horror run that saw the Asian giants enter week four with five consecutive defeats to their name. They found their rhythm with wins over KT Rolster (2-0) and Gen.G (2-0), but the bitter taste of that losing streak lingers still.
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Flash Wolves entered MSI 2019 with high hopes but failed to deliver, finishing the group stage in second-last place with only three wins. They defeated Phong Vu Buffalos (2-0) and even managed to grab a win from eventual finalists Team Liquid. So while Wolves ended up losing most of their matches, they left a mark nonetheless with some good performances against the better teams.
It is a similar story in the LMS Summer Split, where Wolves sit at the bottom of the table with a 1-5 record after three weeks. Although that looks like a dire form line, the truth is they have performed well but failed to close out matches.
Wolves played like champions in their most recent fixture against Alpha Esports, who had no answer to their opponents’ early aggression. In the match prior, however, the Taiwanese let a good lead slip in game one against Hong Kong Attitude and then conceded an ace in the 18th minute of game two to go down by a big margin.
SKT T1 vs Flash Wolves betting predictions
When SKT T1 and Flash Wolves met each other at MSI 2019, we saw a rather one-sided fixture that ended in favour of the Koreans. However, recent form suggests T1 will not have it so easy at Rift Rivals.
Flash Wolves do not have the best record either, but what they do have is the element of surprise. As a team that is known to approach games aggressively, they will try to grab an early lead against an SKT T1 side that prefers to open up late in the game. T1 are still favourites due to their star-filled roster and experience, but Wolves are not quite such underdogs as the odds suggest.
This one could go either way. SKT T1 might have a slight advantage, but the $4.00 odds on Flash Wolves are well worth the risk in a Bo1 match.
Prediction: Flash Wolves to win – $4.00 at GG Bet
]]>This year’s Asian tournament, which is scheduled for July 4-7 in Seoul, is the first to feature teams from four regions.
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The new addition means a different format compared to last year, when LCK, LPL and LMS teams competed against each other.
Group stage matchups will be decided by results in the Spring Split, with teams of the same seeding to face one another.
For example: SKT, who finished first in LCK, will play IG, who finished first in LPL.
All of the matches in the group stage will be played in a single round robin, Bo1 format.
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The top region at the end of the group games will then advance directly into the finals, while the second- and third-placed regions get another shot at glory in the semi-finals.
In the semis, teams will face off in a Bo5 relay with the matchups determined by the coaches from both sides.
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The winner of the semi-finals will then take on the first-placed region from group stages in another Bo5 relay.
The teams competing in the tournament are as follows:
LCK – SKT T1, Griffin, Kingzone DragonX, DAMWON Gaming
LPL – Invictus Gaming, JD Gaming, FunPlus Phoenix, Topsports Gaming
LMS – Flash Wolves, MAD Team
VCS – Phong Vu Buffalo, EVOS Esports
Seeing how VCS and LMS both come into Rift Rivals with only two teams, the two regions will merge to form a single region for the sake of the tournament.
Vietnam’s inclusion comes off the back of some impressive results at international level.
The region has also brought a completely new playstyle to the top tier of League of Legends esports, combining extreme aggression with unique strategies.
Phong Vu Buffalo mad a big statement at the 2019 Mid-Season Invitational when they beat G2 Esports, the MSI champions, twice in the group stage.
FW have had an unexpectedly impressive record against Korean teams in particular since 2015. KZ on the other hand have put together three members of the Rox Tigers of old, a team that managed to make it to the Worlds Semifinals in 2015 until their disbandment shortly after. Players for both sides have had a history of high ranking international appearances and on Saturday, they will continue to do so.
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Kingzone DragonX vs Flash Wolves
3am PST / 6am EST / 12pm CEST
The Flash Wolves are known as the ��Korean Killers�� for good reason; the team is currently 2-0 against KZ in the head to head matchup in the Group Stages. Kingzone are known as the next kings of Korea, having blown through the regular season with authority and finishing their regional playoffs convincingly. It comes as no surprise that this match will be the more competitive of the two semifinal matches this weekend.
Kingzone DragonX
Strengths �C Hailing from Korea immediately lets any onlookers know that KZ is mechanically adept and plays at a higher level of coordination than most regions. Each individual laner for KZ will rarely be seen making a mistake and always be seen punishing mistakes made by their opponents. KZ can effectively play through any lane, whether it be Pray and Gorilla in the bot, Bdd in the mid or Khan in the top. Each of these players holds the capacity to carry the game, which makes KZ a dangerous team to try and focus.
Weaknesses �C The largest weakness KZ brings to the table would be their ability to play from behind. Setting Khan behind while he is not on a tank effectively makes the game a 4v5 for the entirety of the midgame, while setting Peanut behind will inevitably lead to the jungler making more ��safe than sorry�� plays. A KZ that plays safe and collected is out of character and slows down the game tempo, causing teams to be able to scale against KZ. In addition, Pray has shown an affinity for more Guinsoo Rageblade and Tear of the Goddess champions rather critical strike champions. Although he definitely can play the Caitlyn or Tristana, he hovers more towards the Kog��maw , Ezreal and Kai��sa who tend to fall off during the late game. If these two weaknesses are paired together, FW may be able to win a late game teamfight by getting an early lead.
Substitute �C KZ have brought with them a substitute in the jungle, Cuzz. Cuzz has played the last three of the last four games for KZ and out of those three games, two were victories. Many speculate that Cuzz had received that playing time as a warm up for the semifinals round. Cuzz is similar to Peanut in that he can start a snowball rolling and capitalize on it effectively. The differences are that Cuzz plays a lot more tanky jungle champions and playing from behind, from what we have seen so far, is difficult for the KZ sub. The likeliness that Cuzz will make an appearance is actually quite high, but probably not for more than one game in the series.
Flash Wolves
Strengths �C Similar to KZ, Maple in the midlane and Betty and SwordArt in the botlane are the go-to lanes to snowball. Maple has had an incredible showing at MSI with his name in the talks for MSI MVP. He shows a large champion pool that requires teams to ban out mid lane champions not based on his ability to play them but rather team win conditions, as the enemy team knows Maple can play too many champions comfortably. Betty and SwordArt also have been stellar this tournament, with Betty racking up some of the most impressive stats of any ADC at MSI.
Weaknesses – All eyes are on Hanabi as the Achilles�� Heel of Flash Wolves. There were games where when Hanabi played poorly that had a minimal effect on the game, but losing lane never helps the team achieve victory. Hanabi��s successes have come more on playmaking tanky champions rather carry champions, which suggests FW may implement a teamfight oriented composition during most of the series. And unlike the beginning of MSI where teams could not match FW��s tenacity right out of the gate, KZ are masters of controlling tempo while slowly taking over the game by playing their style of League.
Substitute �C The Flash Wolves have not revealed their substitute publicly as they have played with their standard five man roster since the beginning of MSI. The team however has fielded a full 10 man active roster, with MMD, Morning, Atlen, and ShiauC playing top, jungle, ADC, and support respectively. If the FW have brought anybody with them, it would probably have been MMD for rookie Hanabi. That being said, Hanabi has played in top form and FW will most likely keep their regular roster throughout the series.
Prediction �C Kingzone DragonX
There have been debates as to whether or not FW is better than KZ due to the 2-0 record. However, it is strongly agreed that during a best of one, any and all strategies including cheese, surprising picks and the such are valid strategies as only one victory is needed. In a series of five games, KZ has the edge in both experience and skill and are predicted to adapt to the ��series meta�� faster than FW. If the FW want a victory here, they had better put their moniker on the line and slay the Kings of Korea.
Betting prediction: Kingzone DragonX to win, paying $1.22 at GG Bet.
]]>Flash Wolves have belied their second-tier status to become serious contenders for the Mid Season Invitational title. Standing in their way are Kingzone DragonX, champions of LCK. EVOS Esports have impressed despite their indifferent results in the Main Stage, while the folks at Team Liquid have done nothing to improve North America’s reputation on the big stage.
This is how we see the seeds panning out for the semi-finals:
1. Flash Wolves (LMS)
2. Kingzone DragonX (LCK)
3. Fnatic (EU)
4. Royal Never Give Up (LPL)
Fnatic vs. Kingzone DragonX
2am PST / 5am EST / 11am CEST
Fnatic have grown over the span of the tournament, but have they come far enough to pose a serious challenge to Kingzone? KZ have multiple avenues to exploit FNC including Khan��s split push, Peanut��s early pressure and a botlane collapse. On the flip side, FNC must rely on the much-improved Caps during the early game and transition power to Rekkles in the late game. Such a strategy is very narrow for execution and is best imagined as walking a tightrope, with KZ firing on all cylinders during the performance.
Prediction: Kingzone DragonX
EVOS Esports vs. Royal Never Give Up
3am PST / 6am EST / 12pm CEST
RNG entered the Main Stage as one of the strongest teams, but now they look to have multiple weaknesses. Their fundamental strength has provided them victories up to this point, but it remains unclear whether they have sorted out their communication issues regarding tempo and rotations. Uzi may be doing his best to prevent the hemorrhaging for RNG, but through drafts, laning phase and general execution, RNG have much to be desired. EVOS have looked great in the early game, but have never converted leads or spiraled advantages of control. Every single EVOS has delivered relentless pressure early on, but they fall short of the rest when it comes to teamfighting and objective strategy.
Prediction: Royal Never Give Up
Flash Wolves vs. Team Liquid
4am PST / 7am EST / 1pm CEST
Considering their preliminary placement in this tournament, one would not have expected Flash Wolves to be the dominant favorites in this clash. The Taiwanese bolters only have to play their game, as they have demonstrated that their basic play is already calibers above what Team Liquid usually bring to the table. TL have to find some kind of synchronization between their plays, as their playstyle is more reminiscent of solo queue than anything else. They seem to barely understand that tardiness to call out an MIA in time or being late to a rotation will spiral out of control, especially in an international setting. It is unfortunate that this realization comes as late as it does in this tournament.
Prediction: Flash Wolves
Fnatic vs. EVOS Esports
5am PST / 8am EST / 2pm CEST
Although EVOS may be out of contention for top four, Fnatic still have to show their mettle and not get complacent. If the underdogs turn the early game into a fiesta of kills, it may only speed up their demise as FNC can utilize Caps�� early game even quicker. What EVOS need is methodical and organized chaos, a term that was synonymous with the Gigabyte Marines. Fnatic overall have more strength in most lanes, so they should have no problem securing a semi-final spot as long as they can get Caps to start exerting mapwide pressure from the midlane.
Prediction: Fnatic
Flash Wolves vs. Kingzone DragonX
6am PST / 9am EST / 3pm CEST
What was once thought to be a one-sided stomp has evolved into a possible finals matchup, with Wolves holding the head-to-head advantage. The strategy of playing through botlane while using Maple to annihilate his laner is not uncommon among teams at the MSI, but they have executed the strategy to a higher degree than most teams. If Maple gets a strong laner that can push and roam easily with Moojin obtaining a jungle that can go even against Peanut, FW may be able to call the game at first tower blood. KZ will find it difficult to play through top and midlane due to the base strength of their opponents. Their best bet is PraY and GorillA, but should they see an opportunity to put Maple down, they could wipe out a third of FW��s win conditions.
Prediction: Kingzone DragonX
Team Liquid vs. Royal Never Give Up
7am PST / 10am EST / 4pm CEST
RNG gave Team Liquid their first victory of the MSI Main Stage when these two last met. The Americans succeeded on that occasion for three reasons: Olleh��s pressure on Morgana, Mlxd showing up instead of Mlxg, and RNG��s narrow win condition. Drafting phase already eliminates the first possibility, but the second factor is RNG��s identity and cannot be so easily changed. They need to pool their resources into Uzi while Mxlg finds his rhythm and intensity. TL did an excellent job in mitigating Uzi last time by constantly creating a party botlane, causing death after death. They broke the code before and, despite their shaky overall MSI performance, are favored to do it again.
Prediction: Team Liquid
]]>Team Liquid and EVOS are predicted to struggle from here on, while Kingzone DragonX are the only team in a clear position to secure one of those coveted semi-final spots.
Remember: whichever side finishes top of the table in the Main Stage can choose to face either the third or fourth seed in the semis, with the leftover teams playing it out in the other match.
Kingzone DragonX vs. Royal Never Give Up
2am PST / 5am EST / 11am CEST
RNG have looked a bit shaky, citing losses to KZ and FW within the first couple of days. On the flip side, KZ have only been gaining traction since their upset and continue to be a dominant force.
Uzi is doing his best to try to carry the games, but the team that surrounds him cannot operate from behind. Most teams that have won against RNG have either outpaced them in teamfighting or prevented that scenario altogether. KZ, on the other hand, have had significant strain in the jungle, as Mlxg either makes a good situation better or a bad situation worse.
These two teams are still in contention as the most powerful two teams in MSI, but as the tournament round robin nears its end, every game will count for the top four spots.
Prediction: Kingzone DragonX – $1.37 at Arcanebet
Fnatic vs. Flash Wolves
3am PST / 6am EST / 12pm CEST
These two teams have impressed so far. Flash Wolves came out of the gate with all guns ablaze, while Fnatic have ramped up over time.
Many believe that FW should not have been relegated to a second-tier region considering their accomplishments at this tournament. Hanabi, a rookie on the team, has successfully gone head-to-head with the best top laners in the world, with Betty and Maple doing a lot of work in teamfights. For Fnatic, Bwipo has recovered from a difficult first day and is looking great despite a lack of experience on the big stage.
This match will fall upon FW��s tempo versus that of Fnatic��s, as to who can break the first tower, pull off rotations and take neutral objectives. The team that initiates first blood tower will be the likely team to secure victory.
Prediction: Flash Wolves – $1.66 at Arcanebet
EVOS Esports vs. Team Liquid
4am PST / 7am EST / 1pm CEST
EVOS Esports and Team Liquid are both looking at the guillotine.
Warzone has undergone a famous transformation for EVOS over the past year and looms as the danger man in this clash. Slay and RonOP still have their work cut out for them, facing the heralded four horsemen of ADCs in the group stages. And although Yijin will have the advantage in the jungle, the same cannot be said for each individual lane across the board.
Team Liquid need to shore up Xmithie��s early game pressure and their support situation. Whether or not Joey or Olleh plays, the teams needs a more cohesive strategy rather than playing a solo queue style.
Prediction: Team Liquid – $1.59 at Arcanebet
Royal Never Give Up vs. Flash Wolves
5am PST / 8am EST / 2pm CEST
The last bout between the Taiwanese and the Chinese led to a surprise win for Flash Wolves. RNG aims to equalize the series with this match.
Flash Wolves have not necessarily become a flexible team, but rather a team that controls the flow of the game. By consistently making their enemies play their style of game, FW essentially determine where the pieces fall. Their champion pool also allows them to be varied in how they execute their plans.
RNG are also masters of controlling tempo in order to teamfight under Uzi��s banner, but have yet to consistently achieve that goal. However, with a few more days to practice and remedy their problems, they are still on paper the more experienced and powerful team, at least when it comes to pushing a lead.
Prediction: Royal Never Give Up – $1.84 at Arcanebet
Kingzone DragonX vs. EVOS Esports
6am PST / 9am EST / 3pm CEST
KZ end their day with a match against Vietnam’s EVOS Esports. It is a daunting prospect for Warzone and co., but also an opportunity to send shockwaves throughout the tournament.
EVOS pride themselves on high tempo, fast-paced jungle skirmishes that in turn net the team sizable early-game advantages. Using that lead, they can continue to rotate until an opportunity arises for RonOP and Yijin to engage. By contrast, KZ usually see, understand and adapt to their situation, which causes teams plenty of headaches.
Although KZ may not be able to match the early bloodthirstiness of EVOS, they have more than enough skill and mechanics to temper the aggression and pace the match at their level. After all, these guys were top of the pops in Korea – the most recognized League of Legends region in the world.
Prediction: Kingzone DragonX – $1.11 at Arcanebet
Team Liquid vs. Fnatic
7am PST / 10am EST / 4pm CEST
Despite the fact that Pobelter blind picked Yasuo in their last bout, Fnatic seem to have a better grasp on just about everything. Team Liquid desperately need this win to have any chance of progressing and, as such, will most likely draft completely meta or comfort champions.
TL need to storm Fnatic using early pressure or deep warding to track down Broxah; otherwise they will be trampled in the midgame by a far more cohesive unit. For Fnatic, Caps looks the most viable playmaker alongside any heavy CC champions. Consequently, Rekkles will most likely have the opportunity to pick any kind of ADC he wants, whether it be something like Sivir for backline shredding or Tristana for the bunny hop executions.
Either way, Fnatic hold the cards and it is up to Team Liquid to call their bluff or fold completely.
Prediction: Fnatic – $1.60 at Arcanebet
]]>Fnatic is still trying to coordinate everything together, making sure Bwipo is up to par when versing world tier top laners and trying to condition Rekkles to his former glory.
On the flip side from the West, Team Liquid is struggling as much as Fnatic to secure a playoff spot, with their early start severly hindering the rest of their progress.
With each team still having six matches to go at the beginning of the day, the standings are not concrete as to which team is assured a semifinal spot. That being said, there are some teams that have a lot of planning to do when looking at the strengh of their remaining matches.
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Royal Never Give Up vs Team Liquid
2am PST / 5am EST / 11am CEST
Both RNG and TL have performed as most would have expected �C Team Liquid being the average among the bunch while RNG is looking stronger and stronger despite their late arrival to Europe.
TL has had underwhelming performances from Xmithie and Pobelter which in turn has led for nearly uncontested jungle pressure in the early game. Impact has also had limited influence when it comes to matching his laners�� teleports. Conversely, although Mlxg finds it difficult to jungle from behind, that should not be a problem versus TL and Uzi is still looking in his top form.
Betting prediction: Royal Never Give Up to win, paying $1.20 at GG Bet.
Fnatic vs EVOS Esports
3am PST / 6am EST / 12pm CEST
FNC, despite possessing home advantage in this tournament, has been judged severely by their own region for their slow start. EVOS on the other hand is constantly surprising onlookers, not necessarily able to take down the best teams but able to hold their own versus Team Liquid, Fnatic, and Flash Wolves.
Once again, this falls upon whether or not Fnatic can get Rekkles rolling. Although Caps has been the main catalyst for FNC��s plays, he is also the main catalyst for FNC��s mistakes, and putting all the pressure on the mid laner may prove too heavy for the young professional. EVOS��s WarZone and Slay have been performing higher than expectations, but ultimately it falls upon Yijin to shut down any aggression from Broxah to influence the lanes.
Betting prediction: Fnatic to win, paying $1.25 at GG Bet.
Kingzone DragonX vs Flash Wolves
4am PST / 7am EST / 1pm CEST
The Korean emperors face off against Flash Wolves, looking to increase their lead to secure a semifinal spot for the endgame of the tournament.
Off the bat, Kingzone seems to be an upgrade to Flash Wolves in nearly every role. Maple and SwordArt have had great showings and may be the best chance to push a lead, but the problem for FW is developing a lead in the first place. And although FW��s playstyle is flexible enough to play multiple variations of team compositions to counter their opponent, KZ simply is able to do it better with more efficiency, precision and are clear favorites in this matchup.
Betting prediction: Kingzone DragonX to win, paying $1.11 at GG Bet.
Royal Never Give Up vs Fnatic
5am PST / 8am EST / 2pm CEST
The battle of perhaps the teams most reliant on their ADCs transpires in the fourth match of the day.
On paper, Uzi defeates Rekkles in nearly every single statistic for an ADC: damage %, CS difference at 15, kill participation%, KDA. In addition, Xiaohu is a more consistent mid laner than Caps as a whole. If FNC is to secure a win versus RNG, FNC can replicate their first bout with RNG but incorporate Rekkles more as a main carry instead of having Caps run around making amazing plays and then following it up by running face first into the enemy team. As consistency goes, Uzi has been performing as all have expected while the EU MVP still has some question marks in the air surrounding him.
Betting prediction: Royal Never Give Up to win, paying $1.36 at GG Bet.
Flash Wolves vs EVOS Esports
7
6am PST / 9am EST / 3pm CEST
The two mid-tier power regions duke it out yet again to see if Vietnam can stand up to the long term Taiwanese team when it comes to competitive level of play.
EVOS Esports are no strangers to heavy jungle pressure and high level skirmishing whether it be through multiple river encounters or fiestas in the lane. Flash Wolves Betty and Maple have proven to be stable pillars for the team, able to carry the team and provide sufficient variations of teamfighting. Despite Warzone being on point for EVOS, there will have to be a larger amount of pressure coming from anywhere else on the map whether it be from Stark split pushing or crisp rotations to draw FW��s into EVOS�� teamfighting territory.
Betting prediction: Flash Wolves to win, paying $1.28 at GG Bet.
Team Liquid vs Kingzone DragonX
7am PST / 10am EST / 4pm CEST
There is not much to say about this matchup �C with Kingzone��s excellent track record, Team Liquid are safely the underdogs across every single lane.
Team Liquid is quite reliant on Doublelift and Pobelter to win the game, as are most teams with their ADC and Mid carries. When battling KZ, neither of these lanes remains a winning matchup when left alone. If jungle pressure intervenes, the chances of Mlxg striking first is that much higher than Xmithie aiding his lanes. It is extremely unlikely that Team Liquid will be able to fulfill their win conditions when it comes to drafting or execution. And even if KZ cannot successfully pull off their team composition��s main goal, their overall strength, mechanics, and coordination should be more than enough to secure victory.
Betting prediction: Kingzone DragonX to win, paying $1.10 at GG Bet.
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Kingzone DragonX vs. Fnatic
2am PST / 5am EST / 11am CEST
Despite how the matchup looks, all hope is not lost for FNC. The ��baby Faker�� Caps was promoted as will unfortunately not be playing Faker, but instead Bdd in the midlane. Caps makes just as many mistakes and outplays as any other midlaner, but Bdd will barely put a foot wrong.
Pray and Gorilla will definitely be targeted by the entirety of FNC to not only be set behind, but also to boost Rekkles�� impact in the game. Playing through Khan in the toplane against the rookie Bwipo or even a recovering sOAZ could be KZ��s ticket to a win, but KZ is strong across the board aplenty.
Prediction: Kingzone DragonX
Royal Never Give Up vs. EVOS Esports
3am PST / 6am EST / 12pm CEST
This may prove a dangerous game for RNG, as EVOS�� early skirmishing may stifle Uzi��s ability to transition into the mid-game with ease. However, RNG are the second favorites for a reason �C against all odds, no matter how distraught, they have been able to support Uzi and depend on him.
When it comes to early pressure, Yijin from EVOS is no more favored than Mlxg. However, Stark and Warzone may be able to hold off their counterparts as long as jungle pressure does not enter the top or middle lanes.
RNG have one priority here and it is to feed Uzi – because as the game drags on, EVOS becomes less and less cohesive as a unit and teamfighting will undoubtedly go in RNG��s favor.
Prediction: Royal Never Give Up
Team Liquid vs. Flash Wolves
4am PST / 7am EST / 1pm CEST
Flash Wolves are known for their well rounded, macro-style gameplay, as opposed to the botlane focus and linear team composition of Team Liquid. It��s well documented that Impact does not play much in the way of carry, something FW may want to exploit by drafting a split-push toplaner. Moojin and Xmithie, however, will probably end up on opposite sides of the map, aiming to get their own laners ahead.
Wolves will try to control the topside, while TL��s objective will be the botside. The biggest thing to look out for is SwordArt��s roaming versus Olleh��s roaming, as Olleh tends to stick with his ADC until a sizable lead is accrued. If that factor is indeed met, Olleh may have just as much pressure as SwordArt, a terrifying prospect.
Updated: Team Liquid announced earlier today they are going to substitute Joey for Olleh as support, as Joey is largely untested in International tournaments i believe this may give Flash Wolves the edge they need to win.)
Prediction: Flash Wolves
EVOS Esports vs. Kingzone DragonX
5am PST / 8am EST / 2pm CEST
It is unfortunate for EVOS that they have to play the top two teams in this year’s MSI. On paper, Kingzone are stronger in every respect.
In the toplane, there is some ability for Stark to pull off some of his flashy outplays, but almost every other lane is favored for KZ. The botlane is where it open up, with Kingzone’s stars holding a massive advantage.
This matchup hinges on whether or not EVOS can create their playstyle in the early game, or whether they dance to KZ��s beat. The latter is much more likely.
Prediction: Kingzone DragonX
Flash Wolves vs. Royal Never Give Up
6am PST / 9am EST / 3pm CEST
Likely the most watched match in the entire day, these two teams have a long standing rivalry as significant as Taiwan and China have in terms of identity.
As good as Betty and SwordArt are, matching up against Uzi and Ming is nearly black and white �C SwordArt is the more pronounced player for FW and Uzi for RNG. It is clear what RNG��s strategy will be, and one would think adapting to prevent the focus on botside would be simple, but Xiaohu has the experience and matches at least even with the aggressive-pushing Maple.
RNG simply have to stave off the FW early game pressure that may result in a fiesta botlane. If they can do that, the win should be easily secured.
Prediction: Royal Never Give Up
Fnatic vs. Team Liquid
7am PST / 10am EST / 4pm CEST
The age-old question of which region is stronger, EU or NA, has actually fallen in favor of Europe for the past couple of years. While Team Liquid are newcomers to the international stage as a unit, their players are no strangers to the big time.
Fnatic will play around Rekkles and, to a lesser degree, Caps. Thus, it will fall upon TL to either reduce the impact of such a player or create a better opportunity for themselves. Fortunately, Pobelter is not one to make many mistakes and is more of an opportunist himself, with high reward low-risk plays. Bwipo should also make a lot less headroom with stalwart Impact in the toplane.
Jungle pressure early will be the deciding factor in this game, with Broxah and Xmithie having similar styles and champion pools. Although teamfighting may be FNC��s forte with Rekkles hard carrying, Doublelift does not intend to take a second seat to his European counterpart.
Prediction: Team Liquid
]]>The format of the MSI Main Stage consists of a double round-robin with the top four teams advancing to the playoffs. Every match during the playoffs will be a best-of-five series, with the semi-final matchups being determined by the top seed after the round robin.
The first day of matches will begin on Friday, May 11th and will be paramount in determining international strength. As usual, Kingzone and RNG are heavy favorites in most matchups.
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Fnatic vs. Royal Never Give Up
2am PST / 5am EST / 11am CEST
Fnatic and Royal Never Give Up are both interesting teams in that they completely rely on their ADCs to carry out games. As a result, the Rekkles vs. Uzi matchup is sure to send sparks flying in the botlane. Fnatic will bring sOAZ in addition to Bwipo for their toplane flexibility.
On the flip side, RNG will not be able to bring their large roster to the tournament as each team is only allowed five main players and one substitute. Letme and Mlxg will start in top and jungle, with either Zztai or Karsa as the substitute.
Matchup wise, RNG should be able to secure the midlane and toplane. Mlxg versus Broxah in the jungle will depend heavily on the former��s mindset and which side of the double-edged sword he decides to bring. Although on paper RNG should win the botlane, one can never count out Rekkles when it comes to carrying the team.
Prediction: Royal Never Give Up – $1.42 at Arcanebet
EVOS Esports vs. Flash Wolves
3am PST / 6am EST / 12pm CEST
The two teams making it out of the play-in stage face each other sooner rather than later. Although they have taken the longer route, both teams can be considered comparable in power to their rivals from the four mainstream regions.
EVOS sport immense jungling pressure in the form of Yijin. That should make for a fierce matchup against Moojin, who completely rendered Gambit��s Diamondprox ineffective for three games.
That being said, FW Maple, SwordArt and Betty have much more experience than their counterparts and will effectively control the bottom side of the map unless Yijin decides to camp the bottom side. Stark and Hanabi are both top laners that are very affected by jungle pressure, but left to their own devices, Stark has had a better showing as of late.
Prediction: Flash Wolves – $1.34 at Arcanebet
Team Liquid vs. Kingzone DragonX
4am PST / 7am EST / 1pm CEST
Perhaps the most hyped team in the entire tournament, Kingzone DragonX, take on North American heroes Team Liquid. Although predictions will be one sided, this game has the potential to become the most unorthodox game of the day.
It would not be surprising if KZ’s Peanut controlled every quadrant of the jungle through simple pressure. Pray and Gorilla from KZ are heralded as the best botlane in Korea, which should hold true against the TL duo of Doublelift and Olleh.
Pobelter and Bdd duke it out in midlane, but again KZ��s Bdd would be favored in this matchup. Khan in the top may be the only lane that is not entirely KZ favored as he is facing off against the world known Impact.
Prediction: Kingzone DragonX – $1.17 at Arcanebet
Flash Wolves vs. Fnatic
5am PST / 8am EST / 2pm CEST
The Taiwanese representatives face off against the European veterans in the fourth match of the day. Both teams sport impressive rosters, with most players possessing experience on the international stage.
Flash Wolves hold the clear advantage in the top and jungle, as Hanabi should be able to put Bwipo on the backfoot while Moojin��s pressure in the jungle is overbearing for most teams. Even FNC��s ace in the hole in botlane can be stifled by SwordArt��s shotcalling and intelligent laning phase and rotations.
In every respect, FW should have an advantage on paper for each lane, but FNC��s ability to split the game wide open by leaning heavily on Rekkles will prove incredibly advantageous as the mid-game comes to fruition.
Prediction: Fnatic – $1.60 at Arcanebet
Team Liquid vs. EVOS Esports
6am PST / 9am EST / 3pm CEST
Team Liquid will face Vietnamese up-and-comers EVOS Esports in fifth contest of the day. When it comes to proven veterans and international experience, EVOS are not far behind their American counterparts.
Comparing the botlanes, Slay and RonOP will need to bring their best to outplay Doublelift and Olleh. In addition, Pobelter is also favored to beat Warzone despite EVOS�� performance in the earlier match this week.
Yijin and Stark, however, are favored to pressure and control the topside of the jungle, and will be the catalyst for creating plays across the map. And when it comes to Vietnamese early pressure versus North American early-game dependence, the scales tend to tip away from Liquid.
Prediction: EVOS Esports – $2.69 at Arcanebet
Royal Never Give Up vs. Kingzone DragonX
7AM PST / 10AM EST / 4PM CEST
That undisputed match of the day sees the champions of China and Korea trade blows in a clash that could foreshadow the finals.
Normally, one would say Uzi is uncontested in the botlane, but if anybody in the MSI can match him, it is KZ��s Pray and Gorilla. Although Mlxg at his best might be even better than Peanut, anything less than that and he will be forfeiting his jungle pressure and rotations.
The toplane might prove cataclysmic as well, with both these top laners tending to strut their stuff by playing bruisers rather straight-up tanks for teamfighting. This match solely comes down to a question of coherent each team can coordinate with each other.
Prediction: Kingzone DragonX – $1.45 at Arcanebet
]]>The favorites for Group A, Rainbow7, has fell short of everybodys�� expectations, with eyes on WhiteLotus�� synergistic value with the rest of the team since his suspension. Gambit Esports, the second most favorited in the group, completely trounced the competition to move forward.
In Group B, the star studded Turkish team of SuperMassive eSports put on the afterburners and went 5-1, with their only loss being a non-consequential exhibition match. KaBum! placed second, earning them a respectable accolade from the crowd but ultimately falling short of their goal.
Even better news for participating teams is the fact that sales from the Conqueror Varus and Conqueror Ward skins have bolstered the MSI Prize Pool to 970,000. Considering there are about two more weeks for the MSI tournament, there is a good chance that the MSI Prize Pool could exceed the $1 million dollar minimum that Riot has outlined.
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EVOS Esports vs SuperMassive eSports
Tuesday, May 8th �C 4AM PST / 7AM EST
EVOS Esports is a very new organization hailing from Vietnam, being promoted in the fall of 2017 and winning their first split in the spring. Although their organization is new, their players are very experienced; Slay and Stark coming from the Gigabyte Marines with RonOP, YiJin and Warzone from the Saigon Jokers round out a balanced team composition. Their opponents will be powerhouse SuperMassive that steamrolled the first Play In stage. The Turkish team has actually played the Saigon Jokers some years ago and won in a clean sweep 3-0, but this may be a new day and age for both teams.
EVOS barely triumphed over the Gigabyte Marines in the Vietnam Championship Series Finals 3-2 despite holding a sizable lead during the regular season. Despite the fact that the players are no strangers to the competitive scene, international experience for the team is quite low, with the majority of players having only participated in one to two international tournaments. The team overall relies on ADC Slay to be the backbone, consistently performing with RonOP in the botlane. YiJin and Warzone are very standard players that perform as the meta dictates, both possessing above average KDAs and KP%. Former GAM Stark has some issues to sort out before playing this week and is clearly the weak point of the team. That being said, Vietnam was promoted to a major region for good reason �C the regions�� successes have earned them the respect of many and EVOS is plenty strong to boot.
SuperMassive performed as predicted in the Play-Ins, with every player performing to the highest caliber and most matches not being relatively close. The Korean imports of SnowFlower and GBM bring stability to the mid and bot lanes while fabFabulous has created a name for himself internationally over the years.
Both EVOS and SME are accomplished teams that fought their way to this stage. EVOS had defeated GAM in the finals of the VCS, which has been promoted from a wildcard to a major region. SME completely destroyed its opposition earlier in the week and will attend a third successive MSI tournaments. The favorites to win here are SuperMassive Esports in a 3-2 fashion, as they have not shown weakness in their play as of yet and, as a region, tend to thrive at MSI.
Best bet: SuperMassive eSports to win 3-2 in maps betting, paying $4.50 at GG Bet
Flash Wolves vs Gambit Esports
Wednesday, May 9th �C 4AM PST / 7AM EST
The Taiwanese Team of Flash Wolves take on Gambit Esports to decide who makes it out of the second round of Play-Ins. The League Master Series has been demoted this year due to North America outperforming the LMS in recent tournaments, but the region is still heralded as a LoL powerhouse. Gambit Esports made it out of groups in a resounding 5-1 record, demonstrating the strength of an older era Gambit.
FW are no strangers to international tournaments and neither are most of its players. SwordArt, Betty and Maple are well-known names to the international community, with Moojin being a lesser known player with a bit of professional experience. FW, despite being hotly contested for first place in the regular split, have much more impressive statistics than the second place team, which they also clean swept in the finals 3-0. The team relies on SwordArt and Betty in the botlane for heavy playmaking while Maple can usually hold down the fort midlane versus world class midlaners such as Bjergsen and Faker. As a weak point, even their rookie Hanabi has shown promise, integrating himself with the team through decent map involvement while playing very lane dominant champions. Flash Wolves are a very well rounded team that sports nothing less than world class play.
Gambit Esports played quite convincingly during the tournament, with ADC Lodik and Support Edward showing off their skills. PvPStejos and Diamondprox have performed well for most games, with the occasional hiccup here and there while Kira in the midlane demonstrated his wide champion pool, being flexible for the team but not necessarily having the most impact on all his champions. That being said, taking down FW will require Lodik and Edward to outpressure their counterparts and for Kira to not only go even in lane but to also prevent Maple from roaming. Utilizing PvpStejos to dominate Hanabi and split push may be their best bet to opening up the map, as teamfighting tends to go in favor of the FW simply through KP%.
Flash Wolves are a tremendous region brimming with talent and are expected to take the series 3-1. As well as Gambit Esports played during the first round, the FW��s overall skill level and experience may be too much to handle for the Russian All stars.
Best bet: Flash Wolves to win, paying $3.20 at GG Bet
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