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T1 secure final Worlds spot at the eleventh hour
T1 emerged victorious in the final Telecom war of 2024, securing themselves the final spot to Worlds 2024 at the literal eleventh hour. Their victory came in the LCK Regional Finals after a thrilling Bo5 series against KT Rolster in which they eliminated the latter from Worlds contention.
T1 had a strong record against KT this year but it was by no means a guaranteed result, with both teams considered strong within the region, almost equally so at this point in the season. This victory secures T1 the 4th seed for the LCK going into Worlds 2024, making them the final team to qualify for the biggest League of Legends tournament of the year.
Faker Shatters 2 Dreams In One Motion
Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok is many things, but above all, he is the Unkillable Demon King - emphasis on the Demon at times. In one swift motion he not only prevented the realization of Kim “Deft” Hyuk-kyu’s penultimate goal of attending Worlds in his final year before military service, he also shattered Corki’s dream, one shy of a legendary lose streak 12 counts long.
This series was the final Telecom war of the year. It was a culmination of the two sides clashing once again, with the three core of Pyosik, Deft, and BeryL facing down the red and black once again in a do-or-die series 2 years after their greatest triumph. It was also the ‘final’ (to be seen) match between two old rivals: Faker and Deft.
While one team had to eventually break, neither bent with the series going the full distance. More importantly, when the stakes were truly at their highest, Faker locked in Corki, a champion that was on an 11-game lose streak prior to this series win. And living up the name of the Daring Bombardier, Faker delivered in Game 5, along with the rest of his team, showcasing that there was still a little spark of that signature T1 magic flickering in the deep recesses of the ranks.
T1 vs KT Rolster: A Game of Inches
Yesterday’s game was an appetizer, no offense to FearX. A clean 3-0 for KT Rolster on their way to their final shot for Worlds attendance. Today, the series could not have been closer.
Key highlight for me personally was the targeted Smolder ban. Bdd’s incredible piloting of the little dragon has won far too many series for KT Rolster and T1 has shown a proclivity for not being able to contain Smolder in the late game or offer a clear answer into it. Another ban was the Maokai against Pyosik, denying a key pick for the KT side.
For KT’s side, a triple top side ban was clearly targeting Zeus, a central focus point of many of T1’s recent drafts, providing the young laner with carry champions. Only for Zeus to pull out Vayne in a powerful scaling comp.
Adjustments on Adjustments
T1 took Game 1 in only 26:36 minutes, presenting a clear threat when all the bans were focused on Zeus instead. T1 had access to Azir and Ziggs, both of which were incredibly potent in the game.
Forced into a pseudo-Sophie's choice, KT brilliant adjusted by taking away the Azir and the Tristana, both of which have been Faker staples this Summer Split. Bdd’s Yone was also key in allowing KT to answer back with a Game 2 win in 31:47 minutes.
Heading into Game 3, T1 continued their press against KT, once again taking away the Maokai and Smolder, but also the Tristana and Yone, clearly angling for Bdd to shy away from the AD mids. Bdd’s subsequent selection of Corki only served to enhance Faker’s later accomplishment in Game 5.
Game 4 was fairly slow-going by all accounts. T1 took a safe scaling composition with the classic Ashe-Braum combo. Zeus went Jax and Faker Taliyah. Bdd’s Yone eventually proved to be the winning condition, pushing T1 into Silver Scrapes.
In the final game, instead of preventing Bdd’s Yone, T1 opted to steal it instead, for Zeus but disguising it as a flex option. It was in this final game that Zeus started the spark, providing an incredible performance on the Yone to deliver T1 not only powerful sidelane pressure, but also a teamfighting demon.
Deft’s Danced his Final Step?
Deft will be leaving the LCK after a decade of competition to complete his military service. It seemed only fitting then that his final swan song be fitting for a legacy of his stature. Playing across the stage from T1 and Faker, reminiscent of his greatest esports moment, he pushed T1 to the brink and a Game 5. If he never returns as a player, may we remember the final series Kim Hyuk-kyu ever played.
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Credit: LoL Esports // Riot Games
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