Here's a link to the playlist, starting with the first game, CLG vs TSM! I'm excited to see these two teams, finally! I wanted to put under bans "Reginald" and "HotshotGG". Which would be the most OP bans ever. Woo. Several of the team names have changed from qualifiers, notably The Brunch Club has been picked up by sponsor Complexity (who obviously dumped the entire team that didn't qualify!!) and Fear, who is now Vulcun Command.
Team SoloMid vs CounterLogic Gaming
---TSM bans: Nunu, Nidalee, Shen---CLG bans: Olaf, Maokai, LeBlanc---
TSM: Elise, Xin Zhao, Kayle, Ezreal, Lulu
CLG: Malphite, Lee Sin, Syndra, Urgot, Taric
Slow early game - it was still 1-1 at nearly 20 minutes in. At the end, though, you see why they're top players.
Curse vs Team Dignitas
---Crs bans: Shen, Kha'Zix, Olaf---d bans: Akali, Katarina, Miss Fortune---
Crs: Nidalee, Xin Zhao, Kayle, Caitlyn, Lulu
d: Elise, Lee Sin, Gragas, Twitch, Nunu
So Curse banned tanky brutes, and dignitas banned sexy ladies? And then Crs took the remaining sexy ladies (minus Sona), while dignitas took Gragas, Twitch, spider-lady, blind-man, and Nunu? Just saying, you do better playing the sexy ladies, dignitas.
CounterLogic Gaming vs GoodGame University
---CLG bans: Twitch, Elise, Olaf---GGU bans: Nunu, Nidalee, Shen---
CLG: Cho'Gath, Xin Zhao, Twisted Fate, Ezreal, Leona
GGU: Katarina, Nocturne, Diana, Graves, Taric
It was close - GGU was even ahead in kills, but CLG was ahead in gold, and, well....
Team SoloMid vs Vulcun Command
---TSM bans: Elise, Kayle, Nunu---V bans: LeBlanc, Maokai, Olaf---
TSM: Malphite, Jarvan, Kha'Zix, Miss Fortune, Taric
Vul: Shen, Xin Zhao, Ryze, Kog'Maw, Sona
Nope. Reginald's a monster on Kha'Zix.
Curse vs CounterLogic Gaming
---Crs bans: Shen, Nidalee, Taric---CLG bans: Katarina, Kayle, Miss Fortune---
Crs: Olaf, Xin Zhao, Orianna, Kog'Maw, Sona
CLG: Cho'Gath, Lee Sin, Anivia, Caitlyn, Nunu
Apparently Curse was knocked out of the pre-qualifier at PAX East by CLG, and they were looking for a bit of grudge-match vengeance. And boy, did they get it, having picked up Olaf on Voyboy. CLG just didn't have enough CC to deal with the damage and health being put out by Crs.
Team SoloMid vs Dignitas
---TSM bans: Nunu, Elise, Kha'Zix---d bans: LeBlanc, Maokai, Olaf---
TSM: Renekton, Jarvan, Ryze, Miss Fortune, Taric
d: Kayle, Shen, Kassadin, Graves, Alistar
Are we never going to see Reginald on LeBlanc? Banned out every time. It would make it more entertaining. The way TSM dominates games is remarkably yawn. Farm, extensive CC, fight small fights, kill one or two, disengage.
GoodGame University vs Curse
---GGU bans: Miss Fortune, Xin Zhao, Katarina---Crs bans: Nunu, Olaf, Elise---
GGU: Rumble, Trundle, Kayle, Twitch, Lulu
Crs: Nidalee, Jarvan, Orianna, Ezreal, Sona
This game was much closer. The teams went back and forth, and GGU had an edge for a long time, but I guess the lack of direct CC was their undoing. They had both nexus turrets down and just got aced before they could finish the nexus itself.
Vulcan Command vs Dignitas
---V bans: Gragas, Kayle, Kha'Zix---d bans: Jayce, Elise, Nunu---
V: Shen, Olaf, Ryze, Twitch, Lulu
d: Katarina, Xin Zhao, Diana, Ezreal, Alistar
When dignitas picked up Katarina, I was super excited, but no. Scarra played Diana. Guess we'll never see scarra on Katarina ever again? These two teams have no wins yet this first weekend, and I dread the season for Vulcan Command at this rate - hope they don't become like, the Browns. Stay tough, guys. Even though you just got pretty rolled.
Results:
Curse 3-0 CLG 2-1
TSM 2-1 Dignitas 1-2
coL 0-0 MRN 0-0
GGU 0-2 Vulcan 0-2
