The first round of the LCK KesPa Cup playoffs has wrapped up. During the DK vs. NS series, the teams battled through three games. In the final match, DK overwhelmed NS, securing a 5K gold lead at 11 minutes and closing the game in 23 minutes, moving on to the winners' final. This regional king showdown saw Scout reaffirm that his time at JDG was not a facade, as he was genuinely underperforming, being dominated by Xu Ge.

In the lower bracket, T1 faced HLE in another three-game series. Like Scout, Kanavi showed that this year’s Worlds had no room for pretenders. In the first game, T1’s bot lane had a significant advantage. After a play from Oner, Peyz secured two kills against Xiao Lü Bu. Despite the early disadvantage, the triple crown AD still managed to step up later. Peyz started strong at 7-1 but couldn’t take control mid-game, while Guma continued to deal high damage with her dagger attacks.

In game two, HLE had an early lead, ahead by 4K gold at 20 minutes. Just when many thought it would be a 2-0 sweep, Kanavi stepped up. During an Urgot team fight, he dove in alone and was instantly killed, gifting Urgot to T1 and dragging his teammates down with him. If that had been the only mistake, HLE still might not have lost. However, at the 32-minute dragon fight, Kanavi ventured into T1’s jungle for vision and gave away a major kill, which eventually allowed T1 to turn the game around.

In this game, Peyz played Kaisa and achieved T1’s first pentakill. In the decider, Old Lee suddenly ran into trouble, being solo killed by Zeka three times in a row. Akali had a strong start, and T1’s backline fell instantly in team fights. After Zeka posted a flashy 13-8-0 scoreline, T1’s base was destroyed, sending them to the losers' bracket where they met NS. The first round of the losers' bracket began immediately after the lower half of the bracket finished.

Although they couldn’t beat HLE, T1 had no trouble dominating NS. Faker remained in poor form, getting solo killed by Scout early on. However, T1’s bot lane performed well, securing kills in lane. During team fights, the gap widened further, with T1 almost completely one-sided and NS unable to respond. Apart from Doran’s triple lane advantage, the mid-to-late game team fights were also decisive, and T1 sent NS home with a 2-0 score.

After advancing to the losers' semifinals, T1’s next opponent will be the loser between DK and HLE. Judging by their strength and current form, HLE has a better chance of winning. If nothing unexpected happens, T1 will later face DK for a spot in the finals. If T1 is in good shape, they will likely meet HLE again in the final. At the BO5 stage, T1 has a strong chance of claiming the championship.

HLE’s weaknesses are clear: Kanavi tends to give kills away, and Zeka’s champion pool is limited for BO5 matches. Meanwhile, T1’s current strategy leans heavily on their bot lane. Oner heavily supports Peyz, practically staying in the bottom lane every game. But Peyz’s impact isn’t as strong as Xiao Lü Bu’s. Keria, to protect Peyz’s growth, rarely roams now. After this shift in playstyle, T1’s overall team strength seems to have slightly declined.

Letting Doran roam freely makes it easy to be exploited. If the top lane is babysat by a strong player, it becomes difficult to handle in team fights. So T1 needs to carefully consider whether to stick with the previous strategy of letting the AD absorb pressure or continue focusing around Peyz. However, since the KesPa Cup is just an entertainment tournament, T1 is using this opportunity to experiment with different tactics. Even if they don’t win the title, identifying problems will still benefit them.

Conclusion:

HLE’s strength this season is indeed impressive, but their consistency remains poor. Zeka’s limited champion pool in BO5s has been proven repeatedly. Kanavi also tends to give opportunities away in advantageous situations. However, this is just a practice phase. If their synergy improves, HLE could rise to a higher level and potentially rival GEN.

So, what do you think about T1’s strategy of focusing around Peyz?

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