The third segment of LCK has concluded its first week of matches, and there will be a three-day break. After T1's victory over GEN, they easily defeated NS with a score of 2:0, achieving back-to-back wins in the league. Currently, T1's record stands at 13-7, and with the top four teams qualifying directly for the playoffs, T1 and HLE seem secure. The competition for the last direct qualification spot is intense, with KT and NS separated by just one point.

The DK team from the Nirvana group currently leads significantly in points over other teams. As long as they don't falter in the upcoming matches, they should qualify for the playoff qualifiers. The remaining two qualification spots are contested among BRO, BFX, and DRX, with these three teams only one point apart, making the competition very tight. Meanwhile, DNF sits at the bottom with a record of 1-19 and a negative score of -30 points, so their elimination from the group stage is undoubtedly certain.

Faker's contract extends to age 33.

After defeating NS, T1's official social media announced some good news: Faker has renewed his contract with T1 until 2029, meaning that he will play at least four more years. Currently, Faker is 29, so if he continues for four more years, he will be 33. It seems that in terms of career longevity, Faker aims to reach the top. However, it remains uncertain how many more years the older coach, who is over 30, can continue playing in North America.

With Faker's contract renewal, many LOL players and commentators expressed their happiness, as his presence ensures that LOL will remain popular for at least another four years. In recent seasons, aside from the wildcard and LCK leagues, most regions have seen a decline in popularity, with Riot Games relying heavily on international competitions to maintain interest. As long as T1 and Faker are around, viewership will not drop. This contract renewal is seen as a lifeline for LOL from Riot's perspective.

Former FNC coach critiques BLG.

After changing their jungler, BLG has secured two consecutive victories. ELK, who used to enjoy leading, has recently relinquished his command, handing the reins to Shadou and ON. Without the AD's control, Shadou, with his clear thinking, has played exceptionally well. BLG's gameplay has also noticeably shifted; previously, they would always prioritize the bottom lane, regardless of how the jungler started, ensuring the first wave of momentum went towards the bot lane.

The former head coach of FNC recently commented on the overall BP strategy, criticizing ELK's control over the jungler: BLG places a strong emphasis on the early game, having the jungler assist the bottom lane to create an advantage, which then radiates to other lanes to snowball the game. This strategy is overly simplistic in the context of global BP; matches cannot focus solely on one lane. Teams with flexibility can withstand challenges, and this statement certainly hits the mark.

TheShy: Aiming for the finals and the World Championship.

IG, fully engaged in LPL, has improved to a record of 2-1 after changing their jungler. Compared to the last segment, the synergy between the mid and support players has clearly improved. With further adjustments, there seems to be a real chance for this year's World Championship. Recently, TheShy spoke in a media interview about his personal goals: to reach the finals and qualify directly for the World Championship. If they can maintain their recent form, qualifying for the World Championship could indeed be a possibility.

In the interview, TheShy also mentioned Jiejie, indicating that the relationship among players is fine. Jiejie's departure was not due to internal conflicts but rather a unilateral decision with the management. However, it seems that Jiejie's contract is still held by IG, so if he wishes to continue playing, he can only do so with IG. Given Wei's strong performance, it seems unlikely that Jiejie will have the opportunity to play this year, and he will likely have to wait until the transfer period.

Conclusion:

ELK's decision to relinquish his command is indeed beneficial for BLG. Relying solely on the bottom lane can easily lead to issues, as the game situation is constantly changing. Both the mid and top lanes also require assistance. Binding the jungler to the bottom lane without the ability to break through the matchup will certainly lead to defeat. Allowing the jungler to operate independently is the correct choice.

So, do you think IG can qualify for the World Championship?

Feel free to leave your comments and discuss!