This Week in League - August 19, 2014
Riot·8/19/2014, 10:31:36 PM·0 votes·7,502 views
Only three regions, North America, China, and Southeast Asia are competing on the Rift this week. The North America Regional Qualifier begins on Saturday with quarterfinals. The top three teams from the Qualifier will advance to the 2014 World Championship. North America isn’t the only region with the World Championship on the brain as Southeast Asia’s GPL begins their Regional Qualifier a spot for Worlds on the line. China’s LPL has not hit their Regional Qualifier yet, but the LPL Summer playoffs start this week. Thanks to the completion of OGN Champions Summer in Korea, as well as the EU Regional Tournament, both of these regions are off.
Schedule
The North American Regional begins on Saturday, August 23rd at Noon PST / 9 CEST with a best-of-five series between Team SoloMid and Team Dignitas and continue Sunday, August 24 at the same time with Curse battling Counter Logic Gaming.
Games to Watch
Team SoloMid vs Team Dignitas - Saturday, August 23rd - Noon PDT / 9:00 pm CEST
The opening act of the 2014 North American Regional features two teams that are desperate for some momentum to get them out of their funk. Team Dignitas has been in a late season swoon that saw them drop from third to sixth in the LCS while Team SoloMid has been plagued by inconsistency, and poor performance against the top teams in the LCS.
Curse vs Counter Logic Gaming - Sunday, August 24th - Noon am PDT / 9:00 pm CEST
Counter Logic Gaming’s first action since their return from Korea will be against Team Curse. Following a 3-1 Super Week, Curse has built a reputation for being a giant killer in the LCS by beating first place LMQ, and third place Team SoloMid to close out the regular season. These two teams final meeting was on Week 10, and Curse managed to pull out a victory.
Stories Around the League
NA Regional Survival Guide - Regionals begin shortly, and Mattias “Gentleman Gustaf” Lehman has everything a fan would ever need to get excited for the event. The guide includes a brief history, as well as commentary on each team and a brief outline of the region’s playstyle.
CLG Comes Home - North America’s Counter Logic Gaming has been bootcamping in Korea for the past several weeks in preparation for the NA Regional Qualifier. With their return to the United States right before tournament begins, where do they stand? Also, what could their bootcamp have improved upon?
Schedule
The European Regional has been finished. Alliance, Fnatic, and SK Gaming are all preparing for the 2014 World Championship.
Stories Around the League
Alliance wins European Regional Qualifier - Courtesy of The Daily Dot, this story recaps the final best-of-five which Alliance won 3-1 with specific screenshots and quotes from the winning team.
Community Spotlight: Episode 5 - An interview with Cloud 9’s Hai, an article from Paravine regarding the Dignitas/Team SoloMid series, and a breakdown of the popular peel comp from Cloth5 are the highlights in this week’s community spotlight
Schedule
Korea is off this week ahead of the start of their Regional Qualifier that begins on August 27th.
Stories Around the League
What’s up with vision control? - Taylor Cocke continues his series breaking down each phase the game with an explanation on the importance of vision control not only on the professional level, but in player’s solo queue games as well.
Power Rankings: Week 29 -
The continuing surge of China’s StarHorn Royal Club has shaken up the bottom of the Lolesports Power Rankings while the fall of Edward Gaming pushed both NaJin e-mFire teams up in this week’s rankings.
Schedule
Games begin at 1:00am PDT Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Games to Watch
OMG vs StarHorn Royal Club - Wednesday, August 20th - 1:00 am PDT / 10:00 am CEST
The past two weeks have not been kind to OMG. They split with eighth place WE.Academy and got swept by seventh place Young Glory to end the regular season. Despite their primacy in China throughout the 2014 Season, OMG’s recent struggles have installed them as the underdog going into their best-of-five with StarHorn Royal Club thanks to SHRC’s success against top competition, including OMG, in the final weeks of the regular season.
LPL Playoffs Grand Final - Sunday, August 24th - 1:00 am PDT / 10:00 am CEST Thanks to the tournament’s double elimination format, the Grand Finals are wide open even after Edward Gaming swept LGD Gaming 3-0. If Edward Gaming wins here, they are automatically qualified for the 2014 World Championship. If anyone else wins, that team gets a best-of-three against EDG for an automatic berth while the loser falls into China’s Regional Qualifier.
Stories Around the League
Interview with XQ and PYL, the increasingly dominant bottom duo of LGD Gaming - Courtesy of Esportsheaven, this interview with LGD’s duo lane gives fans a glimpse into LGD Gaming as they’ve continued to prepare and compete in the LPL Summer Playoffs
Spot at Worlds up for grabs in LPL Playoffs - New to the LPL? Be sure to take a look at this primer written by Kelsey Moser. It explains the format of the LPL Summer playoffs, as well as a brief statement on each team competing. This tournament will have major implications on the Chinese Regional Qualifier, which begins in early September.
Schedule
Games begin at 3:00am PDT Wednesday. Click here for a detailed schedule of games.
Games to Watch
Saigon Fantastic Five vs Azubu Taipei Snipers - Saturday, August 23rd - 3:00 am PDT / 12:00 pm CESTThere is only one 2014 World Championship spot up for grabs from the Southeast Asian region following the Azubu Taipei Assassins win in GPL Summer. Following their 3-1 victory over the Saigon Jokers, the Saigon Fantastic Five head into a best-of-five against the Azubu Taipei Snipers. The winner gets a shot at AHQ E-Sports Club for SEA’s second berth to the World Championship
Stories Around the League
Saigon Shock Blast - Jayce in the GPL - Jayce, the Defender of Tomorrow, has seen play throughout GPL Summer, particularly in the hands of the Saigon Fantastic Five’s Optimus and Saigon Joker’s Nixwater. These two players give their views on the champion in this feature written up by James “Obscurica” Chen.
Schedule
The North American Regional begins on Saturday, August 23rd at Noon PST / 9 CEST with a best-of-five series between Team SoloMid and Team Dignitas and continue Sunday, August 24 at the same time with Curse battling Counter Logic Gaming.
Games to Watch
Team SoloMid vs Team Dignitas - Saturday, August 23rd - Noon PDT / 9:00 pm CEST
The opening act of the 2014 North American Regional features two teams that are desperate for some momentum to get them out of their funk. Team Dignitas has been in a late season swoon that saw them drop from third to sixth in the LCS while Team SoloMid has been plagued by inconsistency, and poor performance against the top teams in the LCS.
Curse vs Counter Logic Gaming - Sunday, August 24th - Noon am PDT / 9:00 pm CEST
Counter Logic Gaming’s first action since their return from Korea will be against Team Curse. Following a 3-1 Super Week, Curse has built a reputation for being a giant killer in the LCS by beating first place LMQ, and third place Team SoloMid to close out the regular season. These two teams final meeting was on Week 10, and Curse managed to pull out a victory.
Stories Around the League
NA Regional Survival Guide - Regionals begin shortly, and Mattias “Gentleman Gustaf” Lehman has everything a fan would ever need to get excited for the event. The guide includes a brief history, as well as commentary on each team and a brief outline of the region’s playstyle.
CLG Comes Home - North America’s Counter Logic Gaming has been bootcamping in Korea for the past several weeks in preparation for the NA Regional Qualifier. With their return to the United States right before tournament begins, where do they stand? Also, what could their bootcamp have improved upon?
Schedule
The European Regional has been finished. Alliance, Fnatic, and SK Gaming are all preparing for the 2014 World Championship.
Stories Around the League
Alliance wins European Regional Qualifier - Courtesy of The Daily Dot, this story recaps the final best-of-five which Alliance won 3-1 with specific screenshots and quotes from the winning team.
Community Spotlight: Episode 5 - An interview with Cloud 9’s Hai, an article from Paravine regarding the Dignitas/Team SoloMid series, and a breakdown of the popular peel comp from Cloth5 are the highlights in this week’s community spotlight
Schedule
Korea is off this week ahead of the start of their Regional Qualifier that begins on August 27th.
Stories Around the League
What’s up with vision control? - Taylor Cocke continues his series breaking down each phase the game with an explanation on the importance of vision control not only on the professional level, but in player’s solo queue games as well.
Power Rankings: Week 29 -
The continuing surge of China’s StarHorn Royal Club has shaken up the bottom of the Lolesports Power Rankings while the fall of Edward Gaming pushed both NaJin e-mFire teams up in this week’s rankings.
Schedule
Games begin at 1:00am PDT Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Games to Watch
OMG vs StarHorn Royal Club - Wednesday, August 20th - 1:00 am PDT / 10:00 am CEST
The past two weeks have not been kind to OMG. They split with eighth place WE.Academy and got swept by seventh place Young Glory to end the regular season. Despite their primacy in China throughout the 2014 Season, OMG’s recent struggles have installed them as the underdog going into their best-of-five with StarHorn Royal Club thanks to SHRC’s success against top competition, including OMG, in the final weeks of the regular season.
LPL Playoffs Grand Final - Sunday, August 24th - 1:00 am PDT / 10:00 am CEST Thanks to the tournament’s double elimination format, the Grand Finals are wide open even after Edward Gaming swept LGD Gaming 3-0. If Edward Gaming wins here, they are automatically qualified for the 2014 World Championship. If anyone else wins, that team gets a best-of-three against EDG for an automatic berth while the loser falls into China’s Regional Qualifier.
Stories Around the League
Interview with XQ and PYL, the increasingly dominant bottom duo of LGD Gaming - Courtesy of Esportsheaven, this interview with LGD’s duo lane gives fans a glimpse into LGD Gaming as they’ve continued to prepare and compete in the LPL Summer Playoffs
Spot at Worlds up for grabs in LPL Playoffs - New to the LPL? Be sure to take a look at this primer written by Kelsey Moser. It explains the format of the LPL Summer playoffs, as well as a brief statement on each team competing. This tournament will have major implications on the Chinese Regional Qualifier, which begins in early September.
Schedule
Games begin at 3:00am PDT Wednesday. Click here for a detailed schedule of games.
Games to Watch
Saigon Fantastic Five vs Azubu Taipei Snipers - Saturday, August 23rd - 3:00 am PDT / 12:00 pm CESTThere is only one 2014 World Championship spot up for grabs from the Southeast Asian region following the Azubu Taipei Assassins win in GPL Summer. Following their 3-1 victory over the Saigon Jokers, the Saigon Fantastic Five head into a best-of-five against the Azubu Taipei Snipers. The winner gets a shot at AHQ E-Sports Club for SEA’s second berth to the World Championship
Stories Around the League
Saigon Shock Blast - Jayce in the GPL - Jayce, the Defender of Tomorrow, has seen play throughout GPL Summer, particularly in the hands of the Saigon Fantastic Five’s Optimus and Saigon Joker’s Nixwater. These two players give their views on the champion in this feature written up by James “Obscurica” Chen.
