NA LCS: Cloud9, Echo Fox, and CLG all have great weeks with playoffs approaching.
EU LCS: Vitality is the only team to go 2-0 with a big win against H2k.
LCK: SKT T1 fails with two losses.
LPL: QG wins both games to look like the best team in the league.
NA LCS Recap and Standings
In week 7 Echo Fox proved that they are still a lower-tier team that cannot stand to higher ranked teams. TSM looks weak and unorganized and Team Liquid looks strong. Immortals suffer their first lost against a CLG that secured their second place position by also beating Cloud 9.
The games to watch are Immortals vs CLG on Day 1 and Cloud9 vs CLG on Day 2. Both of these games with CLG featured extremely close games with tons of highlights and thrilling endings. With these two wins, CLG looks like an extremely solid team. However, this is mainly due to standout performances by Darshan, Aphromoo, and Xmithie on Udyr. They only showed one style: the splitpush with Darshan and Xmithie. This style will be targeted in the weeks to come and teams will be prepared against it.
Here are the standings after seven weeks of play:
1. Immortals (13W-1L)
2. Counter Logic Gaming (10W-4L)
3. Cloud9 (9W-5L)
4. TSM (8W-6L)
5. NRG Esports (7W-7L)
5. Liquid (7W-7L)
7. Team Impulse (5W-9L)
7. Echo Fox (5W-9L)
8. Team Dignitas (4W-10L)
10. Renegades (2W-12L)
Week 8 Preview
Next week, the match to watch is CLG vs TL on Saturday. CLG just had a huge week beating Immortals and Cloud9. However, Team Liquid will be sure to have a strategy to counter CLG's splitpush. This game will be a test of whether or not CLG's success is based off a single composition or if it's genuine strength.
EU LCS Recap and Standings
Week 7's matches in the EU LCS went as expected with H2k, Vitality, and G2 winning 2-0. The only unexpected result was Unicorns of Love giving up a game to ROCCAT which makes them similar to Fnatic and Origen who also went 1-1 this week.
H2k FORG1VEN
Here are results of week 7:
Day 1:
G2 Esports vs Elements (1-0)
Giantsvs Team Vitality (0-1)
H2k vs Fnatic (1-0)
Splyce vs Origen (0-1)
Unicorns of Love vs ROCCAT (0-1)
Day 2:
Origen vs G2 Esports (0-1)
Giants vs H2k (0-1)
Unicorns of Love vs Splyce (1-0)
Fnatic vs ROCCAT (1-0)
Team Vitality vs Elements (1-0)
The game to watch is H2k vs Fnatic. While H2k got the win, Fnatic had momentum until a tragic baron steal by Jankos. This game was also particularly notable because of FORG1VEN's dramatic announcement in the post-game interview that he is required to serve mandatory military service in Greece, making this one of his last games in the LCS.
1. G2 Esports (11W-3L)
1. Team Vitality (11W-3L)
1. H2k (11W-3L)
4. Unicorns of Love (9W-5L)
5. Fnatic (8W-6L)
6. Origen (7W-7L)
7. Elements (4W-10L)
7. Splyce (4W-10L)
9. ROCCAT (3W-11L)
10. Giants (2W-12L)
Week 8 Preview
Week 8 features a battle for first place between Team Vitality and G2 Esports on Day 1. Demonstrating very different styles of play, this game not only has a lot on the line but should be extremely close and competitive.
LCK Recap and Standings
ROX Tigers continues to dominate and prove that they are the best team in the world right now. KT Rolster beats Longzhu to edge them into second place. Also, e-mFire has changed their name to Kongdoo Monster. Unfortunately, there has not been a notable change in performance.
ROX Peanut
Here are results of week 7:
Day 1:
ROX Tigers vs SBENU SONICBOOM (2-0)
Longzhu Gaming vs KT Rolster (1-2)
Day 2:
CJ ENTUS vs Kongdoo Monster (2-1)
The game to watch is game 2 of ROX Tigers vs SBENU SONICBOOM. Peanut puts on a show with a dominating performance on Nidalee that is a sight to see. Peanut denies every single buff from Flawless—a feat that probably has not been done in competitive history.
Here are the standings after seven weeks of play:
1. ROX Tigers (9W-0L)
2. Jin Air Green Wings (6W-3L)
2. KT Rolster (6W-3L)
2. Samsung Galaxy (6W-3L)
5. SKTelecom T1 (5W-4L)
5. Longzhu Gaming (5W-4L)
7. CJ ENTUS (4W-5L)
8. Afreeca Freecs (3W-6L)
9. Kongdoo Monster (1W-8L)
10. SBENU SONICBOOM (0W-9L)
Week 8 Preview
The series to watch in week 8 is going to be ROX Tigers vs Longzhu Gaming. While ROX is expected to win, Longzhu has the potential to make an upset.
LPL Recap and Standings
Royal Never Give Up
Here are the results of week 5:
Day 1:
Team World Elite vs Edward Gaming (1-2)
Hyper Youth Gaming vs Snake Esports (0-2)
Day 2:
Invictus Gaming vs Energy Pace Maker (2-0)
Royal Never Give Up vs Qiao Gu Reapers (2-0)
Day 3:
Hyper Youth Gaming vs Master3 (2-0)
Team World Elite vs Vici Gaming (0-2)
Edward Gaming vs Snake Esports (1-2)
Day 4:
LGD Gaming vs Invictus Gaming (0-2)
OMG vs Energy Pace Maker(2-1)
The series to watch is RNG vs QG and EDG vs Snake. Royal Never Give Up beats Qiao Gu Reapers 2-0 giving QG their first loss. EDG also loses to Snake Esports as they go down to the last game.
Here are the standings after five weeks of play:
Group A
1. Qiao Gu Reapers (7W-1L)
2. Snake Esports (6W-2L)
3. Team World Elite (4W-4L)
4. Energy Pace Maker (2W-6L)
4. Master3 (2W-6L)
6. LGD Gaming (1W-7L)
Group B
1. Royal Never Give Up (6W-2L)
1. Invictus Gaming (6W-2L)
3. Edward Gaming (5W-3L)
4. OMG (4W-4L)
4. Vici Gaming (4W-4L)
6. Hyper Youth Gaming (1W-7L)
Week 6 Preview
Next week, the series to watch is EDG vs QG on Day 3. While EDG is not on the top of the standings, this series should be competitive and a test of QG's real strength.
Baron Steal and Crazy Backdoor from CLG vs IMT
Watch the thrilling ending to CLG vs IMT
C9 vs CLG Rush Outplay
This series of outplays is something you NEED to watch.
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
ESL Pro League Season 3 Week 3
In the third week of the ESL Pro League Fnatic, Astralis, and NiP were dominant, winning all of their games. On the NA side, Selfless was the standout team with three strong victories. Week 4 has a plethora of matches to watch. View the match schedule for both EU and NA by clicking on the links above.
GAMEKIT Counter Pit League Season 2
America, Europe, and Oceania have finished their individual qualifiers for the GAMEKIT Counter Pit League Season 2 Tournament. For the American qualifiers, NRG eSports came out ahead. In the Eurpoean qualifers, Torpedo Gaming won the fianls beating ENCE eSports and Orgless.hu. Lastly, Team Immunity won first in Oceania to join the qualified and invited teams. The main tournament starts on March 17th with Astralis, Team EnVyUs, Natus Vincere, Virtus.pro, and the above qualified teams in Spaladium Arena
Top 5 Plays from Week 3 of the ESL Pro League
Watch the best 5 plays from this week in the ESL Pro League.
The Shanghai Major has finished its group stage involving 16 teams divided into four groups of four teams in a double-elimination format. With all matches being best of threes, the best two teams of each bracket head to the upper bracket of the main event while the bottom two teams head to the lower bracket of the main event.
RESULTS
Group A
MVP Phoenix (2-0)
Team Secret (2-1)
EHOME.cn (1-2)
CDEC Gaming (0-2)
Group B
Alliance (2-0)
Fnatic (2-1)
Team Spirit (1-2)
Vici Gaming (0-2)
Group C
OG (2-0)
LGD Gaming (2-1)
Newbee (1-2)
Team Archon (0-2)
Group D
Evil Geniuses (2-0)
Team Liquid (2-1)
Virtus.pro (1-2)
compLexity Gaming (0-2)
With these results the group stage ends with the top two teams of each group going to the upper bracket. EHOME had a particularly disappointing performance as they were the most dominant Chinese team and was argued to be the best team in the world. Alliance and OG demonstrate that they are truly forces to be reckoned with and EG proves why they won TI last season.
On March 2nd, the lower bracket matches (best of ones) and two of the upper bracket rounds (best of threes) will take place. The games will go on until March 6th when the Grand Finals will take place.
Liquid execute the perfect teamfight
Watch Team Liquid teamfight to victory in the group stages.
My first MMOs included Ragnarok Online, Gunbound, Diablo II, and World of Warcraft. Nowadays, my wife (also a writer on MMOs) and I play League of Legends and any other MMOs we can get our hands on. I also love following eSports and attending eSports events.
