RNG handed Fnatic a 3-0 sweep on Friday’s semifinals match. Bringing out Karsa as the primary jungler, RNG held the first two games to a sizable lead with the name of the game being ‘kill the FNC support’. The third game introduced Mlxg back into the lineup where, despite the close game, RNG took the victory after a fantastic showing from the Chinese jungler.

Kingzone Dragon X had soundly stomped Flash Wolves in game one, only to be returned the favor with interest in game two. Afterwards, KZ Khan completely popped off to show why he was able to secure a spot on the number one Korean team. Coupled with the fact that FW slowly but surely lost ability to control tempo the longer the series progressed, KZ secured the victory 3-1.?

MORE PREDICTIONS: ESPORTS BETTING TIPS
NEWS UPDATES: LATEST ESPORTS NEWS

Royal Never Give Up vs Kingzone DragonX

3:15am PST / 6:15 am EST / 12:15 pm CEST

With both teams looking in top form, RNG and KZ head into the final day aiming to be the newest team crowned MSI champion. RNG with their early struggles in the tournament have finally found the meta that best suits their playstyle. KZ still look to be a powerful team at their core, but as most analysts would agree, they are only a tiny bit off from hitting their complete stride.

Top Lane – Letme vs Khan

Khan is the immediate favorite to win this matchup if left unhindered. Khan was known as the most punishing top laner to play against in the LCK for good reason – he will find a way to carry the game, whether it be on a bruiser Camille or a tank Cho’gath. Letme plays what his team needs, whether tank or carry, and does it well, but he is going to need some heavy jungle intervention to stop Khan in his tracks.

Jungle – Peanut/Cuzz vs Karsa/Mlxg

Honestly, this matchup is a coin flip as to who will win. Karsa and Mlxg are two world class junglers that have different playstyles, whereas Peanut is more similar to Mlxg’s aggressive style. Towards the early series, Peanut should be favored but towards the middle and end of the series where RNG has had time to analyze Peanut and put in their substitute jungler, RNG should be able to wrestle jungle pressure back. Cuzz should be seeing little playtime unless something goes horribly wrong.

Mid – Bdd vs Xiaohu

The battle of the midlaner will most likely prove as a stalemate unless the jungler get involved. Both sport large champion pools that can play to multiple styles including protect the carry (Karma, Galio), mapwide roaming (Taliyah), in-your-face carry (Irelia, Yasuo, Vlad)) and backline artillery (Zoe).

ADC and Support – Pray/Gorilla vs Uzi/Ming

Uzi is indisputably the better ADC on paper, but the question is whether or not Ming can keep up the tempo with the amazing ADC. Uzi has shown to be able to carry games with the support of his team , outputting tremendous damage and KP%. Pray and Gorilla may probably at best hope to go even unless RNG botches the pick/bans, but if the champions picked have similar tiers and strengths, expect this to go to Uzi and Ming.

Prediction – Kingzone DragonX, 3-2

The main problem with picking RNG is that even during their winning matchups, KZ’s counterparts will not be set behind by any means. Putting Peanut in the jungle behind will just mean Peanut will play to his teams win conditions instead of going for risky plays, while putting Pray and Gorilla behind has been the story of KZ’s life half the tournament. RNG winning would most likely be a 70-30 percentage, not a large upset but an upset nonetheless.

Betting prediction: Kingzone DragonX to win, paying $1.61 at GG Bet.

FW have had an unexpectedly impressive record against Korean teams in particular since 2015. KZ on the other hand have put together three members of the Rox Tigers of old, a team that managed to make it to the Worlds Semifinals in 2015 until their disbandment shortly after. Players for both sides have had a history of high ranking international appearances and on Saturday, they will continue to do so.

MORE PREDICTIONS: ESPORTS BETTING TIPS
NEWS UPDATES: LATEST ESPORTS NEWS

Kingzone DragonX vs Flash Wolves

3am PST / 6am EST / 12pm CEST

The Flash Wolves are known as the ‘Korean Killers’ for good reason; the team is currently 2-0 against KZ in the head to head matchup in the Group Stages. Kingzone are known as the next kings of Korea, having blown through the regular season with authority and finishing their regional playoffs convincingly. It comes as no surprise that this match will be the more competitive of the two semifinal matches this weekend.

Kingzone DragonX

Strengths – Hailing from Korea immediately lets any onlookers know that KZ is mechanically adept and plays at a higher level of coordination than most regions. Each individual laner for KZ will rarely be seen making a mistake and always be seen punishing mistakes made by their opponents. KZ can effectively play through any lane, whether it be Pray and Gorilla in the bot, Bdd in the mid or Khan in the top. Each of these players holds the capacity to carry the game, which makes KZ a dangerous team to try and focus.

Weaknesses – The largest weakness KZ brings to the table would be their ability to play from behind. Setting Khan behind while he is not on a tank effectively makes the game a 4v5 for the entirety of the midgame, while setting Peanut behind will inevitably lead to the jungler making more ‘safe than sorry’ plays. A KZ that plays safe and collected is out of character and slows down the game tempo, causing teams to be able to scale against KZ. In addition, Pray has shown an affinity for more Guinsoo Rageblade and Tear of the Goddess champions rather critical strike champions. Although he definitely can play the Caitlyn or Tristana, he hovers more towards the Kog’maw , Ezreal and Kai’sa who tend to fall off during the late game. If these two weaknesses are paired together, FW may be able to win a late game teamfight by getting an early lead.

Substitute – KZ have brought with them a substitute in the jungle, Cuzz. Cuzz has played the last three of the last four games for KZ and out of those three games, two were victories. Many speculate that Cuzz had received that playing time as a warm up for the semifinals round. Cuzz is similar to Peanut in that he can start a snowball rolling and capitalize on it effectively. The differences are that Cuzz plays a lot more tanky jungle champions and playing from behind, from what we have seen so far, is difficult for the KZ sub. The likeliness that Cuzz will make an appearance is actually quite high, but probably not for more than one game in the series.

Flash Wolves

Strengths – Similar to KZ, Maple in the midlane and Betty and SwordArt in the botlane are the go-to lanes to snowball. Maple has had an incredible showing at MSI with his name in the talks for MSI MVP. He shows a large champion pool that requires teams to ban out mid lane champions not based on his ability to play them but rather team win conditions, as the enemy team knows Maple can play too many champions comfortably. Betty and SwordArt also have been stellar this tournament, with Betty racking up some of the most impressive stats of any ADC at MSI.

Weaknesses – All eyes are on Hanabi as the Achilles’ Heel of Flash Wolves. There were games where when Hanabi played poorly that had a minimal effect on the game, but losing lane never helps the team achieve victory. Hanabi’s successes have come more on playmaking tanky champions rather carry champions, which suggests FW may implement a teamfight oriented composition during most of the series. And unlike the beginning of MSI where teams could not match FW’s tenacity right out of the gate, KZ are masters of controlling tempo while slowly taking over the game by playing their style of League.

Substitute – The Flash Wolves have not revealed their substitute publicly as they have played with their standard five man roster since the beginning of MSI. The team however has fielded a full 10 man active roster, with MMD, Morning, Atlen, and ShiauC playing top, jungle, ADC, and support respectively. If the FW have brought anybody with them, it would probably have been MMD for rookie Hanabi. That being said, Hanabi has played in top form and FW will most likely keep their regular roster throughout the series.

Prediction – Kingzone DragonX

There have been debates as to whether or not FW is better than KZ due to the 2-0 record. However, it is strongly agreed that during a best of one, any and all strategies including cheese, surprising picks and the such are valid strategies as only one victory is needed. In a series of five games, KZ has the edge in both experience and skill and are predicted to adapt to the ‘series meta’ faster than FW. If the FW want a victory here, they had better put their moniker on the line and slay the Kings of Korea.

Betting prediction: Kingzone DragonX to win, paying $1.22 at GG Bet.

Flash Wolves have belied their second-tier status to become serious contenders for the Mid Season Invitational title. Standing in their way are Kingzone DragonX, champions of LCK. EVOS Esports have impressed despite their indifferent results in the Main Stage, while the folks at Team Liquid have done nothing to improve North America’s reputation on the big stage.

This is how we see the seeds panning out for the semi-finals:

1. Flash Wolves (LMS)
2. Kingzone DragonX (LCK)
3. Fnatic (EU)
4. Royal Never Give Up (LPL)

Fnatic vs. Kingzone DragonX

2am PST / 5am EST / 11am CEST

Fnatic have grown over the span of the tournament, but have they come far enough to pose a serious challenge to Kingzone? KZ have multiple avenues to exploit FNC including Khan’s split push, Peanut’s early pressure and a botlane collapse. On the flip side, FNC must rely on the much-improved Caps during the early game and transition power to Rekkles in the late game. Such a strategy is very narrow for execution and is best imagined as walking a tightrope, with KZ firing on all cylinders during the performance.

Prediction: Kingzone DragonX

EVOS Esports vs. Royal Never Give Up

3am PST / 6am EST / 12pm CEST

RNG entered the Main Stage as one of the strongest teams, but now they look to have multiple weaknesses. Their fundamental strength has provided them victories up to this point, but it remains unclear whether they have sorted out their communication issues regarding tempo and rotations. Uzi may be doing his best to prevent the hemorrhaging for RNG, but through drafts, laning phase and general execution, RNG have much to be desired. EVOS have looked great in the early game, but have never converted leads or spiraled advantages of control. Every single EVOS has delivered relentless pressure early on, but they fall short of the rest when it comes to teamfighting and objective strategy.

Prediction: Royal Never Give Up

Flash Wolves vs. Team Liquid

4am PST / 7am EST / 1pm CEST

Considering their preliminary placement in this tournament, one would not have expected Flash Wolves to be the dominant favorites in this clash. The Taiwanese bolters only have to play their game, as they have demonstrated that their basic play is already calibers above what Team Liquid usually bring to the table. TL have to find some kind of synchronization between their plays, as their playstyle is more reminiscent of solo queue than anything else. They seem to barely understand that tardiness to call out an MIA in time or being late to a rotation will spiral out of control, especially in an international setting. It is unfortunate that this realization comes as late as it does in this tournament.

Prediction: Flash Wolves

Fnatic vs. EVOS Esports

5am PST / 8am EST / 2pm CEST

Although EVOS may be out of contention for top four, Fnatic still have to show their mettle and not get complacent. If the underdogs turn the early game into a fiesta of kills, it may only speed up their demise as FNC can utilize Caps’ early game even quicker. What EVOS need is methodical and organized chaos, a term that was synonymous with the Gigabyte Marines. Fnatic overall have more strength in most lanes, so they should have no problem securing a semi-final spot as long as they can get Caps to start exerting mapwide pressure from the midlane.

Prediction: Fnatic

Flash Wolves vs. Kingzone DragonX

6am PST / 9am EST / 3pm CEST

What was once thought to be a one-sided stomp has evolved into a possible finals matchup, with Wolves holding the head-to-head advantage. The strategy of playing through botlane while using Maple to annihilate his laner is not uncommon among teams at the MSI, but they have executed the strategy to a higher degree than most teams. If Maple gets a strong laner that can push and roam easily with Moojin obtaining a jungle that can go even against Peanut, FW may be able to call the game at first tower blood. KZ will find it difficult to play through top and midlane due to the base strength of their opponents. Their best bet is PraY and GorillA, but should they see an opportunity to put Maple down, they could wipe out a third of FW’s win conditions.

Prediction: Kingzone DragonX

Team Liquid vs. Royal Never Give Up

7am PST / 10am EST / 4pm CEST

RNG gave Team Liquid their first victory of the MSI Main Stage when these two last met. The Americans succeeded on that occasion for three reasons: Olleh’s pressure on Morgana, Mlxd showing up instead of Mlxg, and RNG’s narrow win condition. Drafting phase already eliminates the first possibility, but the second factor is RNG’s identity and cannot be so easily changed. They need to pool their resources into Uzi while Mxlg finds his rhythm and intensity. TL did an excellent job in mitigating Uzi last time by constantly creating a party botlane, causing death after death. They broke the code before and, despite their shaky overall MSI performance, are favored to do it again.

Prediction: Team Liquid

Team Liquid and EVOS are predicted to struggle from here on, while Kingzone DragonX are the only team in a clear position to secure one of those coveted semi-final spots.

Remember: whichever side finishes top of the table in the Main Stage can choose to face either the third or fourth seed in the semis, with the leftover teams playing it out in the other match.

Kingzone DragonX vs. Royal Never Give Up

2am PST / 5am EST / 11am CEST

RNG have looked a bit shaky, citing losses to KZ and FW within the first couple of days. On the flip side, KZ have only been gaining traction since their upset and continue to be a dominant force.

Uzi is doing his best to try to carry the games, but the team that surrounds him cannot operate from behind. Most teams that have won against RNG have either outpaced them in teamfighting or prevented that scenario altogether. KZ, on the other hand, have had significant strain in the jungle, as Mlxg either makes a good situation better or a bad situation worse.

These two teams are still in contention as the most powerful two teams in MSI, but as the tournament round robin nears its end, every game will count for the top four spots.

Prediction: Kingzone DragonX – $1.37 at Arcanebet

Fnatic vs. Flash Wolves

3am PST / 6am EST / 12pm CEST

These two teams have impressed so far. Flash Wolves came out of the gate with all guns ablaze, while Fnatic have ramped up over time.

Many believe that FW should not have been relegated to a second-tier region considering their accomplishments at this tournament. Hanabi, a rookie on the team, has successfully gone head-to-head with the best top laners in the world, with Betty and Maple doing a lot of work in teamfights. For Fnatic, Bwipo has recovered from a difficult first day and is looking great despite a lack of experience on the big stage.

This match will fall upon FW’s tempo versus that of Fnatic’s, as to who can break the first tower, pull off rotations and take neutral objectives. The team that initiates first blood tower will be the likely team to secure victory.

Prediction: Flash Wolves – $1.66 at Arcanebet

EVOS Esports vs. Team Liquid

4am PST / 7am EST / 1pm CEST

EVOS Esports and Team Liquid are both looking at the guillotine.

Warzone has undergone a famous transformation for EVOS over the past year and looms as the danger man in this clash. Slay and RonOP still have their work cut out for them, facing the heralded four horsemen of ADCs in the group stages. And although Yijin will have the advantage in the jungle, the same cannot be said for each individual lane across the board.

Team Liquid need to shore up Xmithie’s early game pressure and their support situation. Whether or not Joey or Olleh plays, the teams needs a more cohesive strategy rather than playing a solo queue style.

Prediction: Team Liquid – $1.59 at Arcanebet

Royal Never Give Up vs. Flash Wolves

5am PST / 8am EST / 2pm CEST

The last bout between the Taiwanese and the Chinese led to a surprise win for Flash Wolves. RNG aims to equalize the series with this match.

Flash Wolves have not necessarily become a flexible team, but rather a team that controls the flow of the game. By consistently making their enemies play their style of game, FW essentially determine where the pieces fall. Their champion pool also allows them to be varied in how they execute their plans.

RNG are also masters of controlling tempo in order to teamfight under Uzi’s banner, but have yet to consistently achieve that goal. However, with a few more days to practice and remedy their problems, they are still on paper the more experienced and powerful team, at least when it comes to pushing a lead.

Prediction: Royal Never Give Up – $1.84 at Arcanebet

Kingzone DragonX vs. EVOS Esports

6am PST / 9am EST / 3pm CEST

KZ end their day with a match against Vietnam’s EVOS Esports. It is a daunting prospect for Warzone and co., but also an opportunity to send shockwaves throughout the tournament.

EVOS pride themselves on high tempo, fast-paced jungle skirmishes that in turn net the team sizable early-game advantages. Using that lead, they can continue to rotate until an opportunity arises for RonOP and Yijin to engage. By contrast, KZ usually see, understand and adapt to their situation, which causes teams plenty of headaches.

Although KZ may not be able to match the early bloodthirstiness of EVOS, they have more than enough skill and mechanics to temper the aggression and pace the match at their level. After all, these guys were top of the pops in Korea – the most recognized League of Legends region in the world.

Prediction: Kingzone DragonX – $1.11 at Arcanebet

Team Liquid vs. Fnatic

7am PST / 10am EST / 4pm CEST

Despite the fact that Pobelter blind picked Yasuo in their last bout, Fnatic seem to have a better grasp on just about everything. Team Liquid desperately need this win to have any chance of progressing and, as such, will most likely draft completely meta or comfort champions.

TL need to storm Fnatic using early pressure or deep warding to track down Broxah; otherwise they will be trampled in the midgame by a far more cohesive unit. For Fnatic, Caps looks the most viable playmaker alongside any heavy CC champions. Consequently, Rekkles will most likely have the opportunity to pick any kind of ADC he wants, whether it be something like Sivir for backline shredding or Tristana for the bunny hop executions.

Either way, Fnatic hold the cards and it is up to Team Liquid to call their bluff or fold completely.

Prediction: Fnatic – $1.60 at Arcanebet

Fnatic is still trying to coordinate everything together, making sure Bwipo is up to par when versing world tier top laners and trying to condition Rekkles to his former glory.

On the flip side from the West, Team Liquid is struggling as much as Fnatic to secure a playoff spot, with their early start severly hindering the rest of their progress.

With each team still having six matches to go at the beginning of the day, the standings are not concrete as to which team is assured a semifinal spot. That being said, there are some teams that have a lot of planning to do when looking at the strengh of their remaining matches.
?
MORE MSI: MID SEASON INVITATIONAL 2018
MORE TIPS: ESPORTS BETTING PREDICTIONS
MORE NEWS: LATEST ESPORTS NEWS

Royal Never Give Up vs Team Liquid

2am PST / 5am EST / 11am CEST

Both RNG and TL have performed as most would have expected – Team Liquid being the average among the bunch while RNG is looking stronger and stronger despite their late arrival to Europe.

TL has had underwhelming performances from Xmithie and Pobelter which in turn has led for nearly uncontested jungle pressure in the early game. Impact has also had limited influence when it comes to matching his laners’ teleports. Conversely, although Mlxg finds it difficult to jungle from behind, that should not be a problem versus TL and Uzi is still looking in his top form.

Betting prediction: Royal Never Give Up to win, paying $1.20 at GG Bet.

Fnatic vs EVOS Esports

3am PST / 6am EST / 12pm CEST

FNC, despite possessing home advantage in this tournament, has been judged severely by their own region for their slow start. EVOS on the other hand is constantly surprising onlookers, not necessarily able to take down the best teams but able to hold their own versus Team Liquid, Fnatic, and Flash Wolves.

Once again, this falls upon whether or not Fnatic can get Rekkles rolling. Although Caps has been the main catalyst for FNC’s plays, he is also the main catalyst for FNC’s mistakes, and putting all the pressure on the mid laner may prove too heavy for the young professional. EVOS’s WarZone and Slay have been performing higher than expectations, but ultimately it falls upon Yijin to shut down any aggression from Broxah to influence the lanes.

Betting prediction: Fnatic to win, paying $1.25 at GG Bet.

Kingzone DragonX vs Flash Wolves

4am PST / 7am EST / 1pm CEST

The Korean emperors face off against Flash Wolves, looking to increase their lead to secure a semifinal spot for the endgame of the tournament.

Off the bat, Kingzone seems to be an upgrade to Flash Wolves in nearly every role. Maple and SwordArt have had great showings and may be the best chance to push a lead, but the problem for FW is developing a lead in the first place. And although FW’s playstyle is flexible enough to play multiple variations of team compositions to counter their opponent, KZ simply is able to do it better with more efficiency, precision and are clear favorites in this matchup.

Betting prediction: Kingzone DragonX to win, paying $1.11 at GG Bet.

Royal Never Give Up vs Fnatic

5am PST / 8am EST / 2pm CEST

The battle of perhaps the teams most reliant on their ADCs transpires in the fourth match of the day.

On paper, Uzi defeates Rekkles in nearly every single statistic for an ADC: damage %, CS difference at 15, kill participation%, KDA. In addition, Xiaohu is a more consistent mid laner than Caps as a whole. If FNC is to secure a win versus RNG, FNC can replicate their first bout with RNG but incorporate Rekkles more as a main carry instead of having Caps run around making amazing plays and then following it up by running face first into the enemy team. As consistency goes, Uzi has been performing as all have expected while the EU MVP still has some question marks in the air surrounding him.

Betting prediction: Royal Never Give Up to win, paying $1.36 at GG Bet.

Flash Wolves vs EVOS Esports

7
6am PST / 9am EST / 3pm CEST

The two mid-tier power regions duke it out yet again to see if Vietnam can stand up to the long term Taiwanese team when it comes to competitive level of play.

EVOS Esports are no strangers to heavy jungle pressure and high level skirmishing whether it be through multiple river encounters or fiestas in the lane. Flash Wolves Betty and Maple have proven to be stable pillars for the team, able to carry the team and provide sufficient variations of teamfighting. Despite Warzone being on point for EVOS, there will have to be a larger amount of pressure coming from anywhere else on the map whether it be from Stark split pushing or crisp rotations to draw FW’s into EVOS’ teamfighting territory.

Betting prediction: Flash Wolves to win, paying $1.28 at GG Bet.

Team Liquid vs Kingzone DragonX

7am PST / 10am EST / 4pm CEST

There is not much to say about this matchup – with Kingzone’s excellent track record, Team Liquid are safely the underdogs across every single lane.

Team Liquid is quite reliant on Doublelift and Pobelter to win the game, as are most teams with their ADC and Mid carries. When battling KZ, neither of these lanes remains a winning matchup when left alone. If jungle pressure intervenes, the chances of Mlxg striking first is that much higher than Xmithie aiding his lanes. It is extremely unlikely that Team Liquid will be able to fulfill their win conditions when it comes to drafting or execution. And even if KZ cannot successfully pull off their team composition’s main goal, their overall strength, mechanics, and coordination should be more than enough to secure victory.

Betting prediction: Kingzone DragonX to win, paying $1.10 at GG Bet.

MORE MSI: MID SEASON INVITATIONAL 2018
MORE TIPS: ESPORTS BETTING PREDICTIONS
MORE NEWS: LATEST ESPORTS NEWS

Kingzone DragonX vs. Fnatic

2am PST / 5am EST / 11am CEST

Despite how the matchup looks, all hope is not lost for FNC. The ‘baby Faker’ Caps was promoted as will unfortunately not be playing Faker, but instead Bdd in the midlane. Caps makes just as many mistakes and outplays as any other midlaner, but Bdd will barely put a foot wrong.

Pray and Gorilla will definitely be targeted by the entirety of FNC to not only be set behind, but also to boost Rekkles’ impact in the game. Playing through Khan in the toplane against the rookie Bwipo or even a recovering sOAZ could be KZ’s ticket to a win, but KZ is strong across the board aplenty.

Prediction: Kingzone DragonX

Royal Never Give Up vs. EVOS Esports

3am PST / 6am EST / 12pm CEST

This may prove a dangerous game for RNG, as EVOS’ early skirmishing may stifle Uzi’s ability to transition into the mid-game with ease. However, RNG are the second favorites for a reason – against all odds, no matter how distraught, they have been able to support Uzi and depend on him.

When it comes to early pressure, Yijin from EVOS is no more favored than Mlxg. However, Stark and Warzone may be able to hold off their counterparts as long as jungle pressure does not enter the top or middle lanes.

RNG have one priority here and it is to feed Uzi – because as the game drags on, EVOS becomes less and less cohesive as a unit and teamfighting will undoubtedly go in RNG’s favor.

Prediction: Royal Never Give Up

Team Liquid vs. Flash Wolves

4am PST / 7am EST / 1pm CEST

Flash Wolves are known for their well rounded, macro-style gameplay, as opposed to the botlane focus and linear team composition of Team Liquid. It’s well documented that Impact does not play much in the way of carry, something FW may want to exploit by drafting a split-push toplaner. Moojin and Xmithie, however, will probably end up on opposite sides of the map, aiming to get their own laners ahead.

Wolves will try to control the topside, while TL’s objective will be the botside. The biggest thing to look out for is SwordArt’s roaming versus Olleh’s roaming, as Olleh tends to stick with his ADC until a sizable lead is accrued. If that factor is indeed met, Olleh may have just as much pressure as SwordArt, a terrifying prospect.

Updated: Team Liquid announced earlier today they are going to substitute Joey for Olleh as support, as Joey is largely untested in International tournaments i believe this may give Flash Wolves the edge they need to win.)

Prediction: Flash Wolves

EVOS Esports vs. Kingzone DragonX

5am PST / 8am EST / 2pm CEST

It is unfortunate for EVOS that they have to play the top two teams in this year’s MSI. On paper, Kingzone are stronger in every respect.

In the toplane, there is some ability for Stark to pull off some of his flashy outplays, but almost every other lane is favored for KZ. The botlane is where it open up, with Kingzone’s stars holding a massive advantage.

This matchup hinges on whether or not EVOS can create their playstyle in the early game, or whether they dance to KZ’s beat. The latter is much more likely.

Prediction: Kingzone DragonX

Flash Wolves vs. Royal Never Give Up

6am PST / 9am EST / 3pm CEST

Likely the most watched match in the entire day, these two teams have a long standing rivalry as significant as Taiwan and China have in terms of identity.

As good as Betty and SwordArt are, matching up against Uzi and Ming is nearly black and white – SwordArt is the more pronounced player for FW and Uzi for RNG. It is clear what RNG’s strategy will be, and one would think adapting to prevent the focus on botside would be simple, but Xiaohu has the experience and matches at least even with the aggressive-pushing Maple.

RNG simply have to stave off the FW early game pressure that may result in a fiesta botlane. If they can do that, the win should be easily secured.

Prediction: Royal Never Give Up

Fnatic vs. Team Liquid

7am PST / 10am EST / 4pm CEST

The age-old question of which region is stronger, EU or NA, has actually fallen in favor of Europe for the past couple of years. While Team Liquid are newcomers to the international stage as a unit, their players are no strangers to the big time.

Fnatic will play around Rekkles and, to a lesser degree, Caps. Thus, it will fall upon TL to either reduce the impact of such a player or create a better opportunity for themselves. Fortunately, Pobelter is not one to make many mistakes and is more of an opportunist himself, with high reward low-risk plays. Bwipo should also make a lot less headroom with stalwart Impact in the toplane.

Jungle pressure early will be the deciding factor in this game, with Broxah and Xmithie having similar styles and champion pools. Although teamfighting may be FNC’s forte with Rekkles hard carrying, Doublelift does not intend to take a second seat to his European counterpart.

Prediction: Team Liquid