T1 emerge as the absolute champions of LCK Spring 2022

As LCK 2022 Spring Playoffs draw to an end, two teams enter the arena – both hailed as gods and god-slayers at once. But as the dust settles, only one remains – once again making history as the greatest esports dynasty of all time.

Once again Seoul marks itself as the location of one of the most extraordinary esports feats. The final best-of-5 match of the 2022 Spring Playoffs took place in Seoul’s LOL Park on April 2nd, 2022. Just in time to witness the gravity of T1’s victory, the event finally featured a live crowd.

Throughout the entirety of the Spring Split, the showdown between the regions’ two greatest teams – T1 and Gen.G – kept getting interrupted due to unfortunate circumstances regarding COVID-19. As the fair matchup kept getting denied, it was clear that the only way to relieve the frustration of both the players and the fans’ was one final showdown on LCK’s highest stage. Today, we finally got it, and the results couldn’t have been more spectacular.

While T1’s record-breaking run had already occurred after they’ve won 15 Regular Split matches in a row – surpassing the record they had previously set themselves back when they were branded as SK Telecom T1 – their 2022 LCK Spring run is perhaps the most dominant performance we’re ever going to see on the professional stage. The fact that in 2022, LCK is arguably the most competitive region in the world, almost bursting wide from the amount of sheer talent concentrated there, makes it all the more impressive.

What better way to celebrate T1’s 10th trophy than such a brilliant victory!

Their opponents, Gen.G, have fought tooth and nail during the regular split, being a head above the rest of their competition and finishing the season with an impressive score of 15-3. Housing some of the most outstanding talents of the region with the names of Peanut, Chovy, Ruler, Gen.G have contributed massively to the development of their home region.

We should thank both organizations for their fantastic performance in this split. The winners are welcomed to the upcoming MSI 2022, which will take place in Busan, South Korea.

Gumayusi is the MVP of the series

T1 have performed their signature game plan of prioritizing topside control and securing Rift Herald over Drakes. As Gen.G stressed the importance of collecting that Cloud Soul, they were met with fierce resistance from T1 botlane. As T1 Keria rotated elsewhere on the map to bolster T1’s topside pressure, T1 Gumayusi was often left on his own devices – and even in such harsh conditions, his damage contribution was sky-high in all the games. For such an amazing performance, T1 Gumayusi was deservingly awarded the MVP of the whole series.

TL;DW games:

In case you were unfortunate enough to miss the monumental event happening live, there’s always live replays on https://lolesports.com/. However, if your schedule is too tight even for those, let’s recap the way the series unfolded with a quick Too Long; Didn’t Watch.

Game One

Gen.G started the series off by placing their crosshairs on T1 Zeus. The team managed to push their advantages during the early game, shutting down Faker’s Ryze in the early game.

However, despite their early-game successes towards T1’s topside, the storm was brewing on the botlane. As T1 opted for an incredibly powerful bot duo of Caitlyn and Lux. While Zeus’ and Faker’s influence on the game was limited at the earlier stages, Gumayusi kept siphoning in free gold from kills while assisted by Keria.

The game got cracked open after Gen.G’s failed Baron call around the 24th minute. While the team managed to secure the objective as they have managed to take T1’s jungler down just prior, the consequences were catastrophic as T1 managed to pull off a clean Ace – all while being a man down. With Gumayusi picking up a quadra for his already monstrous Caitlyn – now sitting at a score of 7-0 – T1’s victory was now all but a foregone conclusion. T1 opens the match 1:0.

Game Two

The second map started off with once again complete dominance of T1’s botlane. Keria’s Dredge Lines were seemingly heat-seeking as they helped T1 secure a kill and plate lead from the start.

However, T1’s over-eagerness towards the toplane cost them dearly – an early rotation from Faker’s Ryze in an attempt to collapse onto GEN Doran turned out to be a nothing burger as it took Doran a single Akali W to escape. Meanwhile, Faker was giving up around three waves to make the play, catapulting GEN Chovy into a massive CS lead that would eventually make him heavily out level the entirety of T1.

As a result, T1’s fast go-go playstyle was punished by the sheer power of Gen.G’s slippery picks. The entirety of Gen.G’s draft: Ahri, Akali, Alistar, Lee Sin, Xayah, are extremely hard to lock down and punish and can turn seemingly unfavorable fights around in a blink of an eye. Which is exactly what happened despite T1 doing their hardest to push their initial advantages. Multiplied by Gen.G securing a Cloud Soul (best soul in the game, btw), this comp proved to be too much for T1 to handle as Gen.G secured map number two, tying the series 1:1.

Game Three

Gen.G started this game off with a cheeky gank towards T1’s toplane. The bane of every SoloQ top- and midlaner, the infamous Red-into-Level 2-gank by Gen.G Peanut ended in complete failure as T1 Zeus avoided giving out the First Blood and expended a lot of resources out of Gen.G in the process.

Perhaps that play was born of desperation as T1 had a heavily favorable toplane matchup. T1’s game plan was to sacrifice botlane prio for top- and midlane dominance – which they executed with flying colors by grabbing three turrets on these lanes pre-14. An important mention goes to T1 Oner – as T1 Zeus bought him a lot of time by brilliantly avoiding a level 2 cheese gank, T1’s jungler got free rein over the opponent’s jungle, siphoning up resources for his Viego and catapulting himself into a 2 level lead.

Eventually, T1’s lead grows into 10k gold at 20 minutes. Combined with T1’s composition offering incredible pick potential – just a pair of Ahri+Viego is enough to deal terrifying damage – Gen.G find themselves constantly on the back foot as they struggle to deter T1’s Baron-empowered pushes.
Gen.G Peanut’s clutch smites were enough to stall the game out with his incredible Baron steal. While on the bought time, Gen.G managed to secure Ocean Soul thanks to Gen.G Chovy’s daring escape on Le Blanc. As Gen.G clawed their way back into the game, they managed to shrink T1’s 20-minute 10k gold lead into a “measly” 6k lead. A seemingly complete comeback was suddenly halted by T1 Gumayusi as he massively stepped up in the fight around the Baron pit, delivering a game-winning triple kill and pushing T1 to a score of 2:1.

Game Four

The Akshan pick from Gen.G. The daring scoundrel-hunter is a rare sight in LCK which makes his appearance all the more exciting. Although T1 didn’t really share the same sentiment as he becomes the first target of T1 Oner, securing the first blood on his Viego – and then one more follow-up kill as Akshan becomes T1’s punching bag.

Gen.G’s toplane and jungle completely crumbled under T1’s pressure. As T1 once again got the deadly combination of Ahri+Viego, Gen.G Peanut enjoyed going 0-5-0 pre-20 mins. As if this incredible pick duo wasn’t enough, T1 Keria joined in the fun on his Predator keystone Thresh, doubling the assault on Gen.G’s squishy champions.

The best way to understand this map’s outcome is to compare Gen.G Peanut (left) and T1 Oner’s scorelines.

Splitting the game wide open by the 20th minute, T1 were 13 kills, 8k gold, 2 turrets, and a Baron above the only team standing in their way to their goal of a perfect LCK split. Not even the best teams in the world can withstand this kind of assault on them – not even the teams of Gen.G’s caliber. And T1 fell their greatest prey of the split in a 3:1 victory to secure a perfect LCK run.