NA LCS Superweek 4.1 Recap

Today is the start of the notoriously dubbed "Super Week" in the LCS, which essentially means a large amount of matches will be played this week for every team. Today, February the 28th 2013 12 matches are being played. I'm going to start writing a weekly recap for the League of Legends LCS, and I hope you all enjoy it. There WILL be spoilers ahead.

Twitch stream link|Youtube stream link|Leaguepedia VOD links.

Game 1 : CLG (W) vs Vulcan

Bans: CLG / Vulcan Hecarim / Kayle Rumble / Twisted Fate Kogmaw / Akali

Picks: CLG / Vulcan Top: Malphite / Singed Jungler: Jarvan IV / Volibear AP Mid: Xerath / Kayle AD Carry: Vayne / Twitch Support: Alistar / Thresh

Viewers of the first match of the day may have been taken by a surprise, to see CLG's Link with a Xerath pick- and we got to see that Xerath's debut work well. Team CLG has taken this game by the horns (No pun intended) getting early kills with Aphromoo on Alistar and Doublelift on Vayne. CLG managed to continously pressure in the mid game, and ultimately take towers due to this pressure. CLG maintained to get 40k Gold vs Vulcuns 31k, ending the game with a final score of 13 - 5.

Full Game Here(Twitch) | Youtube Link

CLG's current standing in the NA LCS is 4 - 3.


Game 2 : Curse (W) vs MRN

Bans: Curse / MRN Shen / Xin Zhao Taric / Twisted Fate Renekton / Nidalee

Picks: Curse / MRN Top: Tryndamere / Cho'Gath Jungler: Xin Zhao / Jarvan IV AP Mid: Lux / Nidalee AD Carry: Caitlyn / Tristana Support: Lulu / Alistar

Voyboy pulls out AP Tryndamere, MRN engages a 2v1 lane swap and both Voyboy and Megazero lose their towers extremely early, at about 4 minutes. The game looks to start out slow, until the dragon fight initiated by MRN, MRN ends up getting aced and loses first dragon to Curse. In the mid game Curse looks significantly farther ahead than MRN at 25 minutes Curse holds 40.6k gold over MRN's 31.4k. At 30:30 Curse forces an engage after Voyboy lichbane procs the tower into destruction; where MRN gets aced. Curse wins, killing the Nexus with a final score of 13 - 5 in Curses favor.


Full Game Here(Twitch) | Youtube Link

Curse becomes 7-0, remaining undefeated in the NA LCS.

Game 3 : TSM (W) vs compLexity

Bans: TSM / Complexity Shen / Kayle Kog'Maw / Singed Vi / Orianna

Picks: TSM / Complexity Top: Malphite / Rumble Jungler: Jarvan IV / Xin Zhao AP Mid: Xerath / Twisted Fate AD Carry: Miss Fortune / Varus Support: Taric / Fiddlesticks

Extremely early tower aggression on both sides, Bottom tower from coL and top towers from TSM have both been pushed up to the base at 5:30 with no kills to be had yet. First blood goes to Dyrus at 11 minutes, by Malphite ulting onto a low HP Lautemortis on Xin zhao while TSM takes dragon. A pivotal point of the game, at 14 minutes TSM takes a 4 for 1 in mid due to an amazing engage be OddOne on Jarvan IV in mid, with an amazing splash damage centric team fight where a Xerath ultimate lands on 4 members of coL leaving TSM with a 2k gold lead. TSM takes first baron after picking up 2 kills on coL inside of their own jungle, and take mids inhibitor turret : 46.3k on TSM gold to 40.5k on coL. TSM catches coL with a well placed Jarvan IV ult by OddOne, takes 3 out and then takes bot tower/inhibitor, both base towers and ends the game. Final score of 14 - 5.

Full Game Here | Youtube Link
TSM's current standing in the LCS is 5 - 2.



Game 4 : CLG (W) vs GGU

Bans: CLG / GGU Malphite / Twitch Shen / Rumble Nidalee / Lux

Picks: CLG / GGU Top: Cho'Gath / Akali Jungler: Elise / Jarvan IV AP Mid: Kayle / Orianna AD Carry: Caitlyn / Vayne Support: Nunu / Alistar

The game seems to start passively, until Chauster walks into Nintendudex's Jungle and steals his blue buff due to an early smite. The games pace is set early, as most other games that have occurred earlier with both bottom and top first tier towers dropping at the 3:50 mark. First blood taken by Doublelift on Vayne against DontMashMe's Caitlyn because of a flash knockup by Alistar and bottom 2nd tier tower. At 17:30 the game looks extremely close; 3 towers to 3 towers, 8 kills for GGU vs the 7 kills for CLG; CLG gets first and second and third Dragon uncontested. CLG takes commanding gold lead, by 27:30 with CLG 39.3k vs GGU's 34.5k after CLG takes 4th dragon uncontested. GGU baits a baron fight, and ends up getting taken down in a 4 for 1 engage by CLG, allowing CLG to take first Baron. 32:51 CLG forces an engage with baron at bottom inhibitor tower, takes out 3 of GGU's key players and barrel towards victory by killing GGU's Nexus with a final score of 10 - 18.

Full Game Here | Youtube Link
CLG's current standing in the LCS is 5 - 3.

Game 5: Curse (W) vs Complexity

Bans: Curse / Complexity Shen / Nidalee Vi / Kayle Jayce / Tryndamere

Picks: Curse / Complexity Top: Elise / Zed Jungler: Xin Zhao / Jarvan IV AP Mid: Twisted Fate / Ryze AD Carry: Miss Fortune / Twitch Support: Taric / Thresh

4 minute towers have been a recurring theme today, in every game both teams have taken Top and Bottom towers with their Junglers and then swapped back to their normal lanes with AD Carry / Support bot and Top laner at Top. This game was no exception.Curse begins with an early gold advantage, even though team coL takes dragon uncontested. A misscommunication by team coL, where Ryze teleported into bottom lane as TF ulted down as Twitch and Thresh retreated. Curse gets the 2nd dragon of the game, and then forces an extended engage on coL, ultimately getting an unofficial ace; Curse maintains a 6k gold lead, 27.7k to coL's 22.2k. Curse takes bottom inhibitor and forces an engage under coL's Nexus tower and gets 3 for 0; and end up ultimately end up demolishing both base towers and the Nexus. Neither team had taken a Baron. Curses final score was 20 - 4.

Team Curse currently stands undefeated in the LCS at 8 - 0.


Game 6 : GGU vs TSM (W)

Bans: GGU / TSM Singed / Kayle Malphite / Akali Taric / Twisted Fate

Picks: GGU / TSM Top: Tryndamere / Rumble Jungler: Xin Zhao / Jarvan IV AP Mid: Lux / Orianna AD Carry: Corki / Miss Fortune Support: Lulu / Leona

Early towers are taken this game aswell, 4:40 and both top and bottom tower are pushed to second tier after TheOddOne's Jarvan 3 man dives Nintendudex's Xin Zhao and and ZionSpartans Tryndamere. At 14:30 TSM maintains a 3k gold lead ontop of GGU, both teams even in towers with every first tier tower in the game demolished and TSM with 2 dragons over GGU. Reginald Catches GGU with an Orianna ult, and Dyrus rumble ults over 3 members of GGU, and ultimately ended up taking out 3 members of GGU and taking Baron; ZionSpartan tries to spin into Baron for a steal attempt, but gets shut down and dies. TSM retains 8k gold lead after having taken every Dragon and Baron so far, 46.4k gold to 38.8k. TSM overtakes GGU in a 4v5 as ZionSpartan attempts backdooring bottom, TSM's final score 13 - 6.

Currently TSM's record in the LCS is 6 - 2.


Game 7 : Dignitas (W) vs Vulcun

Bans: Dignitas / Vulcun Nidalee / Draven Hecarim / Diana Elise / Kayle

Picks: Dignitas / Vulcun Top: Singed / Rumble Jungler: Xin Zhao / Jarvan IV AP Mid: Gragas / Ryze AD Carry: Graves / Ezreal Support: Zyra / Alistar

Vulcun initiates a 2v1 lane top, but dignitas puts their AD Carry and Support in Middle instead of bottom vs Manclouds' Ryze and Dignitas' Scarra solo's bottom vs Vulcun's Sychosid's Rumble. Vulcun tower dives KiWiKiD's singed with 3 people to get first blood. First tower was Dignitas' top by Vulcun, which is shortly matched by Dignitas by Scarra taking bottom tower. First, second and third Dragon goes to Vulcun, uncontested but Dignitas counters in turrets and by taking Baron. Dignitas squeezes Vulcun, and forces an engage at bottom tower after Scarra's Gragas and Imaqtpies Graves dropping Zuna to a quarter. Dignitas takes the game after killing 4 of Vulcuns members, with a final score of 16 - 7.

Dignitas is now 6 - 2 in the LCS.

Game 8 : CLG vs MRN (W)

Bans: CLG / MRN Tristana / Malphite Jarvan IV / Shen Xin Zhao / Kayle

Picks: CLG / MRN Top: Nidalee / Renekton Jungler: Wukong / Vi AP Mid: Orianna / Twisted Fate AD Carry: Vayne / Kog'Mawl Support: Taric / Sona

In this game we're seeing a normal setup by both teams, with no lane swaps. Heartbeattt's Kog'Maw gets a double kill and first blood with the help of AtomicN's Sona and ClakeyD's Vi. This game has been much more slow than earlier games, with the first tier Middle tower going down in favor to CLG. 2 Dragons were taken by MRN uncontested to give them a gold advantage of 3k at 16:30, 22.6k vs 25.3k. MRN looks extremely dominant this game, having taken every baron and dragon they hold a 11k gold lead of 62.4k to 51.1k. MRN takes second baron of the game, and aces the team; and follows up by rushing down mid and ending the game with a final score of 19 - 11.


MRN now stands in the LCS with the record of 2 - 4, being the 2nd bottom 4 team to beat a top 4 team.

Game 9 : Dignitas (W) vs Curse

Bans: Dignitas / Curse Miss Fortune / Singed Twisted Fate / Kayle Tryndamere / Vi

Picks: Dignitas / Curse Top: Elise / Nidalee Jungler: Xin Zhao / Jarvan IV AP Mid: Diana / Lux AD Carry: Kog'Maw / Twitch Support: Alistar / Taric

Standard lanes were played in this game, and first blood goes to StVicious on Jarvan IV on an early tower dive onto Kog'Maw. Dignitas takes the first tower top in exchange with Curse taking first Dragon of the game. Curse takes 2nd Dragon, but Dignitas cleans up 3 kills to maintain a 3k gold lead. First Baron taken by Dignitas, uncontested as Scarra opens up bottom inhibitor tower split pushing, 8k gold lead on Dignitas. Dignitas gets another baron, and both base inhibitors and the Nexus for Curses' first loss of the season.

With a final score of 15 - 2, Dignitas now weighs in at 7 - 2 in the LCS.


Game 10 : Vulcun (W) vs compLexity

Bans: Vulcun / Complexity Zed / Nidalee Vi / Singed Kayle / Hecarim

Picks: Vulcun / Complexity Top: Elise / Shen Jungler: Xin Zhao / Jarvan IV AP Mid: Twisted Fate / Diana AD Carry: Kog'Maw / Draven Support: Alistar / Taric

Xmithies Xin Zhao takes first blood from Chuupers' Diana shortly after stealing Lautemortis' blue buff, on the momentum Xmithie runs bottom and his presence forces Nickwu's Shen to back off for the first tower and Dragon uncontested. At 22 minutes Vulcun establishes and maintains a 5k gold lead, with 4 towers taken down to Complexities 2. Vulcun takes first Baron of the game, but gets engaged on by coL in a 3 for 2 exchange immediately after the baron. Vulcun forces an engage, and ends up killing 4 of coL for nothing, afterwards they rush straight up mid and taking inhibitor and both nexus towers. Vulcun falls back, and catches Complexity attempting an emergency Baron, where they kill 3 members of coL and end the game with a final score of 28 - 16.


Vulcun now sits at 4 - 7 in the LCS.

Game 11 : Dignitas (W) vs GGU

Bans: GGU / Dignitas Twisted Fate / Singed Kayle / Xin Zhao Elise / Draven

Picks: GGU / Dignitas Top: Diana / Akali Jungler: Nocturne / Vi AP Mid: Gragas / Orianna AD Carry: Ezreal / Graves Support: Sona / Lulu

Kiwikids' Diana gets first blood over ZionSpartans' Akali, in a 2 vs 2 fight with both Top laners and Junglers. Dignitas establishes a 3k gold lead and takes down the first tower of the game from bottom, and Dragon after Dig trades kills top and a frag at bottom. Dignitas takes the first baron of the game, at 24 minutes expanding their gold lead to 11k over team GGU uncontested, and eventually gets both Orianna and Ezreal from team GGU with an amazing bait play by Scarras' Gragas and Imaqtpie. Dignitas takes another Baron, and with it they take down every Inhibitor, and eventually the game at 29 minutes with a score of 16 - 7.

Dignitas now stands at 8 - 2.

Game 12 : MRN (W) vs TSM

Bans: MRN / TSM Leblanc / Twisted Fate Singed / Kayle Malphite / Renekton

Picks: MRN / TSM Top: Akali / Rumble Jungler: Jarvan IV / Xin Zhao AP Mid: Nidalee / Xerath AD Carry: Tristana / Miss Fortune Support: Alistar / Taric

First global objective taken was Dragon, taken at roughly 13 minutes by team MRN's Clakey D on Vi, shortly after first blood was given up by team MRN's MegaZero on Akali by a combination of an Xin Zhao gank and a Rumble ultimate. TSMs' Reginald takes the first tower of the game with the help of TheOddOne in middle. Team MRN forces Baron under the pokes of Xerath, and team MRN manages to claim Baron buff and force an engage on team TSM, taking out 3 members of TSM and swing middle to take the tower and inhibitor. Clakey D gets caught at bottom, but team MRN turns the engage around on TSM with Heartbeat ultimately getting a quadra kill onto team TSM. MRN holds a 10.2k gold lead on team TSM at 38 minutes. All members of team TSM and MRN respawn, but Dyrus at bottom gets caught by 4 members of MRN. TSM re-engages after Dyrus dies, and ultimately end up getting aced. TSM ultimately ends up surrendering giving MRN their 2nd win of the day.


MRN is now 3 - 4 in the LCS.
Stay tuned to ESEAnews for more League of Legends updates!

Tonight was a long night, I hope you guys enjoyed the games as much as I did!

Let me know what your guys' favourite matches were in the comments below, I personally loved Vulcun vs Complexity, as it felt more like a team deathmatch than League of Legends with so many plays going on.