Hearthstone

Challengestone

The first ever Challengestone was a great tournament, as we got to see what eight pro players did with 20 minutes to craft 3 decks. The rules they had to follow were only minions with an odd number of attack points, and only spells with an even cost, were allowed. Druid was an extremely popular choice, with only Hyped electing not to use it. Dr. Boom, unsurprisingly, had a huge presence in the tournament, showing up in 20 out of 24 decks. In the end, the finals came down to Kibler vs. Trump, and the best of 7 series looked like it was going to be a breeze, with Kibler quickly taking a 3-0 lead using his Paladin. However, Trump took the next three games, riding his Warlock all the way to a deciding game 7. Both Kripparian and Artosis believed it was an easy call for Kibler to go with Priest in this matchup, but he had different ideas. Despite having already lost the matchup once, Kibler elected to go back to the Paladin, and he finished off the series with a fairly decisive win. Congratulations to Kibler on winning the first ever Challengestone tournament! It was quite an experience, and you can check out an article detailing his experiences written by the winner right here.

 

League of Legends

Mid Season Invitational

This is the first season that Riot Games introduced the Mid Season Invitational, and it’s safe to say it was a resounding success. Some fans were originally concerned that the tournament might not have high enough stakes to force teams to want to try their best, but after listening to the players talk about how important this competition and national pride are to them, it’s safe to say those concerns were unfounded. Interesting storylines were certainly not difficult to come by, from Team SoloMid’s unexpected poor performance, to AHQ reminding people that Taiwanese teams need to be taken seriously. In the end, the finals were what have quickly become a classic rivalry: Korea vs China. SK Telecom T1 had gone on a rampage throughout the tournament, looking almost invincible until Fnatic took them to a full five games in the semifinals before SKT finally finished things off. On the other side was China’s Edward Gaming, a team that SKT had destroyed during the group stage.

SKT started off the series on the right foot, picking up a win in which they never faced a gold deficit. The choice to begin with Easyhoon paid off, as his Cassiopeia was a force to be reckoned with. Before the series started, we heard from EDG that they believe they only lost to SKT during the group stage because it was a single game, and things would be different in a best of 5. They quickly showed us why, as Edward Gaming found victory in the next two games, putting themselves only one win away from taking the series. However, SKT wasn’t about to roll over and let that happen. With Easyhoon not looking nearly as strong on Orianna or Lulu, SKT made the decision to bring in Faker. It immediately paid off, as his mere presence on the Rift forced EDG to play differently, and Faker’s Kassadin play was exceptional, helping to lead his team to a victory, and forcing a decisive game 5. In this final game of MSI, champion select could best be described as “absolutely crazy.” Not only did EDG allow Faker to play LeBlanc, something few teams dare and even fewer get away with, they also selected Evelynn for the jungle and Morgana in the mid lane. It was an exceptionally close game throughout, but EDG’s fantastic team fighting ability ended up being the decisive factor, as each team fight win brought them one step closer to SKT’s base. In the end, a couple unanswered kills and a Baron sealed the deal, and Edward Gaming was crowned the champions of MSI, and currently, the best team in the world.

 

SMITE

Summer Split Qualifiers

No one would have blamed the players on Upcoming Stars and Enemy eSports if they were nervous. They had failed to find even a single win during the SPL Spring Split, and now a single best of 5 series would determine if they had a chance to get back there and take another crack at things. Especially in a relatively new and growing eSports scene, getting knocked out of the premiere league can often mean a player’s career is over, so these were all or nothing series. It certainly wasn’t easy, as each squad was pushed to a full five game set. However, they managed to end up victorious, as Upcoming Stars took down EloFishers to return to the European SMITE Pro League, while Enemy eSports defeated Boogaloo to get another shot in North America. Now, they’ll need to work hard to be prepared for the high level of competition to hopefully avoid needing to once again defend their spot after the Summer Split.

On Sunday, the all-Challenger day of competition wasn’t nearly as compelling. Europe’s Epsilon eSports and North America’s Eager were the top Challenger teams from their regions, and they displayed exactly why. Defeating Da Bronkos and Hi5 respectively, each series needed only the minimum three games to conclude. Never really appearing to be in any danger, Epsilon and Eager will now join the SPL, where they will have the opportunity to prove just how good they really are when facing off against the best teams their regions have to offer.


To read the latest guides, news, and features you can visit our League of Legends Game Page.

Last Updated: Mar 29, 2016

About The Author

A longtime fan of competitive gaming, Jeremy got his first chance to work in the field as a writer for eSportsMax. Now eSports Editor for TenTonHammer, he looks to keep readers aware of all of the biggest events and happenings in the eSports world, while also welcoming new fans who aren't yet sure where to go to get the most relevant information. Jeremy always looks to provide content for new fans and veterans alike, believing that helping as many people as possible enjoy all the scene has to offer is key to its growth.

Comments