Game 1: Counter Logic Gaming vs. Team SoloMid

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The opening match was a rematch of the first bout of Riot's LCS between two top tier teams whose history spans back into the depths of Season 1. With both comfort and knowledge of the opponents on their sides this was bound to be the highlight of the day. It started off humorous with TSM taking a casual stroll through CLG's jungle, moving as a group despite being caught out before they had even entered, warding the blue buff, and walking out and back to lane as if nothing had happened at all. The game was hot right from the start, with TSM's sub Wildturtle securing first blood on his Draven just as TSM performed a three man dive onto Karthus in the top lane. The trend would continue as TSM continued to bully CLG fast and early, the aggression of a Draven/Thresh lane pummulling the bottom lane as continued dives on Karthus completely took him out of the match. A shimmer of hope arose for CLG as TSM's duo lane began to play cocky, and in doing so they gave the shutdown gold from Draven to Doublelift's Ezreal.

It was for naught though as the game continued to spiral out of CLG's hands. They would trade towers with CLG, but in an attempt to stall out CLG would apply pressure through split pushing. It would prove disasterous for them as they sent Ezreal to push the top, only for TSM to notice their folly and hard engage on them under their own inhibitor turret. Team SoloMid would get a 4 for 0 exchange, but after failing to take Baron they regrouped and instead decided to push to end the game. CLG would not make it easy for them, but once TSM saw the opportunity they attempted to Baron once more. CLG would end up stealing the buff away but in doing so they got aced in the process, leaving TSM to push in and win the game uncontested.

Winner: Team SoloMid

Game 2: MRN vs. compLexity Gaming

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The game started off hot, with both teams attempting an invade on the others jungles only to be caught out by good warding. It was only after MRN retreated back to their own jungle that compLexity followed, and in a 4 vs. 4 skirmish over red buff it came out with MRN coming on top, securing their red buff before both teams left with their lives intact. MRN would send their duo bot while compLexity would send theirs top, and it would be a back and forth of farming and attempted ganks until MRN was able to take the first tower of the game, the bottom turret, at nine minutes in. From there the flood gates opened, Draven taking first blood for MRN shortly after and Twisted Fate securing a kill of his own to further MRN's lead. Up in the top lane compLexity would take a tower to answer, and after moving towards the bot lane they would take the dragon as well.

With the mid game at hand it was time to put the teams to the test. With their early game advantage in their pockets Team MRN took no time engaging when they could. The combined ultimates of Twisted Fate and Shen would force compLexity into fights all around the map eventually pressuring compLexity Gaming into a 0-9 hole that would give MRN a huge lead. Although a failed Baron attempt would give compLexity more time to farm up to try and stop the bleeding there was little they could do against the hard engage of MRN, eventually losing another team fight in a 5 for 1 exchange as well as their inhibitor. MRN would not let up the pressure, eventually taking Baron before pushing in and securing the win well before the 30 minute mark.

Winner: MRN

Game 3: Vulcun vs. Counter Logic Gaming

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In Game 3 we saw the most highly contested match of the day, the entirety of the battle lasting just short of an hour. It all had to start somewhere though, and although the length of the match proved to be quite impressive it didn't necessarily start out that way. CLG started out the match by sending their duo down to the middle lane while Vulcan sent their duo to the bot lane against a solo lane Karthus. Much like when CLG went against TSM in the earlier match, the early game of Karthus was an obvious weakness that Vulcan would play off of, taking an early turret. Things would start to heat up when Vulcan sent their own duo to the mid lane to face off against CLG, and blood was drawn on both sides in a 2 for 2 exchange in the mid lane, Karthus getting himself a double kill with Requiem.

The mid-game would become a blur of action in which both teams would try to take advantages in any way possible. Vulcan would spend most of it playing catchup, trying to take towers and farm up Zuna on Tristana while staving off any aggression from CLG. Counter Logic Gaming were regularly getting dragons, snagging every one right under Vulcan's nose, and even though Baron was a highly contested objective neither team seemed to make a rush for it. Eventually CLG would take the initiative, taking the first Baron and dominating the map in ways that made things appear bleak for Vulcan.

With their backs against the wall Vulcan was able to survive the push of the first Baron, and with neither team able to push any advantage the game quickly was becoming a war of the objectives. CLG gained the upper hand in towers, dragons and inhibitors, but they were unable to push in and win without the help of Baron. Always on their toes it was Vulcan in the opposite role, unable to push out and play any sort of aggression without the purple buff.

It all came down to a final fight at Baron, and with 50 minutes having gone by the death timers would assure that whomever lost the fight would lose the game. Both teams went in, but superior positioning and the late game scaling of Tristana would outshine the entire roster of CLG. With a 4 for 0 exchange at Baron Vulcan took the final upper hand in the match, and rushing the Nexus they were able to finish it after the long 55 minute haul.

Winner: Vulcun

Game 4: Team Dignitas vs. compLexity Gaming

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The final match of the day was between the two teams that were both a part of the biggest LCS upset in NA yet. Team dignitas would hope for revenge against the lowly compLexity Gaming, but it was apparent that nobody expected what was going to happen going into this one. The game began with both teams sending their duos to the mid lane, and trading off their extra buffs to anyone they could. Nick Wu in the top lane on Darius got coL's red buff, and using the early damage and slowing power he was able to use it to get first blood by the four minute mark. Draven and Alistar in the mid lane would soon answer, securing a kill of their own in the name of dignitas, and so began the most aggressive laning phase of the day. By the 15 minute mark dignitas was up 15 to 2 in kills and had a substantial gold lead, the only way they could lose this match would be if they were to throw and allow coL to farm their way back into contention.

Throwing they began to do, whether it be cockiness or lack of focus they began to give up towers, dragons, and kills to compLexity. By twenty-five minutes it became apparent that dignitas has given up most of the substantial lead, and the next ten minutes would be spent looking for an opportunity to put themselves back in the dominate position they had had in the early game. They soon found it, and getting a free Baron right under the nose of compLexity they turned up the heat, forcing and securing team fights as if they'd been toying with coL the entire time. After a couple of overwhelming advantages and an inhibitor down in every land all dignitas had to do was push in and win, and so they did, winning the game after a forty minute drawn out duel.

Winner: Team Dignitas