The Promotional Series offers a chance to up-and-coming teams looking to make it into the LCS, this match featured Cloud 9 versus Velocity eSports!

Summer Promotional Series Finale

Cloud 9 vs. Velocity eSports



Both teams started with duo top lane and first blood came quickly, with Lulu falling to Draven. Cloud 9 finished off the tower and moved bot to take a dragon for free, extending their early gold lead. C9 dominated the early game going 4-0 and building upon their gold total. After 20 minutes, C9 took baron and went 3-0 in a teamfight allowing them to demolish the mid inhibitor. C9 then regrouped and pressed Velocity's base for the teamfight win and the first win of the series. It was a fast-paced and rapid game that Cloud 9 simply destroyed.



The teams began defensively in their own jungles and Velocity sent their duo lane top. Both top and bottom towers dropped quickly but Cloud 9 pressed, taking first blood and bottom inner as well. Velocity took down mid outer, but C9 responded by taking dragon and mid outer. A major teamfight breaks out top and C9 takes it 3-1 but gave up two kills by being too aggressive. C9 moved in for a second dragon, taking it but losing 4-1 in the ensuing teamfight. C9 won a fight botlane 2-0 and pressed their advantage at the following dragon; taking it and going 4 for 1. Velocity caught Balls near dragon but C9 replied with 4 kills in a 4v5 fight. By the 35 minute mark, C9 had built a substantial lead and pressed mid extremely hard, taking the ace and the victory.

Winner: Cloud 9 (2-0)

Cloud 9 secured their spot in the LCS promotion series with the win, but it was later stated by Optimus Tom that both teams had earned spots in the promo event. C9 walked away with $20,000 and Velocity with $5,000.






LCS

compLexity vs. TSM




First blood went to Lautemortis on Volibear catching Xpecial's Sona. TSM took an early dragon and then got 3 kills of their own to build a 1.5k gold lead. Dyrus put on a clinic top lane against Rumble, doubling his CS at 20 minutes: 180 to 90. At 25 minutes TSM made a sneaky play, hiding inside the dragon pit and baiting compLexity in; the resulting fight went 4 for 1 in TSM's favour. TSM postured near Baron and caught out Volibear, taking a free dragon. Although their focus on Volibear in teamfights was not a typical strategy, it proved to be effective as their lead allowed them exert complete control over the match. TSM continued with relentless pressure on all lanes, culminating in a team fight midlane that TSM won, going 3 for 1 and taking 2 inhibitors. TSM secured a second Baron at 38 minutes and continued their assault, eventually taking the nexus and the win!

Winner: Team Solomid





Vulcun vs. Dignitas




Vulcun started off with an aggressive move to midlane, almost catching Scarra but he flashed away. Vulcun then moved to invade Dig's red, but got caught giving up first blood and a kill but getting one in return, going 2 for 1. Vulcun sent their duo lane mid, but Dignitas crushed bottom lane outer very quickly. An early dragon attempt by Dig led to an even 1 for 1 fight. Vulcun pressed mid, taking the turret to even them 1 to 1, but meanwhile Vi ganked top for a kill on Singed. Dig nabbed the second dragon uncontested and began to establish a gold lead.

Vulcun looked to make a play by converging mid and eliminating Draven, but Dig retaliated going 3 for 2 overall. Vulcan then pressured top, taking the fight 3 for 1 and closing the gold gap. Vulcun then moved mid for a gank, but a full range Thresh lantern saved Draven in an incredible play by Patoy. Dig moved in on the mid turret, but Vulcun turned it around in a 3 for 1, now only a 2k gold lead for Dig.

At the 30 minute mark, Dig moves in for a Baron attempt and Vulcun responds quickly and takes down Vi. This leads to a Vulcun Baron and only a 700 gold lead. Vulcun moves to dragon and earns their first gold lead of the match. The rest of the Baron led to immense map pressure and left Dignitas hiding in their base. Dignitas moved back to Baron at respawn, going 4 for 1 in a fight and taking the buff easily. Dignitas moves carefully around the map, clearing the rest of the turrets outside the base which results in a standoff as the gold is very close. After Baron ran out, Imaqtpie was caught out and it led to a Vulcun Baron.

Vulcun moved bot and eliminated the bottom inhib, then went 3 for 1 in the next teamfight. They then moved top, and took the inhib but lost Kha'zix. Vulcun moved to pressure the last inhib and with the other lanes pushing it was only a matter of time -- Vulcun won the following fight 4 for 1 and toppled Dignitas!

Winner: Vulcun





Counter Logic Gaming vs. Good Game University




The game started off with a bang, as Chauster fell giving first blood to Ryze. After respawning, Chauster moved to steal GGU's red and proceeded to gank Bloodwater on Nami. Although he ended up dying, he made CLG burn 3 flashes in an extended chase that almost ended in an execution. Both duo lanes went top and the blood started to flow as the Nami/Twitch combo succeeded in getting a kill on Aphromoo. After the kill, both duos moved back to bot lane. GGU tried to take an early dragon, but CLG surprised them and the fight went 3-0 for CLG, giving them the early gold lead.

Twitch and Nami earned a kill on Doublelift, but a clutch teleport from Link made it 1 for 1. As Link was returning to mid, GGU dove him going 1 for 1 in that fight too. As the blue respawned, Link moved in and was able to steal it, which became a reoccurring theme. GGU ganked bottom lane, but a combination of Shen ultimate and Khazix teleport made the fight swing 2-0 for CLG. However, GGU took dragon to even the gold at 22 minutes.

A teamfight erupted mid and GGU took it 2 for 1, allowing them to secure another dragon. At this point GGU began to dictate the pace of the game and control their opponents. The next teamfight mid fell once again into GGU's favour 3 to 1. Then in a last ditch effort, Chauster and Hotshot were able to scare GGU away from Baron. Both teams regrouped and fought at Baron, it ended in a 5 for 2 for GGU, but they were too low to attempt a Baron kill. Another GGU dragon set up a 5k gold lead for them at 36 minutes. CLG moved into Baron, but GGU stole the objective and went 4 for 1 in the fight. They ran mid to kill the inhib and did not relent as they managed to kill the nexus and beat CLG!


Winner: Good Game University





KT Rolster B vs. Gambit Gaming



The two teams started off by invading each other's jungles and stealing the blue buffs. Both teams then sent duos midlane, however KTB sent Kayle/Eve mid and MF/Zed bot. The bot tandem crushed the tower after only 3 minutes. Zed snuck top, through the lane brush and Shen used flash + taunt to secure first blood on Darien. Aggressive Zed roaming led to an encounter at GG's blue buff which resulted in a 1 for 1. GG managed to nab the first dragon, which was a reoccurring theme throughout the match. The first real teamfight broke midlane, going 2-0 to KTB. Alex attempted to assassinate Zed but a Shen ult and an Eve roam extended the KT lead.

The second dragon went to Gambit, but KT was up 3-0 in turrets - gold was close but a slight lead went in KT's favour. A major teamfight top resulted in an even 2 for 2. GG then grabbed their third dragon, but KTB retaliated going 3 for 0 in the ensuing teamfight. The match then progressed into a period of farming. Just before the 30 minute mark, a teamfight erupted near GG's red buff, going 3-2 for GG. Alex on Gragas once again trid to kill Zed, but it led to KT winning and they took the opportunity to nab the first Baron of the match. With the Baron pressure, they added to their tower lead, going up 5 to 1. KT put some aggression mid, going 2 for 1 then quickly disengaging. Playing aggressive yet cautious was KT's main tactic for the rest of this game. KT took another fight 2-1 and pressed right up to the mid inhibitor turret. KT moved to dragon, but Edward playing Lulu managed to steal it.

KTB secured their second Baron easily, as there was no chance for GG to respond. A very close fight top turned 4-0 for KTB after a clutch Zhonya's and Kayle's intervention turned the battle in their favour. KTB wasted no time in moving forward and destroying the nexus. The first match goes to KT Rolster B!


Winner: KT Rolster B



KT Rolster B vs. Gambit Gaming




The teams decided to start with normal lanes, sending duos bot. The junglers converged toplane, resulting in Darius getting first blood after a hectic fight. Botlane secured a kill on MF, Edward taking it on Thresh -- the Koreans would soon learn who the Thresh Prince truly was. Darius and Nasus dove top and killed Kha'zix, then GG found Nasus near their blue buff and finished him off. Nasus returned to toplane and dove Darien's Kha'zix once again with Darius producing another kill, Darien was 1/4/0 and being focused. KT then grouped 3 mid and killed Alex and the mid turret. The gold lead was still very close as GG's dragon domination continued this game. A teamfight mid resulted in a 2-1 win for KTB and a gold lead but GG responded with a dragon to even the gold.

At 20 minutes, a very close teamfight went 1-0 for GG. A bit later, Alex soloed Ryu mid while Genja soloed Score botlane, fights were starting to go in GG's favour. A major teamfight broke out midlane, resulting in a 4 to 0 Gambit win and subsequently a Baron. The next fight saw superb play from Thresh, advantage 4-1 for GG. GG moved to botlane and got caught by a well-placed Orianna and MF ult -- even though the fight looked to be KT's, GG turned it around into 4 for 2. Gambit then pressed mid aggressively resulting in a teamfight win and the nexus being destroyed! Gambit makes it count in game 2, off to game 3!


Winner: KT Rolster B



KT Rolster B vs. Gambit Gaming



This match started off very defensively, both teams clearly not wanting to give up any early advantages. Gambit sent duo midlane, Renekton bot and Alex on Zed to the toplane -- Zed faced off against Shen which made for an exciting ninja lane. KT responded sending Kha'zix bot and their duo midlane. First blood came botlane when Zed baited Darien in and Lee sin followed up to secure the kill on Renekton. An Elise support kill on MF and Shen beating up Zed made it 3-0 early on. Although both junglers were active and aggressive, they did not contribute to any kills for quite some time. KT managed to get the first dragon and had built nearly a 3k gold lead by 15 minutes. In the toplane, jungler versus jungler, Diamond's Udyr ravaged inSec's Lee Sin in a very close brawl. GG moved into position for dragon, but inSec came in for the clutch steal before GG took a teamfight 4-2 in retaliation. Both sides were going full-tilt in this epic matchup.

At 25 minutes, GG went 4 for 0 and took the dragon - Gambit was beginning to wrestle for control. Both teams began to posture around Baron and Gambit won a small teamfight 1-0 to completely even the gold. The Baron dance continued but with no kills. Gambit disengaged from the area but KT followed them which resulted in a rare kill on Udyr. GG returned the aggression, winning 2-0 and going to Baron. But Gambit attempted Baron at low health and KT took advantage, managing to get Alex executed by Baron and them taking the buff for themselves. The Baron buff was utilized by KTB to press lanes and build farm, it was some time before the next team fight. Finally, a teamfight exploded botlane and it went 4-1 for KTB. Gambit featured a lineup with that relied heavily on AD, while Shen had Thornmail, Sunfire, and a Warmogs - he was practically unkillable.

KT built a strong gold lead but were cautiously pushing forward as all lanes began to converge on the Russian's base. KT nabbed Baron again, which led to some aggression. Against a Baroned team, Gambit managed to win 2-0 in a heroic defensive effort. Although they won the fight, all lanes continued to push into their base. The next fight went back into KT's favour and they forced their way upon the nexus, winning the International Exhibition.


Winner: KT Rolster B



KT Rolster B took home the top prize of $10,000 while Gambit earned $5,000. The other two teams from North America, Curse and Dignitas went home empty-handed. Along with the monetary prize, KT can go home with bragging rights after beating many elite teams from the NA and EU regions.