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The battles in the South Korean LCK have not stopped for a minute. We're keeping a close eye on what's happening in the regular season, because the situation in the LCK The International is heresy.
Perhaps the biggest concern of The International is T1, who are showing a very questionable game so far. They will have a chance to improve their precarious position in the standings in a match against DPlus KIA on the 24th of April.
We try to find out how the match between T1 and DPlus KIA will end and whether the reigning world champions will be able to comeback at LCK Season 2025.
Let's go.
DPlus KIA uniforms
Let's open the DPlus KIA vs T1 match with an analysis of DPlus KIA's form. In this match they will play as favourites with odds to win at around 1.7.
After rebranding, Dplus have put together a new roster. There was an attempt to make a sort of "super" team, but that story doesn't work too well in LCK.
- Dplus roster: Siwoo, Lucid, ShowMaker, Aiming, BeryL.
Reigning World Champion Deft didn't help Dplus much at the first tournament after the rebranding. At LCK Spring 2023, Dplus finished in the top 5, which is not good.
At LCK Summer 2023, Dplus made it to the play-offs in 4th place, 11-7. That's better than T1.
However, LCK Summer 2023 Dplus KIA did not stay in the play-offs for long. In the first round of LCK Summer 2023 Playoffs Dplus Ledge and T1 with the score 1-3, early leaving the main stage of the prestigious championship.
The team made it to Worlds 2023 thanks to a second place finish at the South Korean regional finals. To do so, they first outplayed DRX (3-0) and then HLE (3-1).
Dplus opened up Worlds 2023 with a match against G2 Esports. The titular Koreans were weaker than the best team in Europe and went into the set 0-1.
There, Dplus played their fellow countrymen from KT Rolster. And again Worlds 2022 champion Deft and their distinguished colleagues lost: now Dplus had 0-2.
After falling into the relegation zone, Dplus finally got their act together and showed their game. They knocked BDS out of the tournament and now continue the arduous march to the play-offs. They later outplayed GAM Esports and came out on top 2-2, but in the final match Ledge or KT Rolster, thus forfeiting a chance at the play-offs.
After a slightly dismal Worlds 2024, DPlus KIA took the top 5, closing out the LCK Spring 2024 regular season with a score of 9-9.
In the first play-offs match, DPlus pulled off a mini-sensation. They defeated their more title contender KT Rolster in a very difficult bo5. Next was a match against Gen.G, which Dplus almost won, but still fell short on the fifth map and as a result lost 2-3. Dplus KIA finished in the top 4, which is pretty good.
In the LCK Summer 2024 play-offs DPlus KIA were quite confident, having played the main season with a score of 13-5. In their debut match at the LCK Summer 2024 Playoffs, they defeated FearX 3-1. However, defeating Gen.G in the next match was an all-star task, and it proved impossible for DPlus KIA. Next up was a loss to T1 and a final top 4 finish.
After a not so successful LCK Summer 2024, DPlus KIA played at LCK Regional Finals 2024, where they made it to Worlds 2024 on their first attempt, beating T1.
They started off Worlds 2024 with a solid win over Fnatic. Next, an equally confident win against FlyQuest and a 2-0 basket. The team played against LNG Esports for the championship play-offs, where they lost 0-2 without much chance. And then, the most The International interesting and offensive for DPlus KIA - matches against TES and Weibo, where DPlus lost and the final Top 11 at Worlds 2024.
In the season 2025 the Long Team competed in the LCK Cup 2025, in the so-called Elder Group, where Dplus confidently defeated all opponents, making the score 5-0 and going straight to the semi-finals of LCK Cup 2025. In the semi-finals they defeated NS RedForce with the score 3-1. Then they played 2-3 against Gen.G, fell to the lower net, where they again played against Gen.G and lost again, but this time with the score 0-3.
At LCK Season 2025 Rounds 1-2 DPlus KIA are feeling very good about themselves. Before the match against T1, the team has 5 wins and 1 loss against Gen.G.
Most Popular DPlus Champions
On the top line the team picks KSante (4 matches, 50% wins), Renekton (3 games, 33% wins), Gnar (3 matches, 66% wins).
In the forest all the same, more or less standard: VI (7 games, 57% wins), Maokai (3 games, 66% wins), Poppy and Sejuani 2 matches and 0 wins each.
On the centre line with no deviations. There are Azir (4 matches, 50% wins), Ryze (4 games, 50% wins), Syndra (2 games, 50% wins), Cassiopeia (2 matches, 50% wins).
The championship among shooters is held by Lucian. Champion appeared 5 times, but won only 2 matches. Tried to Zeri, but failed: 0-3 in three appearances.
Among the supporting champions, Nami was a success. She was picked up 5 times, and her winrate was 40%. Yummi (3 games, 0% wins) and Ashe (3 games, 66% wins) were also picked.
T1 Form
We continue our analysis of the match T1 - DPlus KIA with an analysis of T1's game form. In this match they play as an outsider with win odds around 2.2.
T1 won the LCK Spring 2022 and then three consecutive top 2s: MSI, LCK Summer and Worlds 2022.
The curse of top-2s carried over to the 2023 season as well. At the Long Run of the Year, Faker and company took 2nd place at LCK Spring 2023 and then finished third at MSI 2023.
- T1 line-up: Doran, Oner, Faker, Gumayusi/Smash, Keria.
LCK Summer 2023 was a real challenge for T1. The team made it to the play-offs, but did it with difficulty, taking 5th place in the group stage with the score 9-9.
There were problems for the main protagonist - Faker. The legendary mid laner injured his hand and it obviously affected the overall playing conditions of T1. But now Faker is kind of back on track.
The Faker factor has played out. T1 defeated a serious opponent in the person of Dplus and made their way to the next round, where their opponent will be KT Rolster. The latter, by the way, chose T1 as their opponent.
Next up was no less capable opponent than Dplus. Faker and company played against KT Rolster and won that match with a score of 3-2.
The opponent in the match for the play-offs for T1 was Gen.G. The first tried, and even started the game with the score 2-1, but it didn't work out: Gen.G camebacked, and Chovy was better than Faker.
In the grand final match T1 almost lost to KT Rolster after an excellent Long Sogpeg 2-0. They were saved by Gumayusi, who pulled it off on the 5th map with his Xayah.
However, it didn't allow them to win the final. T1 faced their nemesis Gen.G, where they crushingly lost 0-3.
T1 opened Worlds 2023 with a game against Liquid. Being the clear favourite of the series they closed the match against Liquid in their favour, but it was not an easy win: Liquid held on for 36 minutes and Ledge only 1 kill. Everything was decided in the final midlane brawl, after which T1 closed the series.
In a 1-0 basket, T1 ran into their own kryptonite - Gen.G. Faker and company started great, but the first LCK team was the first to adjust the pace of the game to their own and eventually win the match.
Next up, T1 faced Cloud9. Perhaps, it was the most defeated match of all that I had the chance to watch on this Worlds. Naturally, it ended in T1's favour.
After trampling Cloud9 T1 started to beat Bilibili Gaming, and they succeeded. T1 easily defeated the vice-champions MSI 2023 with the score 2-0.
In the play-offs, T1 played against LNG. Scout, who was not unreasonably named the best player of Worlds 2023, was like that until the 5th of November: T1 wiped out LNG, closing the series with a score of 3-0.
In the semi-finals of Worlds 2023, T1 faced perhaps the top contender to win the championship, JD Gaming. As formidable as the Chinese were, they were unable to outplay the experienced T1. As a result, Faker and company won the match with a score of 3-1 and T1 for the sixth (!) time made it to the grand finals of the most important League of Legends tournament. And then won it for the 4th time, which is an absolute record in competitive League of Legends and in esports in general.
After an excellent Long Cоrnеg regular season, LCK Spring 2024 T1s slipped a bit in the regular season, finishing 15-3 and in third place. T1 started the championship playoffs with a match against Hanwha Life Esports and surprisingly for me, they blew the game wide open, losing it 0-3. In the lower play-offs T1 played against DPlus KIA and beat them 3-0. Next, they defeated their HLE opponents 3-1, thus becoming the second and last Korean team at MSI 2024.
T1 made it to the Mid-Season Invitational 2024 after finishing in the top 2 at LCK Spring 2024. At the MSI 2024 MSI Play-In, T1 easily took the two series 2-0 and advanced to the Bracket Stage. They started off the Bracket Stage with a nerve-wracking 3-2 win over G2 Esports. In the match to advance to the top 3 T1 faced BLG and lost rather toothlessly with a 1-3 score. Next up was a match against Liquid, where T1 won 3-1. After that they played against G2 Esports in a rematch of the first round of MSI 2024 and again they won, but this time cleanly - 3-0 in favour of T1. But in the next match T1 could not win: BLG outplayed T1 with the score 3-1.
To play at Esports World Cup 2024, T1 interrupted their performance at LCK Summer 2024, where they had a 5-1 record.
In between LCK Summer 2024 matches, T1 tasted Riyadh, where they became the champions of Esports World Cup 2024 with a prize money of $1,000,000. They defeated TOP Esports in the grand finals.
T1 entered the LCK Summer 2024 play-offs from the 4th place of the regular season. During LCK Summer 2024, they were 11-7, which is not a good result for a club of T1's level. In the first LCK Summer 2024 play-offs T1 beat KT Rolster 3-1, but then ran into HLE and Ledgeili 0-3. Later they outplayed DPlus KIA, but then they repeated the match with HLE and again lost 1-3 and as a result LCK Summer 2024 top 3.
At Worlds 2024 T1 made it to the LCK Regional Finals, where they defeated KT Rolster by a narrow 3-2 margin in the match to qualify for the World Championship.
At Worlds 2024 T1 debuted with a loss to Top Esports in a close match. Then they easily defeated paiN Gaming and defeated Bilibili Gaming in a tough match, which brought them to a 2-1 score. In the play-offs match, T1 outlasted G2 Esports 2-0.
In the World Championship 2024 play-offs, they made their debut with a match against Top Esports. T1 have never lost in Worlds play-offs to an LPL team in their history. Neither have they lost now, outscoring TES 3-0. In the next Worlds 2024 match, T1 met their perennial kryptonite, Gen.G. T1 had never beaten Gen.G over the past year, but that didn't stop them from winning the most important match of the season and winning convincingly, 3-1. In the grand finals of the World Championship, T1 met the strongest team in China, BLG, and fought their way to the World Championship title, closing out the series with a 3-2 win. T1 became 5-time Worlds champions.
The 2025 season T1 Long Teamed up with Baron Group, where they confidently took the top 1. Faker and company, virtually without Gumayusi, won the group 4-1, advancing to the second round of the Play-In. In Play-In they beat Nongshim RedForce with a score of 2-0, thus passing in play-offs. And there was a surprise: T1 Ledge beat HLE in the first round, making the top 6.
LCK Season 2025 T1 started in a bad way. After 3 weeks, T1 are in 5th place with a score of 3-3, which is a bad result for a T1 level team.
The most popular T1 champions
Fiora (5 games, 60% win rate) was the most frequent champion on the top line. There was also Jax (3 games, 100% wins), Camile (2 matches, 100% wins), Irelia (2 matches, 100% wins).
In the forest Maokai (7 matches, 85% wins), Sejuani (4 games, 75% wins), Viego (2 matches, 100% wins).
The centre line was occupied by Azir (5 matches, 80% wins), Sylas (3 games, 66% wins), Kassadin (2 matches, 100% wins), Ryze (2 games, 50% wins).
Shooters: Varus (4 games, 50% wins), Lucian (4 games, 100% wins).
Supports: Nami (3 games, 100% wins), Ashe (3 games, 0 wins), Varus (2 games, 100% wins), Miss Fortune (2 games, 100% wins).
History of head-to-head meetings T1 - DPlus KIA
This will be the 5th match between the teams in the last year. The last 3 series have been won by DPlus KIA.
Predicted result of the match T1 - DPlus KIA on LCK Season 2025 Rounds 1-2
In this match my bet is on DPlus KIA. I don't see how T1 will win against DPlus who are clearly in form. The confusion on the bottom line and Doran's clearly not optimal form makes it doubtful that T1 will win on at least one of the cards.
Bottom line: victory for DPlus KIA.
Bilibili Gaming
Anyone's LegendWatch match
