Teams in both EU and NA have been poorly executing level 1 strategies, either by not preparing them properly or not having a proper response to the situation. In this article, we will discuss the importance of executing level 1 strategies correctly and analyze a game between CLG and WFX as a great example of proper execution.
The Ban/Pick Phase
CLG should improve their ban phase by changing the order in which they ban champions. Currently, they ban Zed, Annie, and Sion in that order, but it would be more effective to ban Zed, Sion, and Annie. By banning Annie as the second ban and leaving Kalista open for Doublelift, they reveal to WFX that they don’t want a hard engage. This gives WFX the opportunity to adjust their bans accordingly. If Annie was banned as the third ban, it would be too late for WFX to respond in bans and they would have less time to think about CLG’s team composition.
Winterfox’s ban strategy also needs adjustment. When CLG banned Zed and Annie, there was no need for Winterfox to ban Rumble. Instead, they could have banned Maokai or Dr. Mundo, as CLG’s bans indicated that they didn’t want to play against hard engage and preferred a tanky top laner.
Early Game
Itemization is often overlooked but is just as important as strategy in the early game. For example, Maokai’s itemization with Rod of Ages and Ninja Tabi provides more sustain and allows him to be in team fights for a longer time. On the other hand, Hecarim with Trinity Force or incomplete boots will only have health as sustain and can be easily killed. Corki’s first item is Trinity Force, making him a strong poker and siege champion. However, for the same amount of money, Kalista could have completed Hurricane plus other items for better overall effectiveness.
Jarvan/Rek’Sai and Thresh/Janna have similar builds and costs, while Ezreal and Kassadin can be built differently depending on the player’s preference. CLG’s team composition has a lot of escape and engage potential, which is unfavorable for Winterfox’s team composition.
Level 1 Strategy
CLG wanted to lane swap to give Doublelift free farm on Kalista and deny farm from Hecarim. They invaded properly, but made two mistakes. First, they invaded through the entrance to red buff, leaving the top side of the map unwarded. This could have allowed the enemy team to set up a trap from behind. Second, Link placed a ward that would expire before the buff respawned, giving the enemy team an opportunity to invade without being detected.
Since Winterfox controlled the area around the dragon, CLG could have easily prevented them from killing it by roaming to dragon with Aphromoo. This would have forced Winterfox to recall earlier, resulting in slower clearing and less gold for their jungler and top laner.
On the top side of the map, CLG had a player advantage and superior ward coverage, making it obvious that they would place wards. Despite knowing this, Winterfox’s Rek’Sai and Hecarim invaded without flash or escape tools, resulting in their deaths and a significant advantage for CLG.
CLG continued to dominate the game with good execution of strategies and punished every mistake made by Winterfox. With some improvement, CLG can become a formidable team in the early game, which is crucial for international competitiveness.