Gambit’s Struggles Continue with 1-5 Start
Gambit’s season in the EU LCS got off to a rocky start with a 1-5 record. This has been one of the worst starts in the history of the league. After a promising performance at IEM Cologne, where they won the tournament, Gambit has been on a losing streak. Their recent loss to H2K put them in a tough spot, as they are now prime candidates for relegation alongside MyM.
Picks and Bans
Gambit focused their bans on two power picks that they have not been able to play effectively, as well as a targeted ban towards Ryu. H2K prioritized banning Nidalee, one of the best junglers in the current meta, and denying champions that Cabouchard plays. Gambit picked Kassadin as their first pick, a comfort pick for niQ. H2K picked Annie and Ahri, two strong champions in the current patch. This allowed Gambit to secure their comfort champion Graves and the powerful pick Rek’Sai. Lee Sin and Corki were also picked by H2K. Irelia was chosen as a good laner against any top laner, and Thresh was a comfort pick for Edward. H2K’s last pick was Kennen.
Early Game
The game started with a lane swap, and H2K sent their support and ADC top while Gambit’s Loulex attempted to get a blue buff. However, Gambit interrupted him, resulting in a failed gank and lowered pressure. Gambit then made a 4 man dive on Odoamne, resulting in first blood, the first tower, and the first drake. After this, Gambit sent their duo bot top lane and H2K froze the lane. Gambit attempted to kill Kennen in the bot lane but ended up giving two kills to H2K. Gambit had an early lead but struggled with vision. They managed to secure the second drake, but H2K’s lanes were winning in CS.
Mid Game
Gambit tried to dive the Kennen in the top lane but failed due to a ward placed by Odoamne. H2K picked off Pinoy and gained vision around the drake. Gambit decided to siege instead of setting up vision for their pick comp, and they fell back when Odoamne tried to flank them. Gambit managed to get two kills and two towers after a fight in the mid lane. They continued to struggle with vision but won most teamfights. H2K tilted and made poor decisions, leading to Gambit gaining more advantages.
Late Game
After securing Baron, Gambit attempted to set up vision around the next drake but failed to get deep wards in their jungle. H2K face-checked and tried to engage without proper vision, resulting in a 4v5 fight that Gambit won. Gambit continued to win teamfights but made some mistakes. H2K tried to get a pick but got picked off themselves, resulting in a trade. Gambit eventually secured the fifth dragon stack, Baron, and finished the game.
In conclusion, both teams played poorly in this game, reflecting their struggles in the EU LCS. Gambit had vision control issues and failed to make their comp work, relying on H2K’s mistakes to gain advantages. H2K had better vision control but made poor decisions and got caught out too often. Moving forward, Gambit needs to improve their vision control and coordination, while H2K needs to communicate better and play to their strengths.
Gambit, H2K, EU LCS, esports, League of Legends