People really underestimate how good chronicle was at gambit.
His performances at international events were neck and neck with nAts.
His Masters berlin finals performance is one of the best finals performances of all time.

In fnatic he hasn't been able to stand out as much but that is because the starpower is so much higher.

Not to mention he is doing all of this as a flex.

Leo is better, although Hiro is closer to chronicle type player than he is to Leo.
Hiro wasn't a 1 for 1 replacement for Leo, chronicle has taken a lot of Leo's old roles on certain maps.

Interesting insight from elma in the post match.
Yeah seemed like some of the veto was down to them wanting more footage on maps they hadnt played as much.
Although it was sorta predicted that abyss would be lasted picked because vitality also perma bans it.
FNC have been struggling on icebox recently and vitality (although fnc had beaten them) have looked good on sunset.

Debatable.
Definitely trying some more stuff however with how fnatic did the map veto suggests they are trying to win in 3-4 maps.

Yeah, it's his only Champions appearance.
He's played at 4 international events, one in each year.
(Masters Berlin 2021, Champions 2022, Lock//in 2023, Masters Shanghai 2024)

Amount of champions appearances per player.
(assuming each team continues with the same starting 5, so players like Klaus wouldn't get another appearance)

4: Boaster, BuZz, Derke, keznit, MaKo

3: Alfajer, aspas, CHICHOO, Chronicle, cNed, crashies, Crws, d4v41, f0rsakeN, FiNESSE, Jamppi, Jinggg, Klaus, Mazino, Melser, mindfreak, Munchkin, NagZ, nobody, Rb, saadhak, Sacy, Smoggy, soulcas, stax, Victor, ZmjjKK

2: AAAAY, ANGE1, ardiis, AtaKaptan, ban, BerLIN, Biank, C0M, crow, delz1k, Dep, foxz, Haodong, heat, Khalil, kiNgg, Knight, Lakia, Laz, leaf, Less, Life, Lysoar, Marved, Mazin, Mistic, MrFaliN, nAts, Nivera, nzr, qRaxs, Quick, Redgar, Sayf, ScreaM, Shao, Shyy, something, sScary, SugarZ3ro, Sushiboys, SUYGETSU, TENNN, TenZ, whzy, xeta, yay, Yosemite, zekken, Zest, Zyppan

1: ade, adverso, Asuna, Autumn, AYRIN, bang, Bazzi, BcJ, benjyfishy, Benkai, BerserX, BeYN, blaZek1ng, BONECOLD, Boo, Boostio, BORKUM, Carpe, cauanzin, ceNder, ChAlalala, Cloud, Cryocells, d3ffo, dapr, DaveeyS, Demon1, dephh, Derrek, dgzin, dimasick, dispenser, doma, DubsteP, Enzo, Ethan, Famouz, FengF, Fisker, Fit1nho, fl1pzjder, Flashback, Flex1n, Foxy9, frz, Governor, gtn, heybay, hiro, hoody, icy, jawgemo, JessieVash, JhoW, JitBoyS, JohnOlsen, johnqt, JonahP, k1Ng, Kai, Karon, Kicks, Kiles, L1NK, LAMMYSNAX, Leo, LuoK1ng, MAGNUM, Medusa, Meteor, MiniBoo, mitch, MOJJ, mta, murizzz, mwzera, nephh, neth, nizhaoTZH, nukkye, pANcada, Patiphan, primmie, PTC, qw1, rhyme, RieNs, rin, runneR, s0m, S1Mon, Sayaplayer, ShahZaM, sheydos, SicK, starxo, stellar, SuperBusS, Surf, sutecas, t3xture, Tacolilla, tex, trent, trexx, tuyz, v1xen, valyn, vanity, Will, Witz, Wo0t, xand, Xeppaa, xffero, yetujey, Yuicaw, zeek, Zellsis, zombs

Zikz is a very good coach, not sure what the hate is about.

Vamosss

2024 is the year of the dragon for a reason...

Thoughts on xxif & mikee?
Underlying numbers are pretty good for both of them, as sentinels.

Time line:
Ascension play-ins: July 28th - July 31st
Ascension group stage: August 31st - September 4th
Ascension Playoffs: September 7th-15th

Changes:
Play-ins group stage games are now BO3s (instead of bo1s)
Reduction in LAN games, only the lower final and grand final will be played at the Riot Games Arena in Berlin.

https://valorantesports.com/en-GB/news/vct-ascension-emea-2024-play-ins-dates-format-and-tickets

Boostio is in a flowstate right now.

NGL it's so nice to see haven back in the pool, so many cool midround decisions possible.

OO AA EE

LETS GOOOO

The biggest strength of the reverse roster was it allowed EG to get practise that closely resembled what their next opponents were doing.
The eg reverse roster would copy the defaults and comps of the teams EG were set to play.

It makes sense, Leo should focus on recovering.

Hiro has been excellent and getting anderz back is another great pickup, he has incredible knowledge and philosophy especially when it comes to new maps. Although i don't think abyss plays into fnatic strengths as much as other maps do.
Also, i hope anderzz gets a full time role soon (either in fnc or another team) from what ive heard and seen seems like a great mind to have in the scene.

cn valorant

Nvm he edited it.

Nope, champions points will now be super close between 100t and g2.
Also they will now play g2/sen.

Although it is still quite likely they might make champs on the basis sen/lev/g2 all make top 3.

Quietly confident about this iteration of Lev.
Itopata has had them clicking this split.

From watching him play this year, his playstyle is so hit or miss.
A lot of 1v1 opportunities which can tip the rounds either way.
Today being an example of where he couldnt get things going.

It's definitely in contention especially when you consider the importance of the game.

Alfajer's fnatic debut was also incredible:
https://www.vlr.gg/99246/fnatic-vs-funplus-phoenix-champions-tour-stage-2-emea-challengers-group-stage-week-1/?game=all&tab=overview
Alfa has 10 kills in the first 3 rounds, he literally ulted on the second round.

Talon have made champs
Pleasantly surprised with how good talon has looked this year, still have no expectations on what they do at champs.
Talon making champs is a good enough achievement in its self.
Trust the process

oh no.

It was something that sideshow said on a video about the 2024 schedule, when calculating how many teams could potentially play the minimum amount of matches.

I dont know why i called this thread "minimum match theory" i think the term was just stuck in my head.

It is the way the season is scheduled.
The median gap between games for BBL is 7 days.
If you do the average gap between games played in the same event, the gap is less than 6 days.
BBL have played 4 games with only a 2 day gap.

Most of the complaints are aimed at the density of scheduling.

DFM & BBL remain as the only 2 inaugural partnership teams to play the minimum amount of matches across 2 years of the VCT.
Both teams have only played 23 matches, 11 matches in 2023 and 12 in 2024.

In comparison GEN.G in 2024 have already played 32 matches.

Yog is 15.
"09" as in 2009, the year he was born.

Pretty sure it is literally about nothing, people just decided it would be "funny" for some reason.

I dont see why not.
Allowing academy teams to play in tier 2 would allow for more players to get paid and could be beneficial for viewership.
(having big orgs/fanbases competing even with academy rosters can be very good)
I would just prevent academy teams from being able to qualify for ascension, with the next best team in the region qualify instead.
It also falls in line with what riot wants tier 2 to be, talent development leagues.

Why would they? He's done a pretty good job, reached an ascension final.
The japanese market is just super inflated with a ton of players locked in "predatory" contracts, building a 5jp roster would cost a lot and is not guaranteed success.
The scarz project only really exists/works as a reaction to the market.

Damn so close, but what was answerz doing in that last round?

wow the highest average placement at Shanghai trophy, you will never sing that

Split round 12 was one of the rounds of all time.

RdeeW winning streak in oce has ended.
On the brightside oce is looking competitive.

Bonkers :(

JFT looking clean af

vladk0r is right here though, vct doesn't really allow teams to develop.
Losing a handful of games can doom your season, majority of teams had made changes after a "bad split"
The rest of the argument i cba to read.

Expanding playoffs to 8 teams could've helped alleviate the issue, 6 team playoff makes it almost unobtainable for a team that had a disastrous split 1.

Did your "u" key break or something?

The hk/tw ascension spot is supposedly based on points accumulated across split 1 and split 2.
Mongolia was added to hk/tw in split 2, meaning they have 0 split 1 points.

#KBLDWIN

Really did not expect the kobolds to be this competitive this quickly especially after their struggles in open qual.
Sadly making ascension is not feasible, hopefully they can secure a spot in VCL SEA.

Can't believe pancada turned down the opportunity to join this furia super team kkkk

Pancada is so locked in today, super sharp.

What happens when you have Itopata at the wheel.
Happy to see him thrive since he got promoted, seemed way too talented to be an assistant especially after the year he had with apeks.
Really good start to split 2 for leviatan, 3 games and 0 maps lost.

She even chucked away her cue cards because she knew she struck gold by sitting there.

Personally I think it does.
Most regions have a very strong top 2.
The tradeoff for having 2 weeks extra prep in return for a harder path isnt worth it.
If it was swiss I wouldnt mind because there is more room for error, but champs is gsl.

Although a bad comparison, at last champs none of the lowest seeds made it out of groups.

Would not make sense because GEN.G would be seeded much lower at Champions.

For a guy with 125 subs, its pretty well edited.

Although with redgar being benched for famsii, russia should no longer be included,