It can be said that the lower bracket final between T1 and KT Rolster was one of the best matches in the history of the “telecommunication wars” as well as in LCK and the League of Legends scene. Both teams showcased their best performances and fought tooth and nail until the very last game. The match had it all, from brilliant displays of skill to mistakes made by players from both teams. The result was a well-deserved victory for T1.
However, in the match against KT, once again, T1 lost in game 4. According to statistics from the game against JD Gaming at the 2022 World Championship to the present, T1 has participated in 9 BO5 matches, counting both domestic and international tournaments. Among these 9 BO5 matches, T1 has lost in game 4 in 8 of them, only winning once against JD Gaming at Worlds 2022. In these 8 losses in game 4, Gen.G and KT are also the two teams that have defeated T1 the most (3 times each). The other two teams that have managed to win against T1 in game 4 are DRX (Worlds 2022) and JDG (MSI 2023).
This is indeed a very alarming statistic. Because if the match extends to game 4, this can be considered the decisive game. One team will have the opportunity to equalize or will lose outright. This game requires maximum concentration and caution from both teams. And with the above statistics, T1 is showing a critical weakness: They tend to rush during crucial moments.
In the recent match against KT, a similar situation occurred. If game 3 could be attributed to T1 wanting to experiment with some new picks, then game 4 showed that they were indeed too hasty in trying to end the match. Holding a significant advantage, T1 kept making mistakes, allowing KT to turn the tide. This is a fatal mistake, especially when Gen.G or other LPL opponents are adept at capitalizing on opportunities. Moreover, JDG and Bilibili Gaming are very familiar with T1 and have previously defeated Faker and his teammates.
The match against Gen.G will be T1’s 10th BO5, counting from the match against JDG at Worlds 2022 to now. Fans are also looking forward to T1 breaking this curse and finally ending their long wait for titles during this time.