In the first stage of the LPL group matches, the first round robin of the Peak Group has concluded. On the last match day, TES faced AL in a fierce three-game battle, with AL ultimately winning. AL’s victory was expected, but it was surprising that TES pushed AL to a third game. This season, TES has been extremely weak, so even AL probably didn’t expect to be challenged so intensely by the bottom-ranked team in the group.

The second match was an all-Chinese roster showdown between Weibo and JDG. Before this match, JDG had just swept BLG. With Weibo dealing with internal conflicts and planning to replace their support, many thought JDG would win easily. However, WBG stepped up, taking two consecutive games quickly to defeat JDG. This completed a closed loop in the LPL Peak Group, starting from BLG: BLG > AL > TES > WBG > IG > JDG > BLG.

A closed loop formed just 10 days into the season, making it hard to say whether the LPL Peak Group consists of strong teams or just spinning tops. Currently, BLG still leads the standings, but the gap between first and second-third place is only one point, with no clear dominant lead. AL and JDG have 2 points each, just one point ahead of fourth and fifth place Weibo and IG. The lowest-ranked TES has only 1 point, basically locking in the last place.

The win-loss relationships among these six teams are truly strange. JDG swept BLG, but then got swept by WBG. TES, with only one win, beat Weibo. So the 1-4 ranked TES somehow sits at the top of this food chain? The situation in the Peak Group is becoming more confusing; it seems anyone can win or lose, and no team shows overwhelming strength.

Each of the six teams currently has their own issues. BLG is indeed strong, but Viper’s performance is unstable. Early on, Bin thought the region’s competitiveness was weak and matches lacked pressure, but he was quickly proven wrong. AL has warmed up recently, but compared to last year, their strength is still lacking. The problems with top and bottom lane matchups being easily broken through remain, and it’s unlikely these will be fixed soon.

JDG’s teamwork is clearly improving, but their jungler’s discipline is poor. JunJia’s individual skill is somewhat lacking, though compared to the Demacia Cup, JDG has made noticeable progress. WBG still faces old problems: Xiaohu has been in a slump lately, unable to gain lane advantages and often giving opportunities away in team fights. Like Saint, as long as he doesn’t die or feed during laning, he’s already providing the biggest help to the team.

Few expected IG and TES to perform well in the Peak Group, as both teams have undergone major roster changes that weakened them. After the first round, their strength is roughly as expected. Rookie has been somewhat underwhelming, while Soboro has shown some bright spots. However, their roster limitations are obvious; aside from an upset win against JDG, their overall strength is just average.

TES currently faces many problems. 369 is gradually becoming like Saint, vulnerable in lane and ineffective in team fights. Support Fengyue’s performance is mediocre, often causing momentum shifts. The team’s dual carries perform decently, and Jiaqi has exceeded expectations, but with a weak support, it’s hard to shine. If they can’t even beat IG, TES likely won’t achieve good results and will probably finish last in the Peak Group.

Conclusion:

Most have watched the LCK matches; GEN’s dominance in the league is remarkable. In four matches so far, GEN has swept all opponents 2-0. The LPL hasn’t found a team of that caliber yet. Although BLG is strong, they haven’t shown such overwhelming dominance, suggesting the Peak Group teams are fairly evenly matched.

So, do you think IG or TES can make it into the top four?

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