RheingoldRiver brings match reports and interviews from the LCS floor

With excellent overviews of each match and interviews with the expert summoners involved, RheingoldRiver brings insight into the events that enthrall millions as part of the League of Legends Championship Series.

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Game 1: Curse v Velocity eSports

Voyboy: Tryndamere

Saintvicious: Nautilus

Nyjacky: Twisted Fate

Cop: Caitlyn

Edward: Blitzcrank

Cris: Jayce

Nk Inc: Lee Sin

Vileroze: Kayle

maplestreet: Varus

Evaniskus: Thresh

Velocity went for the same start that it had used against CLG the day before, with Evaniskus getting a quick level 2 and helping Nk Inc invade onto Saintvicious's red.  First blood also resulted from a gank by Nk Inc, Vileroze taking down Cop when Cop's flash was down from level-1 posturing. 

Curse took the first tower, in botlane, but Velocity answered with a dragon and then mid turret after Nyjacky ulted top to kill Cris.  Velocity continued to hold the tower and objective lead through the start of the midgame, but Voyboy farmed and farmed, after already being able to kill Cris 1v1 at 12 minutes.  At about 18 minutes, Voyboy secured himself a triple kill in a fight near dragon and, after that, he began to splitpush, taking the top inhibitor turret from Velocity at 20 minutes. 

The next fights all went in Curse's favor, and though Velocity took out an inhibitor turret at 27 minutes, it lost too many members to stop Curse's baron at 28 minutes.  At this point there was nothing Velocity could do, and Curse tore through all of Velocity's remaining turrets and base, winning the game at 31 minutes.

Game 2: Counter Logic Gaming v Dignitas

Nientonsoh: Elise

bigfatlp: Nocturne

Link: Karthus

Doublelift: Graves

Chauster: Janna

KiWiKiD: Kennen

Crumbz: Zac

scarra: Diana

imaqtpie: Varus

Patoy: Sona

A first blood onto Chauster at level 1 before creeps spawned gave KiWiKiD a huge advantage over Nientonsoh in toplane that he only extended, almost doubling the CLG toplaner's CS at 10 minutes.  Dignitas took dragon at 11 minutes before the second kill of the game, and the teams exchanged kills at 13 minutes in top and bot—however, only Dignitas secured a turret also. 

Uncoordinated exchanges by Dignitas led to the game stalling out as CLG couldn't push on Dignitas and Dignitas couldn't win teamfights.  Doublelift kept farming and Nientonsoh caught up, and at 42 minutes CLG stole baron from Dignitas.  The red team answered with a push down through the mid inhibitor.  CLG got the rest of the barons, and both teams pushed multiple inhibitors.  Finally, at 70 minutes CLG won a teamfight decisively enough to close out the game at 71 minutes.

Game 3: Cloud 9 v Curse

Balls: Rumble

Meteos: Zac

Hai: Kha'zix

SnEaKyCaStRo: Ezreal

LemonNation: Sona

Voyboy: Elise

Saintvicious: Maokai

Nyjacky: Twisted Fate

Cop: Draven

Edward: Blitzcrank

Curse took an immediate advantage within a minute of the game starting, as Edward landed a great hook onto Sona when LemonNation went to ward the top tribush.  Curse expanded its lead with several ganks and pickoffs thanks to Edward's rocket grabs and also a 9:20 dragon. 

At 16:30 the kills were 10-1 in the red team's favor, and Curse had a 4k gold lead.  But that's where it ended.  Cloud 9 won a fight soon after the 20-minute mark 4 for 1, and they picked up the baron at 25 minutes.  After this point, Cloud 9 won fight after fight, and after winning a fight at 33 minutes Cloud 9 pushed straight down midlane and into the base. 

Though Curse respawned, it was not in time to save its nexus, and Cloud 9 won the game at 34:24.