TL;DR
- IG overcame tournament favorites KT Rolster in a dramatic 3-2 quarterfinal series
- TheShy’s split-push pressure created constant map tension throughout the series
- JackeyLove’s game-winning quadrakill secured the semifinal berth
- Strategic substitutions and draft adaptations proved crucial to victory
- The series featured one of the most memorable base races in Worlds history
Invictus Gaming secured their advancement to the League of Legends 2018 World Championship semifinals through a stunning 3-2 victory over Korean powerhouse KT Rolster, defying all expectations in one of the tournament’s most memorable upsets.
Despite demonstrating consistent high-level performance throughout the group stages, IG concluded their final day with consecutive losses against European representatives Fnatic. This placed them in the challenging position of facing KT Rolster, a Korean superteam widely regarded as championship favorites heading into the quarterfinals.
KT Rolster established early control in the opening game when jungler Go “Score” Dong-bin secured two eliminations in the bottom lane. However, their attempt to eliminate mid laner Song “Rookie” Eui-jin proved disastrous, resulting in two kills for roaming top laner Kang “TheShy” Seung-lok. Following a team wipe and successful Baron Nashor capture, Invictus Gaming decisively closed out the first game.
IG maintained their momentum to claim game two, placing them at match point. The third game saw Invictus gain an early edge with TheShy securing first blood and destroying a turret within the first ten minutes.
The match dynamics shifted dramatically when TheShy and Rookie executed a coordinated split-push strategy in the bottom lane, destroying the blue team’s inhibitor while KT Rolster engaged the remaining IG members around the Baron pit. Facing mounting pressure, KT made the desperate decision to secure the Baron buff to counter IG’s relentless aggression.
The contest balanced out as the late game phase approached, with KT initiating a mid-lane push around the 37-minute mark to potentially end the game. Recognizing an opportunity, TheShy navigated through the jungle to split-push bottom lane. This triggered an intense base race scenario where IG members fell sequentially without their primary top laner, while TheShy relentlessly advanced toward KT’s nexus.
Ultimately, KT Rolster narrowly claimed victory as their team managed to destroy IG’s nexus mere seconds before TheShy could accomplish the same objective across the map.
TheShy was benched for game four following the devastating defeat, with IG substituting Lee “Duke” Ho-seong into the top lane position. KT Rolster established an early advantage by securing first blood and a turret, maintaining this lead throughout the remainder of the game. KT proceeded to secure game four following a conclusive team engagement.
IG reinstated TheShy as the Chinese squad entered the decisive fifth game, confronting the possibility of squandering what had been a commanding 2-0 series lead. Invictus established an early gold advantage, though KT’s champion scaling ensured they remained competitive. Both teams exercised extreme caution, aware that a single misplay could determine the series outcome.
The match culminated in a critical Flash engagement by Yu “JackeyLove” Wen-Bo during a full-scale team fight, earning the bot laner a quadrakill and an ace for his squad. IG subsequently secured the Baron buff and destroyed the mid-lane inhibitor. KT proved incapable of defending against the subsequent waves of empowered super minions.
KT Rolster conceded defeat at 42 minutes into the final game, securing Invictus Gaming’s advancement to the World Championship semifinals.
This series demonstrated several critical success factors for competitive League of Legends teams. The strategic substitution between TheShy and Duke provided tactical flexibility that many teams overlook. Understanding when to leverage different player strengths can dramatically impact series outcomes, much like strategic class selection in BF6 Class Guide emphasizes for optimal team composition.
The draft phase proved equally crucial, with KT’s scaling composition nearly overcoming IG’s early advantages. This highlights the importance of draft strategy comprehension, similar to the weapon selection principles detailed in our Weapons Unlock guide for maximizing combat effectiveness.
For teams looking to improve their competitive performance, studying IG’s map pressure tactics and objective control provides valuable lessons. These strategic concepts parallel the comprehensive approaches outlined in our Complete Guide to mastering complex game systems through coordinated team play.
Action Checklist
- Analyze opponent draft patterns and identify scaling vs early game compositions
- Practice split-push coordination with teleport timing and vision control
- Develop substitution strategies for different game scenarios and opponent adaptations
- Master clutch play execution through targeted team fight scenario drills
- Study Baron Nashor and objective control timing for decisive game endings
No reproduction without permission：Game Guides Online » Invictus Gaming Defeats KT Rolster in Massive Upset How Invictus Gaming's strategic brilliance and clutch plays secured their 2018 Worlds semifinal spot