TL;DR
- Pantheon achieved 100% presence rate with 26 bans and 1 pick in 27 games
- Cody Sun led all players with 10.8 KDA during Play-Ins stage
- Artifact and Kobbe tied for most kills in a single game with 11 each
- 27 different champions were picked with surprising selections like Heimerdinger
- Knockout stage begins October 7 with best-of-five qualification matches
The initial qualification round of the League of Legends 2019 World Championship has concluded, with eight squads progressing to the elimination bracket. Across 27 competitive matches, we witnessed Pantheon’s overwhelming priority in draft phases, diverse champion selections across roles, and exceptional individual displays from key competitors.
Pantheon’s Complete Dominance in Draft Strategy
Since his comprehensive gameplay overhaul, Pantheon has established himself as an undeniable threat on Summoner’s Rift, receiving additional power adjustments that reinforced his competitive viability. These factors explain why teams systematically excluded him from 26 of the 27 matches during this Worlds stage, with the solitary instance where he avoided prohibition resulting in his selection.
MEGA’s mid lane specialist Nuttapong “G4” Menkasikan deployed Pantheon against Lowkey Esports, securing the organization’s lone victory during the qualification phase. This performance granted Pantheon a flawless victory percentage to complement his universal appearance rate. Based on Games of Legends’ competitive data, this particular contest also featured the highest elimination count throughout Play-Ins with 40 total champion takedowns.
Qiyana maintained substantial draft influence with 22 prohibitions and three selections, though she secured victories in only one-third of her limited appearances.
The qualification round showcased 27 distinct champion choices, with Nihat “Innaxe” Aliev’s bottom lane Heimerdinger against Clutch Gaming representing one of the most unexpected strategic decisions, with Unicorns of Love emerging victorious in both encounters featuring this unconventional pick.
Regarding selection frequency, Gangplank dominated the top lane preferences, Lee Sin controlled jungle priorities, LeBlanc emerged as the favored mid lane option, while Xayah and Rakan formed the predominant bottom lane pairing.
Elite Player Performances: KDA Leaders and Elimination Records
Clutch Gaming’s bottom lane specialist Sun “Cody Sun” Li-Yu recorded the tournament’s highest Kill-Death-Assist ratio at 10.8, delivering his most impactful display during critical moments. Cody achieved an impressive 8 eliminations, 1 death, and 10 assists while playing Ashe against Unicorns of Love in the decisive match determining group leadership.
The record for most champion eliminations in a single match was jointly held by Lowkey Esports’ mid laner Nguyễn “Artifact” Văn Hậu and Splyce’s bottom lane expert Kasper “Kobbe” Kobberup, both securing 11 kills. Artifact accomplished this feat with Tristana versus Hong Kong Attitude, while Kobbe matched this performance against DetonatioN FocusMe.
The Elimination Bracket, representing the second Play-Ins phase, commences on October 7. The eight advancing teams will compete in best-of-five series for the four remaining positions in the primary competition.
Action Checklist
- Analyze Pantheon’s kit strengths that justified his 100% ban/pick rate
- Review Cody Sun’s Ashe gameplay to understand high-KDA strategies
- Study unconventional picks like Heimerdinger bot lane for draft innovation
- Compare regional draft preferences and champion priority differences
No reproduction without permission：Game Guides Online » Pantheon, Xayah see highest pick/ban rate at Worlds 2019 Play-Ins Analyzing champion dominance and player performances from Worlds 2019 Play-Ins stage statistics