The opening match of the 2023 LCK Summer between KT Rolster and Hanwha Life Esports at LoL Park in Jongno on July 7 was won by KT Rolster. KT Rolster utilized the power of their stable, late-game-oriented compositions and were able to record their first win of the opening round thanks to the contributions of their bottom lane and playmaker Kwak "Biddy" Bo-seong.
In Game 1, both teams had a tank on the top lane and completed their typical one-hit combinations with balanced AP and AD. The difference was that KT Rolster had Yumi on the bottom lane and instead of playing a passive game in the early game, they increased the carry power of Ezreal in the late game, while Hanwha Life Esports tried to be more proactive with Lakhan.
With the early lead, Hanwha Life Esports had a satisfying start, taking two heralds and a dragon, and destroying the mid lane tower first. KT Rolster didn't have much to complain about either, as their bottom lane Ezreal grew without incident, and if I had to nitpick, I'd say that Hanwha Life Esports failed to capitalize on their early advantage.
In the one-hit phase, the team was relentless in their attempts to melt down Ezreal in one hit, but with all of his spells and Yumi on his back, it was too much to ask. In the end, the easier-hitting KT Rolster dominated the second half, destroying Ezreal's nexus and taking game one.
Set two was similar in terms of banter. Hanwha Life Esports chose Blitzcrank for the support spot, while KT Rolster chose Milio, which clearly showed where both teams would give their strength at different points in the game. KT Rolster also picked Kale, a champion with high late game carry, to complete the 'late game wins' premise.
Despite the similar banfic flow, the second game played out differently than the first. Hanwha Life Esports actively sought out the ganks of Blitzcrank and Bai to create difficulties. Despite a mistake or two in their play, they were able to draw KT Rolster into the gank, which allowed them to snowball quickly.
With the game in their favor, Hanwha Life Esports dominated the view of the opposing jungle and actively utilized their blitzcrank to pressure their opponent. KT Rolster tried to fight their way through the frustration, but they couldn't overturn the gold gap. Hanwha Life Esports succeeded in destroying KT Rolster's nexus before the kale was fully grown. For KT Rolster, getting caught in the middle of their opponent's chaos contributed to their defeat.
In game three, KT Rolster easily snowballed early on. Based on the gains they made on the bottom lane, they destroyed the first tower in the early hours and built up two stacks of dragons. Hanwha Life Esports avoided engagements as much as possible, reducing the core item gap between the ranged dealers and focusing on the growth of each champion. It was comforting for Hanwha Life Esports that the gap was never more than 2,000 gold.
As the game moved into the mid-game, the battle began in earnest. Hanwha Life Esports took advantage by centering the fight around the well-developed Xanthe, while KT Rolster relied on Annie of 'B.D.D.' as a playmaker. In particular, the timing of B.D.D.'s Baron's appearance and the fact that he cut off the opponent's Gragas from the top line played a big role. KT Rolster hunted down Baron based on their numerical advantage and eliminated variables by cutting off Diego, who was trying to steal.
From there, it was all KT Rolster's pace. KT Rolster utilized the Baron buff to quickly earn gold. Thanks to the gold generated, the fight was completely in KT Rolster's hands, and they took the opening game by destroying Hanwha Life Esports' Nexus.