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We've finally made it to the Demacia Cup 2023 play-offs. In what is essentially the first tournament of the new season, the main stage is getting ready for Long Sogpeg.
That means China's best will soon enter the fray, including Weibo, Bilibili Gaming, JD Gaming and LNG Esports. In this breakdown of The International we are interested in Weibo.
Weibo Gaming, the Top 2 of last November's Worlds 2023, will face off against Ninjas in Pyjamas. The format of the encounter is bo5.
Let's try to figure out which team will be stronger in the first bo5 series of the new season and will earn a passage to the next round of play-offs, while the loser will say goodbye to the prospects of becoming the Demacia Cup 2023 champion.
Let's go.
Weibo Gaming uniforms
We start the match analysis with an analysis of Weibo Gaming's form. In this match, they play the first number one, which is quite obvious. The odds for Weibo to win are at around 1.3.
Weibo Gaming can be called a newcomer to the LPL, as the club appeared on the Esports radar and the big stage in 2021, and debuted in the LPL in 2022.
As a rookie, the results were very good. Weibo made the top 8 twice in 2022, finishing top 6 at LPL Spring 2022 and top 8 at LPL Summer 2022.
At the last tournament played before LPL Summer 2023, the previous LPL Spring 2023 split, the team again finished in the top 6. It's not surprising, as the club has a great roster.
- Weibo Gaming roster: Zdz, Xiaohao, Cyku, Xiaohu, Light, Crisp .
Weibo Gaming very confidently entered the play-offs of the championship. In the group stage of LPL Summer 2023 the team played on the score 10-6, which allowed to take the sixth place.
Weibo's first opponent in the play-offs was Ninjas in Pyjamas, who made a great run through the group stage and then surprised in the play-offs, reaching the top 8. But obviously they couldn't win, with Weibo winning 3-1.
Weibo's next opponent in the LPL Summer 2023 play-offs was LNG Esports, who showed top flight performance in the regular season, reaching the top 2 of the league and almost beating JD Gaming in the finals. Nevertheless, it was Weibo LNG that LNG had to deal with in the play-offs, and that match ended with the score 2-3 not in favour of WG.
In the regional finals Weibo started their performance from the lower grid, where their opponent was TES. A willful 3-2 win was a key argument in favour of Weibo's advantage in this match.
Next up, Weibo played against EDG for a slot at Worlds 2023. WBG played quite a game and ended up shutting out EDward with a 3-1 score, earning a place at Worlds 2023.
In the opening match at Worlds 2023, Weibo Gaming faced off against NRG. The match ended exactly as it should have: absolute annihilation of the first team of America and an easy victory for Weio.
Next, Weibo played against G2 Esports, and this match was perhaps the most unexpected of all at Worlds 2023. G2 Esports outplayed their vis-a-vis in a mind-blowing series, thus sending Weibo to a 1-1 score. Spurred on by the loss from G2 Esports Weibo Ledgeili to host the stage in the form of KT Rolster.
Having hit the net 1-2 Weibo Gaming without any problems swatted MAD Lions, and after that went to play with another representative of the LEC - Fnatic. Weibo Gaming won the decisive match in the Swiss stage after falling behind by one card.
In the first round of play-offs WBG met NRG. The only team from the West only put up a fight on the first of the three maps played, but that wasn't even close to enough to give WBG problems.
In the semi-finals, Weibo met fellow vice-champions MSI 2023 Bibili Gaming. The LPL resident derby was one of the most colourful matches and ended on 5 maps with the score 3-2 in favour of WBG.
In the last match of last season WBG met T1 in the grand final of Worlds 2023. That match ended with a total beating of the Chinese club and T1's fourth win at the Worlds.
Weibo Gaming's most popular champions in spades
Weibo Gaming is not known for diversity in the top line up. TheShy plays KSante (10 games, 8 wins), Gnar (6 matches, 50% wins). Sion (2 matches, 100% wins) and Renekton (2 matches, 50% wins) make rare appearances.
The ubiquitous Maokai is ignored in the forest (appeared only once and lost). But Vi (6 games, 100% wins), Elise (6 games, 60% wins), Sejuani (4 games, 75% wins) get quite a lot of attention.
The centre line is occupied by Syndra (7 games, 85% wins), Ryze (4 games, 0% wins), Talliyah (3 games, 66% wins).
From shooters like Lucian (5 matches, 80% wins), Varus (4 games, 75% wins), Zeri, Sivir and Caitlyn appeared 3 times each and only Sivir didn't win a single game.
Sapports: Nami (7 matches, 85% wins), Ashe (4 matches, 50% wins), Yummi (3 matches, 33% wins).
NiP Form
Let's continue the match analysis with the analysis of Ninjas in Pyjamas form. In this match, the team will play as an outsider, with odds to win at around 4.
Before the Long Segment of the LPL summer season, I did not take them seriously, and the maximum where I bet was in the top-12, but now everything has changed and NiP claim to pass to the main stage with the opportunity to show results there.
The first tournament for the "ninjas" was LPL Spring 2023. There NiP took the top-13, which is not a terrible result for the debut.
- NiP roster: shanji, Aki, Rookie, Photic, Zhuo.
After the Top 13 at LPL Spring 2023, Ninjas in Pyjamas resorted to stand-ins. They affected both the management and the playing staff. The changes were clearly beneficial, as NiP looked fresh in the summer split and deservedly qualified for the LPL Summer 2023 play-offs. In the group stage, NiP finished in the top 10 and made it to the play-offs, where they even managed to get through the first round and ended up in the top 8.
In between LPL Summer 2023 and Demacia Cup 2023, NiP visited NEST 2023. They didn't play seriously there and made it to the top 8.
At Demacia Cup 2023 NiP look quite good. They confidently passed the group stage, winning all their matches.
Most popular champions Ninjas in Pyjamas
NiP's top line is taken by Jax (3 matches, 33% wins), Gwen (2 matches, 50% wins), Gangplank (2 matches, 50% wins), Jayce (2 games, 50% wins).
In the woods, Maokai (7 matches, 42% wins), Sejuani (4 games, 25% wins), Vi (3 games, 66% wins) were permanent.
The centre line was most often occupied by Sylas (5 matches, 40% wins), Ryze (3 games, 100% wins), Akali (2 games, 0 wins).
Zeri and Sivir peaked equally often on the shooter position. Both heroes appeared 4 times, but the former won all his games, and the latter - none.
Ashe appeared most often amongst the Spurrots. Archer was chosen 5 times and won 2 matches. Yuumi (4 matches, 75% wins), Heimerdinger (4 matches, 25% wins) were also frequently played.
History of head-to-head meetings Ninjas In Pyjamas - Weibo Gaming
The teams played each other three times during the 2023 season. All games were won by Weibo Gaming.
Predicted result of NiP vs Weibo Gaming at Demacia Cup 2023
Given the baggage of experience that Weibo gained during Worlds 2023, it's hard to imagine that they will be able to Ledgeit in this match. NiP are also good, they passed the group stage without any mistakes, but what is Bo1 against frankly speaking not the most status teams, compared to a full-fledged Bo5 against the top 2 teams in the world in 2023. One map in NiP's asset will already be a success.
Bottom line: 3-1 win for Weibo.
