IEM Katowice: Day 1 Predictions

Over the next three days, we get a taste of how EU and NA teams will fare on the international level.  The Intel Extreme Masters (IEM) World Championship will take place in Katowice, Poland March 13-15.  The breakdown for the matches on those days will be as follows:

March 13:
Double Elimination Group stages.  Each group will have four matches: two preliminary, one Winners match, and one Elimination match.  Group A (Cloud 9, GE Tigers, SK Gaming, and yoe Flash Wolves) will start their matches first; Group B (CJ Entus, Gambit, Team SoloMid, and WE) will follow.

March 14:
Last match of Group stages, Semi-Finals.  Each group will have a final "decider" match, and then a Semi-Finals.  The Semi-Finals will be a "Best of 3" set.

March 15:
Finals.  The format for these matches will be a "Best of 5" set.  The winners will take home a little over $100,000 in prize money.

Full Schedule and Predictions:

4:00 AM PST - Cloud 9 vs GE Tigers

Prediction: GE Tigers.  Although Cloud 9 has been doing well across the board here in the NA LCS, GE Tigers have been through the gauntlet of the LCK for months.  This will be a good preview of how NA teams will hold up against Korean pressure.

5:10 AM PST - SK Gaming vs yoe Flash Wolves

Prediction: SK Gaming.  SK has learned quite a bit in the last few weeks about dealing with teams that like to go aggressive early.  While the match probably will be close, SK's steady push and play making capability should help them prevail over the Flash Wolves.

6:20 AM PST - [Winners Match] GE Tigers vs SK Gaming
Prediction: GE Tigers.  The GE Tigers bring a whole new level of play to the world's stage--much like SK, but with a strange efficiency that NA and EU teams have a hard time competing against.  Their first encounter will probably result in a win for the Tigers.

7:30 AM PST - [Elimination Match] Cloud 9 vs yoe Flash Wolves
Prediction: Cloud 9.  The Flash Wolves have put up quite a fight against TPA, but Cloud 9 is no stranger to International play.  Even though C9 will probably lose to the Tigers, they should be able to stave off elimination in their second match.

8:40 AM PST - Gambit vs CJ Entus
Prediction: CJ Entus.  Gambit has done a fair job so far in the EU LCS, but CJ Entus (like the GE Tigers) has spent the last few months in the throes of the LCK.  Gambit should make a good appearance against CJ, but ultimately CJ's precise mechanics and gameplay will prevail.

9:50 AM PST - Team SoloMid vs Team WE
Prediction: Team SoloMid.  Although Team WE won IEM Shenzhen, they aren't nearly on the level of other Chinese teams like OMG or Edward Gaming.  Team SoloMid should be able to make short work of them in this match.

11:00 AM PST - [Winners Match] - CJ Entus vs Team SoloMid 

Prediction: CJ Entus.  Like Cloud 9, Team SoloMid is not unfamiliar with the complexity of Korean play; however, CJ Entus has the advantage going into this match.  Team SoloMid no doubt has been doing their homework, but with the months away from the Worlds scene and a new Summoner's Rift to boot, TSM will have their work cut out for them.

12:10 PM PST - [Elimination Match] - Gambit vs WE

Prediction: Gambit.  The rough and tumble squad from Europe will no doubt pull out all the stops to ensure they move on to the next day of competition.  WE should be pretty stiff competition, but Gambit  will have the advantage going into this match.