JDG vs T1 – Worlds 2023 Semifinals Preview & Analysis

This is what peaks League of Legends looks like: title favorites JDG will face T1 in what will be considered the biggest match of Worlds 2023. Whoever wins this series is likely going to become champion this year. Will T1 get their revenge after the MSI showdown or will JDG shatter South Korea’s hopes for the title?

With the most anticipated match of the season happening this weekend, let’s go over the two teams’ journey so far and find out who has the higher chance of taking the victory.

Worlds 2023 – JDG vs T1 Semifinals – November 12, 09:00 CET

JDG – The Golden Road might have a roadblock

JDG continue their path towards what might be the biggest milestone ever achieved in League of Legends history: winning the Grand Slam. G2 Esports was the closest back in 2019 before they crumbled in the finals against FunPlus Phoenix. With how dominant JDG looked throughout the entire year, they have everything they need to make it work.

The team not only has some of the best talents across all roles, but they also have an unequaled ability around the teamfights. It doesn’t matter what the game state might look like, you can always count on JDG to make a game-deciding play with impeccable mechanics and decision making.

The real difference maker of this JDG squad is none other than Ruler: the Korean ADC joined the team with the clear goal of wanting to win another Worlds trophy and the effort and gameplay he has been delivering are out of this world. Ever had the feeling of being unable to kill ADC as he kites you into oblivion? That’s how pros feel when playing against Ruler.

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But aside from him, the entire JDG squad is stacked: Kanavi and Knight make up one of the most formidable jungle-mid duos, and Missing and 369 are a constant presence in all games. Even when they might be in a losing position individually, they are always able to be valuable elements in the late stages of the game. And after a full year of commitment, they are about to face the biggest hurdle on their path: T1.

T1 – Is it redemption time?

After all these years, it’s always about Faker and T1. There is a reason why he is the GOAT in LoL and he proved it yet again. Now that all the other Korean teams have been eliminated from the tournament, T1 is the only hope remaining to terminate the LPL dominance this season.

There are so many storylines in this series that it goes to show how important it is to both teams. From T1’s redemption story to get back to the Worlds finals following last year’s disappointment, to the LPL-LCK rivalry, to the revenge match following MSI in London, to Knight versus Faker and Gumayusi versus Ruler, this is bound to be the most incredible series of the season.

T1 also seemed to have found what works for them in the Worlds 2023 meta, with Keria running double marksman support. While it’s not as oppressive as it used to be, this will inevitably put pressure on JDG, knowing that T1 has some unconventional picks ready.

But what really made T1 so dominant against LNG was Oner’s step up. He dominated Tarzan from start to finish, making him look miserable throughout the series. If he were to maintain that level of play against Kanavi, then we might witness the best version of T1 we’ve seen during the entire year. Can T1 make it happen in front of their home crowd? It’s close for me.

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JDG vs T1 Predictions

Before the T1-LNG series, I would’ve probably favored JDG to win it all. But now that I’ve seen the Korean team pull such a dominant performance on LNG, who went toe-to-toe with JDG during the LPL Playoffs and Worlds, I’m starting to have a few more doubts.

Feels like it can go either way and it will entirely depend on how the two teams show up on the day. When it becomes so close, even the minor details will matter: a small misplay can heavily swing the entire series.

On one hand, I’m expecting JDG to continue playing how they have always done: a steady playstyle with a big focus on their teamfighting. With that in mind, T1’s goal will be to get into a winning position earlier on and use the lead to come out victorious in the fights. If the lead is not big enough, then I believe it will be much harder for T1 to come out on top during those extended skirmishes.

Aside from the jungle matchup, I’m excited to see how the top lane matchup will unfold: 369 has been the most solid top laner this season but Zeus offers much more carry potential. If T1 were to find an opening, then we might see the momentum swinging.

Overall, all I’m hoping for is a close series between two of the most decorated teams of the season, similar to what happened at MSI earlier this year. But if I were to choose a team between JDG and T1, I would probably favor the latter by a small margin: don’t forget that Worlds is in South Korea and most of the crowd will be cheering for them… 

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