DRX vs T1 — 1-0
Map 1: Abyss (DRX’s Pick)
Final Score: 13-3
Match Rating: ★★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆ (4/10)
Match Summary
This was a giga stomp by DRX. They showcased their usual tight fundamental gameplay and strong retakes, while T1 got exposed by their shallow attack playbook.
T1 never attempted to control mid; instead, they put all their eggs in one basket—relying on Yoru teleporting onto the site with a Breach stun to open it up. This strategy worked three times, yet they still lost rounds after DRX’s retakes.
A major factor in DRX’s retake success? T1 Carpe’s smokes. Legit, Carpe was helping DRX with his clumsy smokes, which DRX abused multiple times to secure kills and gain space. Similarly, Mako had a few questionable smokes on A Heaven, but T1 never capitalized on them.
Another missed opportunity by T1 was their hesitation to exploit DRX’s composition. DRX opted for Tejo instead of KAY/O, meaning they had no flashes—essentially choosing brute force over finesse. Despite this, T1 played as if they were still worried about flashes, hesitating to hold angles when they didn’t need to.
T1 managed to win only two attacking rounds, both of which were carried by multiple ultimates. While this is expected, it’s still a gloomy sign for their attack efficiency.
A pivotal moment was Tejo’s ult in Round 3, which forced T1 into a brutal crossfire. This was a backbreaker, allowing DRX to snowball even harder by securing the bonus round.
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DRX vs T1 — 1-1
Map 2: Lotus (T1’s Pick)
Final Score: 6-13
Match Rating: ★★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆ (4/10)
Match Summary
Now we get a stomp in the other direction. Once again, DRX struggled to find answers against T1’s unorthodox composition.
Rubble Control Issues
On attack, DRX repeatedly tried contesting Rubble but were read like a book due to T1’s solid anti-stratting. T1 heavily targeted the shelf next to the attackers' A exit with an abundance of utility, a spot both Hyunmin and Mako attempted to abuse. The result? Significant chip damage or outright player losses before the round even began.
DRX’s Iso Problem
A major struggle for DRX was figuring out how to counter Iso. His double-damage Uppercut enabled a ton of T1’s initiations, often being comboed with Shock Darts or Paint Shells. This happened multiple times throughout the game.
Even worse, DRX kept giving Iso isolated fights, allowing him to snowball his shield regeneration. Not shooting the bubble to deny his sustain let Meteor play with complete confidence—a costly mistake.
T1’s Smart Adjustments
After halftime, T1 quickly adapted, realizing they couldn’t contest DRX’s first-tempo Rubble control. The Fade/Raze/Tejo combo from DRX completely shut down early engagements. Instead of forcing fights, T1 wisely played around their own timing, dictating the pace of the game on their terms.
What’s Next for DRX?
If this map is any indication, DRX needs to figure out a solution for Iso—especially if he shows up on any other map.
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DRX vs T1 — 2-1
Map 3: Fracture (DRX’s Pick)
Final Score: 13-9
Match Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ (7/10)
Match Summary
We saw this exact map and compositions just two days ago—and my previous analysis turned out to be spot on. Many of the same points still apply (Previous Analysis).
DRX’s Defensive Adjustments
DRX learned from their last Fracture match against T1 and completely switched up their defense. They came out aggressive, taking early space and executing it effectively. This caught T1 off guard, and they struggled to adapt to the new pace of the game.
On the other hand, T1 didn’t capitalize on their own previous success. In their last matchup, aggressive defense worked well for them, but this time they played more passively, relying heavily on dry peeking—which backfired.
Meteor’s First Deaths – Again
A recurring issue for T1 was Meteor’s positioning on Cypher. He fell into his old habit of dying first—this time five times on attack, which is especially problematic against a flanking-heavy DRX. With no information and no control, T1 kept walking into unexpected fights, which cost them heavily.
DRX’s Ultimate Woes
But let’s not glaze over DRX—they had some serious issues with ultimate usage, leading to crucial round losses.
- Round 18: DRX started off strong, getting first blood and setting up a post-plant with Tejo and Breach ults. However, both ults were completely mistimed, causing panic and a round loss.
- First half, final round: DRX had a 5v4 retake opportunity with Raze, Brim, and Tejo ults, but they misused them horribly—Brim and Raze ult covered the same area, dealing no impact damage, and the retake crumbled.
DRX’s Playbook Still Shines
Despite the ultimate blunders, DRX’s gameplan was deep and effective.
- Round 17 (Timeout Round): DRX converted a Raze ult with no gun into a round win purely through smart game planning.
- Round 21 (Frustrating for Stax): DRX obliterated Stax with an overpowered combo of Breach stun, Aftershock, and Tejo missiles—he never even saw it coming. Stax was visibly frustrated, but hey… this is Project A, these things happen.
Final Thoughts
It was a shaky but exciting map, filled with high-level decisions that players can learn from for their own ranked games.
Next Map: BIND
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DRX vs T1 — 2-2
Map 4: Bind (T1’s Pick)
Final Score: 12-14
Match Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ (7/10)
Match Summary
This review is going to be a bit shallow since I was emotionally invested during the Watchparty. DRX had a 12-9 lead and was just one round away from closing it out and claiming the title, but a 1v1 between Mako (150hp) and Meteor (11hp) swung in T1’s favor. Then, at 12-11, a 1v1 between Free1ng and Carpe also went T1’s way, leading to a 12-14 overtime loss. A heartbreaker for any DRX fan.
Cliff Notes on Bind
- Both teams neglected Shower control, which resulted in loss of map control.
- Another bad habit: both teams tried to bruteforce their attack entry through Hookah, which usually resulted in a bloodbath and an easy round for the defenders.
- T1 struggled with putting pressure on A without the Viper wall on Short, while DRX switched up their Viper gameplan. They still used the FnaticTM wall on Short, but also incorporated the Orb on B site to create space and pressure during executes.
- Both teams had issues with their ultimates, most of which didn’t really provide much value. This could perhaps be attributed to exhaustion and mental strain.
Looking Ahead to Map 5
Map 5, Split, will likely be determined by mental fortitude. Which team can bounce back mentally will probably be the one to take the trophy.
Next Map: Split
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DRX vs T1 — 3-2
Map 5: SPLIT (DECIDER)
Final Score: 13-11
Match Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ (10/10)
I dont know what was happening, had a heart attack few times.
CONGRATS DRX, LOVE YOU! AND PROUD OF YOU!
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