Lin Dong vs. Zhao Tinghua

There were many more viable champions for playing Mid compared to Top. Once again, with no knowledge of what his opponent was going for, Zhao Tinghua picked Riven straight away!

Playing Riven in Mid had been popular in Korea for a long time.

In truth, players in China were still stuck in the era of fielding AP champions for Mid. Meanwhile, players in Korea and the US were experimenting with new ways to play, resulting in the rise of AD champions in the Middle lane. These days, Pantheon, Zed, and Riven were trendy picks for high-level play in Korea. Ezreal Mid was a common sight, as well.

After Tinghua chose Riven, Lin Dong went with an old favorite, which was also a solo powerhouse: Orianna.

Both players were wearing noise-cancelling headphones, and neither could see which champion their opponent was selecting.