LoL - First Stand: Hanwha Life Esports played 33 games this Winter, nearly double the 17 played by Team Liquid

The first splits of the five major leagues have concluded, and their Winter champions have been crowned, determining the representatives for the First Stand. Hanwha Life Esports enter the tournament with 33 games played, while Team Liquid has only played 17 games, including just one best-of-five in the finals. In contrast, Hanwha Life Esports played six best-of-fives, Top Esports played eight.

These numbers become even more significant given that the First Stand will be played in a Fearless Draft format, just like the Winter Splits of each region. As best-of-fives progress, champion pools are put to the test—by Game 5, teams will have to pick with 46 champions already banned, making adaptability a crucial factor.

The high number of games played by Asian teams is also reflected in the players' champion pools. Yoo "Delight" Hwan-joong stands out as the most versatile player, having played 16 different champions. In contrast, Team Liquid's botlane has only managed to play nine champions each.

In the toplane, Choi "Zeus" Woo-je boasts the widest champion pool, having played 15 different champions. He has also brought out several unconventional picks, being the only toplaner to field champions like Anivia, Gwen, Fiora, and Aurora. Seo "Kanavi" Jin-hyeok and Martin "Yike" Sundelin lead the jungle pool with 13 different champions played. Yike showcased his Ivern and Jarvan IV, while Kanavi leaned into his signature Viego with four games on the pick and even secured a win with Olaf against LGD Gaming.

As expected, Kim "Zeka" Geon-woo boasts the deepest champion pool among midlaners, showcasing proficiency across AP mages, assassins, and bruisers. He remains the only player to have picked Yasuo and Renekton—though his Renekton game ended in defeat against Gen.G. For the AD Carry spot, Yu "JackeyLove" Wen-Bo and Park "Viper" Do-hyeon share first place, both having played 13 champions—a notable feat in a role where diversity is often harder to achieve. By comparison, Sean "Yeon" Sung played only nine champions across his 17 games.