TSM kickstarts its comeback season by reclaiming the throne at the ALGS Split 1 Playoffs

TSM are back on top.

The ALGS Split 1 Playoff grand final saw four teams on match point in the eighth game of the series and it was TSM who came on top with a clutch win after a slow start to the last day. They walk away with 300,000 USD of the million-dollar prize pool along with 500 Playoff Points, which will go a long way in securing their spot in the ALGS  Championship.

This was the perfect way for the team to kickstart their comeback season after a rather disappointing 2022 run. After claiming the ALGS Split 1 North America Pro League, TSM came into the tournament as one of the favourites, given they are only one of two teams to win back-to-back LANs.

TSM started off their tournament run in good form, finishing first during the group stage portion. However, the team stumbled during the bracket stage, failing to clinch a top-three finish during the six-game series. They did manage to still qualify into the top ten and to the grand finals.

But even then, the team only managed a single win in their eight-game run to winning the title, which was the final match. They only managed a third- and second-place finish in seven game with the other five being outside of the top 10 and one seventh-placed game. But game eight was where the team popped off, securing 10 kills through big-risk rotations that paid off well to their favour.

To sweeten the deal, TSM was up against Acend, a fellow team that was also on match-point. However, TSM's rotations allowed them to gain plenty of space and high-ground advantage, which they used to their advantage against Acend.

With TSM winning the ALGS Split 1 Playoffs, it's also a nod towards the level of competitiveness in the NA region. NRG was the first team to reach match-point after four games with TSM reaching it in the fifth and XSET in the seventh. This placed three of NA's best and brightest in match-point alongside the only EMEA representative in Acend. And despite TSM winning it because of the match-point format, it will leave a sour taste in NRG's mouth, who finished second despite getting seven more points than TSM.

Here are the finalised standings of the ALGS Split 1 Playoff:

1. TSM
2. NRG
3. Acend
4. XSET
5. Alliance
6. Moist Esports
7. ONIC Esports
8. FNATIC
9. Element 6
10. Luminosity Gaming
11. Team Singularity
12. ganbare otousan
13. DarkZero Esports
14. fun123
15. Esports Arena
16. Spacestation Gaming
17. The Guard
18. ENTER FORCE.36
19. EXO Clan
20. DreamFire
21. PULVEREX
22. JLINGZ Esports
23. 100 Thieves
24. K1CK
25. GØDFIRE
26. Pioneers
27. NorCal Esports
28. NORTHEPTION
29. Fascination Color Destroy
30. Invictus Gaming International
31. Vexed Gaming
32. Oxygen Esports
33. GHS Professional
34. Iron Blood Gaming
35. Crazy Raccoon
36. GameWard
37. Horizon Union
38. Passion
39. LeaveNoWitness
40. Flora esports

TSM's IGL, Phillip "ImperialHal" Dosen walks away with the Monster Energy MVP title, which is well deserved for someone who many call the CEO of Apex Legends. NRG's own IGL, Christopher "sweetdreams" Sexton, wins the 'Apex Predator' award for the most kills during the tournament.

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With that being the end of the ALGS Split 1 Playoffs, we will have to wait a fair few months for the Split 2 Playoffs and then after that, the ALGS Championship. All three LANs for the third year of the ALGS will be played in London.

Respawn will also be releasing its Season 16 Trailer for Apex Legends, which is said to bring about plenty of changes to the game as we know it.