Interview with TSM Chime After DIG Loss

Interview with TSM Chime & DIG VS TSM Recap

In the first round of the Lower Bracket, game 1 is an elimination series with TSM (Team SoloMid) vs DIG (Team Dignitas). Depending on the outcome of the series, one team would move onto the second round keeping their dreams of reaching the NA LCS Summer Split Finals alive.

Before the series started, there were rumors that this might be the last split that TSM would take part in if they did not win; earlier this year, TSM Reginald announced that TSM would be changing regions. Despite losing to Evil Geniuses last week, TSM still looked like they put up a fight and that TSM would takedown DIG 3 – 0 or 3 – 1. Now with the series in the book, what did happen?

#TSM LCS update pic.twitter.com/V4E45qg87s

— TSM (@TSM) May 20, 2023

Game 1

Game 1 had a fairly slow start with TSM having a one-kill lead for the first 15 minutes of the game. While TSM went for Rift Herald, DIG Rich teleported bot lane to help DIG Tomo and DIG Poome dive TSM Insanity; this dive allowed DIG to tie up the kill count. On the top red side jungle, TSM Chime, TSM Bugi, and TSM Hauntzer got caught; this fight gave DIG the lead.

After TSM’s three players respawned, another fight broke out in the Dragon side river. This led to Chime, Wildturtle, and Insanity dying. With half of TSM dead, DIG took the mid turret and secured Baron. At that point, the game was over and DIG was able to take TSM down in each team fight.

Game 2

Running almost the same comps as game 1, TSM and DIG had a higher kill count at the 15 min mark. Knowing how DIG would play the match-up, TSM was able to pick off DIG at various points. Midway through the game, a pause occurred when DIG’s top laner ORNN had a mechanical bug occur. The pause would not stop TSM’s momentum. After Acing DIG, TSM marched down mid-lane and tied the series 1 to 1.

Game 3

Game 3 Dignitas had a massive lead in which they were up 8 to 0 with 5 kills on Jensen at the 18 min mark. TSM Mid Laner gets TSM’s first kill around the 19 min mark. At the 20 min mark, Dignitas goes for Baron and it is easily secured by Santorin. Three teleports to Top Lane by TSM to try and catch Jensen and Temo, but Jensen is able to blow up TSM Bugi. At the 22 min mark, DIG is able to destroy the bot inhibitor, and the team is able to catch Hauntzer and destroy the enemy’s base.

Game 4

In Game 4, TSM is able to secure Baron after picking Jensen. Despite having Baron, Dignitas is able to catch out Hauntzer, Chime, Wildturtle, and Bogi after TSM overly aggressed up the Mid lane. With that team fight, Dignitas is able to even out the kill count at 8 to 8. In another mid-lane fight, 15 seconds before Baron spawns, TSM is able to catch out Tomo and Pooome with Santorin then being killed. After securing Baron, TSM is finally about to secure their first dragon.

Despite TSM securing the third Baron, Dignitas is able to rush to Dragon and secure the Ocean Soul. While sieging with Baron, WildTurtle is caught out and Dignitas is able to push down Mid-lane. TSM attempts to end the game, but Dignitas is able to fight it off. But the damage has been done and TSM is able to pick off some of Dignitas’s members, take down the top inhibitor, and push down the final turret to win game four and tie the series 2 to 2.

Game 5

Game 5 TSM is able to secure the first Dragon at around 12 minutes. Tomo andPoome try to dive WildTurtle under his turret and he ends up securing a double kill. With that double kill TSM is able to start and take the lead. After a Baron fight gone wrong, TSM loses too many of its members and Dignitas is able to march down the mid-lane and take Game 5 and the series.

Interview with TSM Chime (Jonathan Pomponio)

How do you feel coming off the series loss now that TSM’s Summer playoff run is over?

TSM Chime – It’s heartbreaking and I am a little bit in shock. We all went in today expecting a 3 to 1 potential outcome. Maybe we disrespected them a little bit too much. I also think we just didn’t step up enough today. It ending this quickly for us is pretty tragic.

If there is a play-in bracket for Worlds, what would TSM need to do in order to be ready?

TSM Chime – I think we would need to refocus.

How were you able to clear your head in between games?

TSM Chime – I think in game 3 the draft was pretty hard. On top of that, I think we just didn’t do anything. You never lose a game based on the draft, but as a five-unit, we had smaller windows to punish them; I think across the series we did not use our timers effectively and I think that game kind of exasperated it. It was a bad game but I don’t think it affected us overall. We just said, we don’t want to play that draft again and moved forward.

What do you feel that you could have done better? What in the draft do you feel would have worked better?

TSM Chime – I think our draft was solid; it came down to gameplay. We had a good team fight comp and a good way to snowball down on the bot side; we did both. I think we got caught a couple of times and the team fought poorly after that. For me, it’s looking back at those team fights and how I played them and seeing if I could have done something more. Seeing if I could have done something to prevent or to bleed less when we were in a losing situation.

If the season is fully done, how will you spend your time in the off-season?

TSM Chime – I usually take a cold turkey break from League of Legends for a couple of weeks just to destress, and get my head out of League. I try to focus on getting healthy and eating healthy. I will then boot camp in Korea as well.

Are there any Korean or Asian players that inspire you?

TSM Chime – The LCK is a highly competitive region with a ton of competitive solo-queue players. The LCK is known for its highly skilled players but this year, the LPL is more of a standout. I like to watch Gen.G Lehends; I watch a lot of strong LCK supports to see what they are doing.

What originally got you into League of Legends?

TSM Chime – My friends in high school got me into League. My buddy on the soccer team introduced me to the game. I really loved it, and I had a group of friends that played with me. I love competing.

What are your favorite champions?

TSM Chime – I like playing Bard a lot but he hasn’t really found his way into the meta. I think Nami is fun and Lucian Nami was fun but she kind of fell out. Rakan and Sett obviously. There are a ton of champions that I like playing. I feel like I got to play some that I love but there are also the ones your team requires you to play.

Get to Know Chime.

What are your hobbies?

TSM Chime – I like camping and bouldering. I like watching movies a lot; I am a big movie buff (cinephile). Hanging out with my friends and my girlfriend.

Do you have any favorite animes or movies?

TSM Chime – I have a ton of favorite movies. I really like Hacksaw Ridge. As for anime, I really like Hunter X Hunter and Tokyo Revengers. I haven’t watched too much anime, but I really love movies.

With you saying you really love movies, what are your top 5 favorite movies?