VK Gaming Wins ALGS Midseason Playoffs
The three prodigious players who won the tournament were Cai "Kasssa" Denglang, Chen "QQ" Yin-hong, and Wang "LqDuD" Yipeng. They were former players of MDY, a group of org-less Chinese teams prevalent throughout the APAC South region. They are known for their risky and aggressive play style, prioritizing kill points over placements to get the early lead in the set of matches.
Because of ALGS' Match Point Format, it takes a very consistent team to win tournaments, making it difficult for longshot teams to grab the trophy. Each team initially accrues points from kills and placements until they reach the Match Point threshold. All teams that crossed the Match Point score must win the current game; otherwise, the next match will continue.
The first team to enter Match Point in the Playoffs was ROC Esports in Match 4, followed by Ninjas in Pajamas and VK Gaming in Match 5. After this point, VK struggled to win the game for three consecutive games, and five additional teams entered Match Point: Gen.G Esports, Team Falcons, 100 Thieves, Wolves Esports, and Team Nemesis. Notably, Ninjas in Pajamas were incredibly close to winning the tournament in Match 5.
Match 9 was crucial for VK Gaming as they took the ideal high ground in the final circle of E-District. LqDuD's Rampart pick proved too formidable for their position as they laid suppressive fire on every team within their line of sight. They eventually won the game, the trophy, and the impressive first-place prize.
The next S-Tier ALGS tournament is still far on the horizon and will be taking place in late January 2026 in Sapporo. Teams will have ample time to reconsider their roster shuffles or practice up for the upcoming ALGS Pro Splits starting in early August of this year.
Follow GameDaily for more Apex Legends news and other video game tournaments you might be interested in.
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San Francisco Chronicle
2 hours ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Valkyries' Kaitlyn Chen has made the most of her second WNBA chance
Kaitlyn Chen threw her hands in the air, one forming a celebratory fist pump as she looked up at the Chase Center Jumbotron. The lights dimmed, and the Golden State Valkyries pregame video played. But this time, there was a difference: a quick clip of Chen, a sign she was no longer just a fill-in, but rather a part of the team. Chen had played the last nine games with the Valkyries after re-signing in June, but most assumed her stint was temporary, just a fill-in for players away at EuroBasket. But the Valkyries cut Julie Vanloo. They waived Steph Talbot. And then Chen showed up in the hype video. Against the odds, the 2025 third-round pick is seemingly here to stay. 'She deserves every minute she has just from her hard work,' Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase said. 'Our team and our coaching staff, they just embrace who she is, and we just allow her to have fun. I can get on her about something like a few turnovers, and she is so coachable and will get better.' 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'I'm learning how to best do my role in helping our team succeed. They tell us here in practice that they want us to shoot with confidence. That makes me confident.' On a team loaded with guards earlier this season, Chen beat out Vanloo to keep her place on the bench while the Belgian was away for EuroBasket. When the Valkyries needed to make room for center Iliana Rupert, they cut Talbot — a seven-year WNBA forward — instead of Chen or forward Amihere, who joined the team midseason after being cut at the end of preseason. The 5-foot-9 Chen said the physicality of the WNBA has caught her by surprise, but she's been encouraged to drive to the rim anyway. She has taken 72.7% of her shots inside the arc and is 4-for-5 within five feet of the rim. 'It's been an adjustment,' Chen told the Chronicle in Atlanta. 'My teammates have helped me through it, and that's instilled confidence in me.' To fit into the Valkyries' style, Chen knew she had to become a more vigorous defender. 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Chen wasn't sure she'd get a shot in the WNBA, but attended the draft anyway to support UConn teammates Bueckers — who went No. 1 to Dallas — and Aubrey Griffin, who went to Minnesota with the 37th pick. The Valkyries selected Chen 30th overall. 'She's awesome,' said Valkyries guard Kate Martin, who was taken in the second round a year ago but was at the draft to support Iowa teammate Clark, 2024's top pick. 'She's a great basketball player. She has a great IQ and brings a spark off the bench. She plays her role, and that's super important when you're coming off the bench.' After Chen was initially cut by Golden State, she signed a professional contract with the 3XBA, a 3-on-3 basketball association, and continued to work on her jump shot while spending time in the weight room. She expected to receive a call from the Valkyries in June. She did, but didn't know how long the second opportunity would last. She kept 3XBA in the back of her mind for a while, but now that's a distant memory.

4 hours ago
Open water program at swimming world championships gets started after two delays
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CNN
5 hours ago
- CNN
Competitive gaming is reaching new heights
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In Saudi Arabia, where gaming has evolved beyond a hobby into a thriving industry, the gaming and esports market is projected to generate $13.3bn by 2030. The Kingdom has already invested over $38bn into the sector, and now aims to create 39,000 local jobs in areas like game development and event management. With over 500m online viewers and 2.6m visitors to Riyadh's Boulevard City in 2024, the inaugural competition was just the beginning. As the EWC scales new heights this year, Saudi Arabia is rapidly positioning itself as a global esports powerhouse, poised to shape the future of gaming for generations to come. Find out more about the Esports World Cup here.