After hours of strategizing and hundreds of games, Junior Tony Lim, a gaming beast, achieved a coveted title in the League of Legends world: Challenger.
Lim began playing at the start of his sophomore year and continued, using it as a way to pass time while interacting with friends.
Although he did not enjoy it in the beginning, he eventually began to enjoy the game with his friends’ encouragement. Lim’s friends still continually ask him to play, ensuring he gets the necessary practice he needs in order to improve. Lim also enjoys watching “League” livestreams online when he is not playing.
“I haven’t been actively pursuing Challenger but instead been striving to become a better player overall,” Lim said. “I felt really happy, but shocked because I could not believe that I actually got to Challenger. I didn’t believe that I was good enough; I still don’t, to be honest.”
From Monday to Thursday, Lim plays around an hour a day. However, on weekends, his playing time can go up to six hours. Practice allows him to make better decisions when reacting to other players.
“I only play one or two games after I finish my homework on the weekdays, but on the weekends I go nuts,“ Lim said. “I’d rather play a game of ‘League’ than get an extra hour of sleep, even though I have zero period.”
His favorite “League” champions are definitely Lee Sin, Vayne, Katarina and Xerath. In addition, he typically chooses to play in the middle lane or act as the jungler. He prefers to play these roles because he is given the opportunity to help other players who are struggling during the game.
“I like to play solo because I like to rely on myself,” Lim said. “The most difficult thing about playing ‘League’ is definitely other players online. Sometimes they are extremely friendly—don’t get me wrong—but sometimes they won’t cooperate or they’ll just disconnect.”
A few weeks ago, Lim attended a professional tournament with his older brothers, where he watched teams such as Cloud 9, Team SoloMid and Curse compete. Lim enjoys the hyped atmosphere with fans screaming team names. He also saw professionals such as Scarra and Saintvicious.
As Challenger, Lim is now the top rank in “League,” allowing him to play with the professionals. In fact, when he met Scarra at the competition, Scarra remembered playing a game with Lim. In the future, Lim looks to continue to improve his skills.
“When I’m in a game with a pro, I always try to concentrate harder,” Lim said. “I really don’t want to play bad in front of them.”
TCHS School Newspaper