HLE, Karmine Corp advance to grand final in First Stand playoffs

Field Level MediaField Level Media|published: Sat 15th March, 12:23 2025
Syndication: Arizona RepublicA backlit keyboard is part of the gear online video game streamer Jordan Woodruff uses in his Gilbert home. Jordan Woodruff

Hanwha Life Esports answered their unbeaten run through the round-robin stage with a resounding 3-0 win over Top Esports on Saturday in the semifinals of the knockout stage at the 2025 First Stand Tournament in Seoul, South Korea.

Hanwha Life Esports recorded 29-minute victories on both blue and red before winning Game 3 to advance to Sunday's grand final.

They will face Karmine Corp, which posted a 3-2 victory over CTBC Flying Oyster in the other semifinal match.

Karmine Corp raced out to a fast start by seizing 35- and 28-minute wins on red before CTBC Flying Oyster responded with a 32-minute victory on red and 30-minute triumph on blue. Karmine Corp halted that momentum by winning Game 5 to advance to the grand final.

Four teams advanced to the best-of-five knockout stage of Riot Games' $1 million League of Legends event, where the winner of Sunday's grand final will pocket $300,000.

Final round-robin standings (with overall record and map record):

1. Hanwha Life Esports, 4-0, 8-2


2. CTBC Flying Oyster, 3-1, 6-2

3. Karmine Corp, 1-3, 4-6

4. Top Esports, 1-3, 2-6

5. Team Liquid, 1-3, 3-7

2025 First Stand prize pool:

1. TBD, $300,000

2. TBD, $225,000

3-4. CTBC Flying Oyster, Top Esports, $172,500

5. Team Liquid, $130,000


--Field Level Media

ad banner
home hle-karmine-corp-advance-to-grand-final-in-first-stand-playoffs