100 Thieves’ Abbedagge spoke to us about the team’s performance, their victory over Cloud9 and his time in North America.
100Thieves has had a spectacular few weeks, winning seven of their last eight games in the LCS Spring Split 2022. The defending champions have their task cut out for them as they will face Cloud9 in the playoffs, a team they have already defeated once in the group stage. Esports.gg's Devin "PiraTechnics" Younge spoke to 100T Abbedagge, a crucial piece of the 100Thieves puzzle after their victory over Cloud9.
Piratechnics: Let me just start by saying that you in particular have had an absolutely insane couple of weeks. And the team has clearly leveled up. What is going on, what was this turnaround or what was this level up in form. Where did it come from?
Felix "Abbedagge" Braun: I think we took it a bit too loose and now everyone is tryharding. Everyone's really giving 110% to 'these performances'.
Q: Week over week has anything changed in what you guys have done specifically in prep or is it all just a mental shift.
100T Abbedagge: I think it's a mental shift. Everybody just wants to win again.
Q: As the defending champions, you do have that chip on your shoulder. But for you in particular, I look at your performance today on Twisted Fate and yesterday on Ahri and you're just crushing it in the mid-lane. It feels like there's always a point in the year where Abbedage pops off. We're looking at last year in 2021, we're looking at the 2020 run-back as part of Schalke. Do you feel this is your best performance or do you still have a higher peak to go?
100T Abbedagge: I still feel like that, if there was a mountain and the peak was at 100% then I'm still on the climb. I feel like I'm at 70% and in the past, usually I'm always stronger around playoffs and Summer particularly. I've been looking to change up the strength and be stronger more regularly and be more consistent.
Q: So not just the pop-off games that we're getting all the time. Either ways if you're 70% right now, I'm terrified to see what 100% looks like. Speaking of climbing, Camp Summit was certainly the strategy for this game and it worked out well for you guys. It feels like other teams have not been able to do this against the likes of Cloud9. What worked for you all that other teams didn't find an answer with.
100T Abbedagge: I guess we just had a solid strategy and we don't get out-classed in laning. I think that has been a problem in other teams' games vs Cloud9. We just had a solid plan also to attack Summit which seems to work really well to defeat C9. Summit usually is their win-condition. So it just made a lot of sense to us.
Q: In addition, you got your hands on the Twisted fate which is a Champion that teams have banned against you. Do you want to talk a little bit about what this Champion does, not only for you but also for your team. Tell me a bit about the avenues that he opens up.
100T Abbedagge: I think it works pretty well for our team because everyone likes to play aggressive. We help each other see good TF angles and we've to hold and catching out people in sidelanes and just making plays like that.
Everyone kinda has that aggressive mindset which you have to play aggressive with Twisted Fates. We just seem to have found a good pick for us.
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Q: Certainly the case and it seems like you can play a number of Champions that give you an aggressive option. For 100Thieves with this win, you now have an opportunity to get a top two seed, maybe even the No. 1 seed going into the playoffs. How important is it for you to secure that third or fourth seed since you still have to play that opening round.
100T Abbedagge: It is very important to us. But we're just going to keep focusing on the goal, which is to get another title. Even if we get another season another season as 3rd-4th it's just a small hurdle in our way. We're going to take it as it is.
Q: Obviously, the title is the goal, to reclaim that from Summer. Are you also in particular vying to earn it so you can that international exposure at MSI once more?
100T Abbedagge: Yes, for sure. Last year Corejj told me that the international competition is very exciting and this was so much hype to be able to play that. I want to relive that experience.
Q: Also hype coming back to the playoffs. There's going to be fans coming into the studio for the first time in a couple of years. Ofcourse, you've been in NA throughout the time that people have been playing online or we've had empty stands. How excited are you to see and hear the fans cheering for 100Thieves this time?
100T Abbedagge: I'm very excited. I think it's just going to be such a different feeling to how it has been the last year. I'm just looking forward to seeing the fans. The thing is I had fans in the LEC before and I've kinda seen the atmosphere and how they cheer for the teams, but I haven't been able to experience it in the LCS yet. So I'm really excited to play for the fans and show them a good performance.
Q: You've had a couple of years, coming up to two years now, here in North America. What is the biggest difference in team environment or skill level that you have noticed compared to your time in the LEC?
100T Abbedagge: That's a good question cause I actually don't feel that much of a difference. Personally, you live in a different country and I think I've just been lucky to have been playing in orgs that really support the players and stand behind them. They do everything that is possible to provide the best conditions for them. So I think that went really well for me in both regions. I've had a good time.
When it comes to play, I feel like both regions have their strengths and weaknesses. It just feels like the LEC has more strong teams than the LCS, but when it comes to the top teams, it's pretty similar I'd say. There's two or three strong teams and they are pretty comparable between the LCS and LEC to me. The weaker teams in the LCS might be worse than the weaker teams in the LEC, that's how I view it.
Q: I think that's a pretty good assessment. You talked about how you've been very fortunate to have a lot of support in the orgs you've played and in particular now, second year in a 100T jersey. Do you want to shout out anybody in the organization, your fellow players who have particularly helped you out throughout the last year.
100T Abbedagge: I just want to shout out to my teammates and the staff for helping me through the transition and helping me to feel comfortable here.
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