Top-seeded T1 was eliminated from the League of Legends Mid-Season Cup on Thursday.
T1 won the day's opening match in Group A play against FunPlus Phoenix but dropped subsequent contests to DAMWON Gaming and Top Esports, leaving them at 1-2 and out of the competition.
The Mid-Season Cup is part of the 2020 Mid-Season Streamathon. That event is replacing the 2020 Mid-Season Invitational, which was canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic. It features the top four finishers from both China's League of Legends Pro League (LPL) and League of Legends Champions Korea (LCK).
T1 won the LCK spring playoffs and entered the Mid-Season Cup as the top seed from that region. DAMWON came in as the fourth seed from the LCK, while Top Esports were the second-place finishers in LPL.
Competition in the group stage is best of one, with the top two from each group moving on to the knockout stage. Matches in the single-elimination knockout round -- which begins Friday -- will be best of five.
Moving on to the knockout stage after Thursday's play are Top Esports, who also defeated DAMWON. FunPlus Phoenix, the third-place finisher in the LPL, defeated DAMWON and Top Esports to also advance.
Friday's round-robin competition from Group B will determine the other two teams to move on to the knockout stage.
Group B consists of JD Gaming (No. 1 seed, LPL), Gen.G (No. 2, LCK), DragonX (No. 3, LCK) and Invictus Gaming (No. 4, LPL).
The first semifinal will be played Friday, with the second on Saturday, with the finals on Sunday. The winner takes home $240,000, with the runner up earning $120,000. The other participants in the knockout stage will win $60,000 each.
The LCK teams are competing from LoL Park in Seoul, with LPL teams at Shanghai LPL Arena.
Group A Mid-Season Cup final standings:
1. FunPlus Phoenix, 2-1
2. Top Esports, 2-1
3. DAMWON Gaming, 1-2
4. T1, 1-2