Top 5 plays at VCT Masters Tokyo 2023 Group Stage

The group stage of VCT Masters Tokyo 2023 officially came to a close on June 14, 2023. EDward Gaming, NRG, DRX, and Evil Geniuses were the four teams to proceed to the Playoffs Stage, where Team Liquid, Paper Rex, LOUD, and Fnatic await them. These eight lineups will fight for the title and to secure their region an extra slot at Valorant Champions 2022.

The Group Stage featured extremely exciting games and a showcase of top-tier talent from various players. Memorable clutches and mind-blowing aces were some of the most prominent moments. This article will list the top five plays that wowed fans at VCT Masters Tokyo 2023's Group Stage.

Note: This article is subjective and reflects the writer's views.

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BuZz, ZmjjKK, SUYGETSU, and two other players had incredible moments at VCT Masters Tokyo 2023 Group Stage

5) BuZz pulls off an incredile 1v3

BuZz is one of the most experienced players in VCT (Image via Riot Games)

Yu "BuZz" Byeong-Chul has always been one of the standout players in the VCT circuit. He is renowned for his great aim and ability to single-handedly win games. He also has a flexible Agent pool, playing multiple roles such as Duelists and Sentinels.

BuZz has had a great tournament so far, and has put up solid numbers. One of his most memorable plays was the 1v3 clutch against Attacking Soul Esports. He played this scenario beautifully by isolating all three fights.

The play showcased his immense mechanical talent with the quick reaction to dodge the flash being the highlight moment of the play. DRX went on to win the map after this amazing clutch from their Sentinel player.

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4) CHICHOO almost completes an impossible clutch

CHICHOO has been a rock for EDward Gaming at Masters Tokyo (Image via Riot Games)

Wan "CHICHOO" Shunzhi has been a breakout star at Masters Tokyo so far. The Sentinel player for EDward Gaming has been a constant presence for the team and has had great impact during important moments. He currently holds the highest clutch percentage and the most amount of clutches won at the tournament.

One of his best plays was against T1 during EDward Gaming's bonus round. CHICHOO killed off T1's Omen player Joseph "ban" Seungmin Oh, before taking his Vandal that contained only six bullets. Despite this, he landed ridiculous shots and was able to kill the three remaining players of T1.

However, T1's IGL Son "xeta" Seon-ho barely got the defuse on the spike, denying an absolutely epic clutch. Nevertheless, the mechanical prowess put on display by CHICHOO warrants this play a spot on the list.

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3) Xeta's phenomenal ace gives T1 the lead

Xeta is one of the most experienced players in VCT (Image via Riot Games)

Xeta's comeback as the IGL for T1 in the 2023 VCT season has been a great success story so far. They were regarded as one of the worst after their bad showing at LOCK//IN. Since then, they have only surged upwards, largely thanks to xeta's leadership and enabling his star players to frag out.

T1 put up a good fight at Masters Tokyo, but were sadly eliminated in their rematch against EDward Gaming. Nevertheless, the team showcased a lot of promise and Xeta had a standout moment against NRG.

Xeta managed to hold his ground in his Viper's Pit despite Samuel "s0m" Oh using his Reckoning ultimate. The former's lightning-fast reaction time netted him three kills with the Phantom and Shorty, before finishing s0m off for a crucial ace as T1 secured the lead on Pearl.

Unfortunately, this was not enough to give the team a boost in momentum as they lost three rounds in a row and were defeated in the series with a 1-2 scoreline.

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2) SUYGETSU secures matchpoint for NAVI with a 4k

SUYGETSU has consistently been a great player internationally (Image via Riot Games)

Dmitriy "SUYGETSU" Ilyushin is often seen as one of the best VCT players in the world. He is known for his crisp aim and immaculate game sense on his signature Agents, Viper and Cypher. The former world champion currently plays as the Sentinel for Natus Vincere, who had a disappointing showing at Masters Tokyo.

The EMEA representatives were unable to win a series and were outclassed by NRG and EDward Gaming. SUYGETSU was one of the shining lights for NAVI throughout their short run, and put up some memorable plays.

SUYGETSU's movement and precise aim were on full display here. He was able to hold the site down with three huge kills, and shut down the attempted flank by Ardis "Ardiis" Svarenieks with one bullet remaining to close out the round in style. NAVI were able to close out the map and complete the comeback after this morale-boosting play.

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1) This is ZmjjKK's world and we are living in it

ZmjjKK might be next big thing in the VCT circuit (Image via Riot Games)

Zheng "ZmjjKK" Yongkang has been the star of the show at Masters Tokyo so far. His infectious personality and absurd gameplay have captured the hearts of many VCT fans.

His precision with the Operator, along with his widely aggressive playstyle, has been extremely crucial for EDward Gaming's success. They have become the first Chinese team to qualify for the Playoffs of a VCT tournament. ZmjjKK was the highest-rated player in the Group Stage, along with the highest ACS.

The superstar had plenty of memorable moments, but this 4k in overtime against Natus Vincere was exceptional. EDward Gaming were down by one round before this play and another round loss would have netted them a loss.

ZmjjKK stepped up to the occassion and delivered some nasty shots, including a jaw-dropping flick onto Andrey "Shao" Kiprsky, who was having a phenomenal map himself. The play showcased ZmjjKK's map awareness and precise aim on both the Operator and the Bladestorm ultimate. EDward Gaming went on to win the map and the series, eliminating NAVI from Masters Tokyo.

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VCT fans worldwide can gear up for the Playoffs Stage of Masters Tokyo as LOUD and Evil Geniuses will kick things off on June 16, 2023, at 8:30AM IST/5:00AM CEST/8:00PM PDT (June 15, 2023).