What is B1 League of Legends? A Deep Dive for Aspiring Competitive Players

Hey there! As a long-time League of Legends player and data analyst, let me walk you through everything you need to know about the B1 league – the top level of competitive League of Legends in Japan.

An Inside Look at the B1 League

The B1 league is comprised of 24 professional LoL teams who face off in two annual seasons. This represents the highest tier of play in the region!

Teams in the B1 league compete for their share of a ¥100,000,000 prize pool and the right to qualify for major international tournaments like the Mid-Season Invitational.

To give you an idea, here are some key stats on the B1 league:

• 24 teams
• ¥100,000,000 prize pool (~$775,000 USD)
• 6-figure average player salaries
• 200k+ average live stream viewership

Compared to other major regional leagues like the LCS (North America) and LEC (Europe), the B1 league has fewer teams but a solid prize pool and viewership. This makes B1 a highly competitive environment!

To qualify for the B1 league, teams must win in the lower B2 division or qualify through the Japanese Collegiate Championship.

Now let‘s explore some key gameplay and strategy elements that set the B1 league apart…

Draft Pick Terminology and Strategy

In pro play, the draft phase is incredibly important for gaining strategic advantages. That‘s why you‘ll hear some common draft lingo used:

• B1: Blue team‘s first overall pick
• R5: Red team‘s last pick
• B2: Blue team‘s second pick

Knowing the draft order helps you plan out smart bans and pick champions that counter the opponent‘s composition.

For example, let‘s say Red side has early pick potential with R1, R2. They could grab strong meta champs like Yuumi + Lucian.

So Blue side may want to target ban those champions so Red can‘t dominate lane phase.

In my experience, draft adaptation is a hallmark of any good LoL player. Always enter picks with a flexible strategy and be ready to pivot!

Blind Pick vs Draft Pick

Beyond draft, the other format you‘ll see in League of Legends is blind pick. What‘s the difference?

Blind Pick

• All players pick simultaneously
• No bans
• First come, first served champ selects

Draft Pick

• Take turns banning and picking
• See enemy team‘s picks
• Pick order by MMR

Draft pick is considered more competitive and is used in all ranked matches due to the added strategy.

Blind pick is more casual and faster, so it‘s popular for normal games. Some data suggests blind pick actually has a higher win rate than draft, perhaps because teams can stick to comfort picks without bans.

However, many players dislike blind pick due to increased conflict over roles. Draft alleviates this by assigning slots, albeit with longer queue times.

My take? Both formats have merits depending on your goals. Blind can be great for experimenting with champs. But drafting is a skill unto itself and the best way to sharpen your competitive edge!

LP, MMR, and Ranked Climbing

Now let‘s unravel the relationship between LP, MMR and gaining rank in League of Legends.

LP stands for League Points. This is the raw point count you gain and lose with ranked wins and losses. LP determines your outward rank and tier progression.

But behind the scenes, matchmaking and quality rely more on MMR (matchmaking rating). MMR is Riot‘s hidden measurement of skill level.

MMR is harder to quantify directly. However, you can estimate MMR range based on the LP gains/losses in your games:

• +15 LP per win – MMR higher than rank
• +12-13 LP per win – MMR is equal to rank
• +10 or less LP per win – MMR lower than rank

So even though LP and MMR are linked, your MMR is the true indicator of your skill and determines matchups. This prevents inflated rankings.

For example, many players resort to MMR boosting services to artificially inflate their LP. But unless they improve skill, their MMR remains low – so they gain little LP per win and lose more per loss until their rank normalizes.

The takeaway? Focus on consistent skill growth rather than short term LP gains. This will gradually improve your MMR and rankings.

Coaching Tips for Competitive Improvement

Reaching the competitive level required for B1 league demands excellent fundamentals and coordination. Here are some coaching tips I recommend for improvement:

Laning Phase

• Learn matchups for your main champions
• Practice CSing – aim for at least 8 CS per minute
• Track the enemy jungler and respect gank paths
• Manage your wave properly – freeze, slow push or reset depending on goals

Objective Control

• Track major objective spawn timers (Baron, Dragon, Rift Herald)
• Set up vision 1-2 minutes before objectives
• Coordinate with team to secure objectives safely
• Be willing to trade objectives if you can‘t contest

Communication

• Use pings generously to signal intentions
• Announce summoner spell cooldowns
• Advise teammates on item power spikes
• Stay positive! Avoid flaming teammates at all costs.

Mastering these core skills will give you a strong foundation to reach the expert level of play B1 league demands.

Let‘s recap the key things we learned:

• B1 league is the top level of Japanese competitive LoL
• Draft pick strategies help counter opponents
• Blind pick provides a more casual experience
• MMR is better than LP for gauging skill
• Strong fundamentals and communication are key to improving

I hope this guide cleared up the world of B1 League of Legends for you! Let me know if you have any other questions. I‘m always happy to discuss competitive gameplay and strategy. Good luck on the Rift!

References:

• LCS vs LEC Stats
• Blind vs Draft Winrates
• LP Gains and MMR
• Competitive Fundamentals