Master Yi vs Tahm Kench — Top Lane Matchup Guide

How to win lane as Master Yi against Tahm Kench · 43.87% win rate over 212 Emerald+ games · Updated 2026-07-27

Verdict: Tahm Kench is favoured — Tahm Kench owns 3 of the 7 game windows to Master Yi's 2. Play it patient and win your windows. Master Yi wins 43.87% of games vs Tahm Kench in top lane (212 Emerald+ games analysed).

Favour timeline — who owns each window

StageFavouredWhy
Level 1Tahm KenchTahm's Q slow-stun and gray-health passive crush your level 1 trades.
Level 2Tahm KenchAt level 2 his three-stack Q poke keeps chipping you safely.
Level 3Tahm KenchLevel 3 his stun and tank sustain still out-pressure your kit.
Levels 4-5Even / skillLevels 4-5 evens as your DPS ramps and you space his Q.
Level 6Master YiAt 6 your attack-speed spike lets you out-DPS his tank sustain.
First itemEven / skillFirst item is skill-decided as your shred races his gray-health tank.
Two+ itemsMaster YiAt 2+ items your shred and resets out-duel him in a solo fight.

Early game (levels 1–5)

Tahm Kench controls levels 1-3: Tongue Lash (Q) slows you and stuns at three passive stacks, and his gray-health passive shrugs off your early autos so trades don't stick. Farm at range, dodge the Q, and never chase into stun territory.

Read the rest of this matchup

The full Master Yi vs Tahm Kench report continues with the mid-game plan, the late-game and teamfight plan, every power spike to play around, and the win conditions for both sides — plus cooldown tracking and the live enemy-jungle tracker inside the app.

Become a Founding Member — $1.99/month →

🔒 Secure checkout · 💰 7-day money-back guarantee · ✋ Cancel anytime
Early Access price — $3.99/month for new members after launch.

Related guides

Playing the other side? Tahm Kench vs Master Yi guide →
All Master Yi top lane matchups →