Tips from a Pro to Improve Your Game

I've been gaming professionally with great success for about five years now. There are a few things I've learned that can be applied to any game, and I'm here to share them with those who have a desire to grow and improve. They might be much easier than you think, so if you're interested, read on.

• Be respectful. It sounds like a cliche, but it's true. When you disrespect in a state of calm, he'll often find the fire to outdo you. If you do it in a state of anger, one of two things tends to happen: Either he'll know you're frustrated and will play with even more control, gaining a further advantage, or he'll say something back and the two of you will start a shouting match that makes you both play terribly. It's best to respect your opponent as an equal.

• Think. Never allow a meta to tell you what doesn't work. Look at the numbers, look at the theoretical elements of a build, and decide for yourself whether or not it might work. Try it. If it doesn't work after four or five attempts, change course. If it does, keep doing it. If your team tells you it doesn't work and you already know it does, ignore them and do what works for you.

• Read. Look ahead of what's happening to possibilities. If you chase them under turret, sure. You could get away. But is their jungler up? He might be getting gromp right now, making your escape route a death trap. If you stick around to backdoor too long, how confident are you that you can get their turret before you go down? If not extremely, back off for now. Look not only at what is, but what could be, and make the best decisions for the long term. It's a marathon, not a sprint. If you drove them back to base, you're getting free farming time they don't have. If you get their inhibitor low, they have something at home to worry about and will be less likely to push back for now. Take the small victories.

• Adapt. Don't do something because it's that's simply how it's done. Do what the situation demands. If you're playing ADC and you're too zoned to farm properly, get a Relic Shield or an Ancient Coin and play passive. If you're playing Nasus top and Volibear won't let you farm your Q, switch to AP. If your team has no tanks and you're playing someone like Nidalee, consider a tank build that allows you to initiate fights with Pounce and stick to the enemy's carry. This is even more important on the large scale. If you're not winning teamfights, split up and push everywhere. Make them chase you around the map until you catch up in farm or level.

• Don't do what fails. An extension of adapting, if something isn't working... Stop doing it. It doesn't matter if it's worked in the past. It's not working now, so do something else. As Diana, maybe your Q -> R combo usually melts carries, but they're sustaining too well with their life steal in this game. Build an Executioner's Calling. Build some armor. ADC, is your mirror outdamaging you? Try a Thornmail to turn the tide of your duels. If you're building like you normally do and your mechanics are sound but it's not showing success, continuing down that path won't suddenly start yielding results.

• Think laterally. Games aren't just your KDA. You can easily go 0/12 and help your team plenty. Use positioning and misdirection to draw the enemy away from places you don't want them to be. If your damage isn't what you'd hoped it would be, dive on their carry and run around during fights, drawing the enemy's fire while your team picks them off. If you're ahead, don't chase every enemy icon on your minimap. Use your advantage to push lanes and get objectives. Try to see more than just what's in front of you.

• Accept defeat, but don't ask for it. Never ask your opponent to end the game. if you want it to end, break their nexus. If you're losing, keep at it. Consider it a challenge to come back from the edge of defeat, and think about how amazing the victory will feel when you pull it off. If you lose, that's fine. There will always be other games. There are always chances to make it right. Go back and learn from your loss. Losses teach the greatest lessons. Every time you lose, it's a chance to come back smarter and wiser.

• Have fun! This is the most important part. No matter what level of competition you're dealing with, there's no point if you're not having fun. My most heated showdowns with my most bitter rivals have all come down to fun, and at the end of the game, we can grin and shake hands and congratulate one another for a great game. Win or lose, you played a game you enjoy. No gamer, athlete or competitive hobbyist ever started down their road without a pure, sincere love for playing the game. If you climb all the way to the top and you're no longer enjoying it, there's no meaning. Never forget why you started playing in the first place. Relax, and do what you love doing.

Whether you're an aspiring pro, a current pro with too much time on his hands, or someone who just wants to have fun playing to win, I hope these tips help you out. Good luck out there, and make sure you enjoy yourselves!