Gaming
Red Bull Solo Q, the ultimate 1v1 League of Legends tournament is back. To help you prepare, we hear some tips from last year's champion.
The ultimate 1v1 League of Legends tournament is here and we couldn't be more excited to see a new wave of esports talent emerge.
Red Bull Solo Q allows amateur players from all over the world to showcase their skills in an international tournament to determine the best solo-laner in the world. Battle your way through the international qualifiers and you just might secure a spot in the World Finals.
As any experienced League player will know, duelling is a totally different ball game than regular team play and requires a vastly different skill set to succeed. If you're thinking of taking part, you'll need plenty of practice and some solid tactics that won't let you down. To help you prepare for the tournament, we caught up with Mads 'Viggomopsen' Mikkelsen, winner of last year's tournament, to get some tips on how to go head-to-head with the best.
One of the big reasons why I won was that I was much more prepared
Arguably the most important moment of any League game, whether team-based or solo, is the drafting stage. Which champion you pick can often decide the outcome of the match before a single spell has been cast, so think long and hard about which champion will carry your flag in any given match. It's also worthwhile having some backup options if you think your opponent will prey on the weaknesses of your go-to pick.
"I think my biggest tip would be just to take the time to prepare, and really think about your picks and what other people are going to pick," says Viggomopsen. "I think it's the biggest heads up I can give anyone, and one of the big reasons why I won was that I was much more prepared and much more ready with different picks in different situations than many of the other players."
When it comes to his personal preferences, the recent champ touts the virtues of the tanky fighter, Malphite, who helped him achieve that winning result in 2021.
"I think it's got to be Malphite – I said it the entire last year too," he says. "And most people didn't believe me until I picked them twice in the semi-finals. But I think Malphite has a weird tech of just completely countering some champions. You know, it's a flip, you just win in champ select, which is a bit weird, but it can really tilt your opponent."
It's easy to assume that a great player in regular 5v5 matches will also be unstoppable in 1v1 duels. But as Viggomopsen explains, this isn't always the case.
I think if you're a better player, you should play the control types
"1v1 is much more volatile," he says. "So a lot of the strategy for me was when I knew I was just significantly better than my opponent, my job was, with champion picks – bans and draft – minimise variation. Because the better player doesn't always win in 1v1. There are so many variants in runes and champion picks. If you take armour and magic resistance, It means a lot. It really feels like gambling sometimes, but it's informed gambling, if that makes sense. It's like playing a game of high stakes poker.
"The biggest categories of 1v1 champions are the more controlling champions," adds the player. "I think if you're a better player, you should play the control types. I didn't play the control types when I played the Danish championship last year. But I also think I got quite lucky with my flips. I think if you know you have a better player, you've got the ability to play them mechanically and outsmart them. You should go with the Caitlins or the Syndras. The safe range of picks that can farm better."
I think one of the most important things is to put away your ego
Naturally, any player that performs well in competitions like Solo Q has huge potential to be a powerful carry player in a team of five. When we asked Viggomopsen what attributes make for a great 'solo-laner', he had this to say:
"I think one of the most important things is to put away your ego. The ability to pick champs that are best in your current situation as a team, instead of picking for lane, is really important. And I also think your ability to give up the pressure, when it's needed, is really one of the most important things to do as a top-laner.
"I think it comes naturally to everybody to push a lead and play aggressively – at least it does to most good players. So what really separates the great from the best-ever is that ability to dial it down, and really think more about what you're doing."
In summary, Viggomopsen recommends having a total reset before attempting to compete in a 1v1.
My biggest advice would probably be to forget everything you know about laning
"My biggest advice would probably be to forget everything you know about laning. You need to reset. You know the game, you have some knowledge – try to use that to form a new foundation of what's good and what's not. Because it's not going to feel the same. It's not going to be the same. Because if your opponent picks Vayne and you're a tank, you're going to gank her and she can't do anything. So you need to have a plan for everything."
If you think you've got what it takes to go toe-to-toe with players like Viggomopsen, sign up today to compete in Red Bull Solo Q 2022. Find all the information you need here.
