Let me throw a couple of simple sentences at you - I'd like for you to take a moment to think about them and their implications.

1. Play to win.

2. Play to not lose.

These two statements seem like they have the same meaning right? If you're playing to win, you obviously want to win. If you're playing to not lose, you want to....avoid losing? Does that still mean you want to win? Wait...

See what I mean?

Listen up...

There's a subtle, but extremely important distinction here - and it's a theme that's common in almost every competitive gaming medium (sports, pc games, card games, etc. - I'd like to thank Marshall Sutcliffe/Brian Wong for introducing me to this principle!). If you're playing to win, you are attempting to maximize your chances of coming out on top in a given match; if you are playing to not lose, your playstyle is much more passive. You make decisions that will allow you to survive a little longer and perform a bit better in the short term, but slowly cut off your likelihood of winning in the long term.

Think of a soccer team that only passes around in their backfield in order to keep possession and not give up a goal - this is the very definition of playing to not lose! Eventually, because the other team is attacking and keeping up their offense, the the first team will slip up and let in a goal - it's really only a matter of time.

You could probably fill many, many articles on the art of playing to win vs. playing to not lose - going into strategy in-game, team communication, risk assessment, etc. For now, I'm going to touch on those topics, but I'd like to focus on the psychology behind this approach to League of Legends - and how it can help you achieve better results.

Get in their head!

This entire concept can really be summed up in two words - BE PROACTIVE. Don't wait for your opponents to come to you - take the initiative and make plays. Being proactive does come with its inherent risks - you might mess up the execution, get outplayed, or leave yourself open to a counter-push. But there's a significant degree of advantage you gain by being aggressive and forcing engagements - you establish a level of psychological dominance. On a team level, you'll have your opponents afraid, playing reactively, and wary of your next move.

Individually, have you ever played against an opponent who was just ridiculously aggro in lane? Always forcing trades, playing really far up and zoning, using summoner spells early and aggresively? Did you ever feel a sense of "omg, holy crap he's aggro, I need to play futher back." Well, I have - and when you start to feel in your mind that he's pressuring you, that he has dominance in the lane, you fall behind in the mental game - you can lose your confidence. Even if, objectively speaking, you can actually 1v1 duel him in lane, because your opponent's established psychological dominance you won't be willing to see that opportunity, as you've fallen in the pattern of playing to not lose. At all times, you've got to keep your mental fortitude and play to win. You can do the same thing - get in your opponent's head.

The Mental Matchups

There are 3 combinations of opposing mental directives in lane:

Both players are playing to not lose: This becomes a farm lane. Even if the matchup is Renekton vs. Fiora, if both players are playing to not lose, there will be very little lane harassment, no jockeying for dominance in the lane, and each player will just last hit safely. If there is an all-in, its probably completely reactionary. The junglers' presence will typically decide the lane conclusively.

One player is playing to win, the other to not lose: This is the situation I described in the above, where your opponent has gotten into your head and forced you into a "I don't want to lose" mindset; or perhaps you've been in it since the start of the match (don't do this!). In this case, the winner is usually pretty clear - i.e., the player who looks to gain advantages whereever he or she can will eventually obtain them. It may not be as flashy as an outright lvl 2 all-in, it might be slow and grindy, but the player who's playing to win will take the lead over one who's simply trying to not lose. As a side note, what this often results in for the player trying to not lose is indeed a defeat, but with decent postgame stats.

Ask yourself: Do I want want to make an honest attempt to win, try to make an impact across the map and in the game as much as I can, and go out guns blazing? Or do I want to continue to play conservatively, not die very much, and have great end-game stats and cs - but lose decisively because of a lack of impact on the game? Do I want to risk it all and put everything on the line to actually have a chance to win - or fall further behind, just at a slower pace? The answer, to me, is clear. Take calculated risks in order to get ahead - if you lose with no deaths, it's still a loss!

Both players are playing to win: This is how the game is meant to be played. This is the pinnacle of the League experience, and its something that'll really get your adrenaline going. Some typical signs of this kind of lane: hefty harass trades, chugging health pots like they're the last ones in the shop sells, early and often use of summoners, early deaths and kills, frequent kill trades, etc. Often, when somone gains the advantage in the lane due to an outplay, the advantage will stick around and it won't be easy for the other player to equalize. But you better believe if the player who's ahead gets even slightly complacent, his or her opponent will capitalize.

But, it's all about balance. Know when to do what.

Now, while you should definitely be playing to win, you also must know how and when to play to not lose - you can't be recklessly aggressive at all times (you might get some #YOLO moments, but you're probably going to drop some games if you go too ham)! Apply the play to win mindset while thinking about the game intelligently - if your opponent hits level 2 first, you should probably pull back from your aggressive position and play safely until you're also level 2. Sometimes, you don't want to force teamfights, you have to bait them to engage on you or play the splitpush game. Be smart! Play passive, grab cs safely when you need to - know when you have to bide your time until the next opportunity to be aggressive (as a side note, this means knowing your champion inside and out).

And this is one of the true markers of a great player, listen up: even in situations where he or she is at a disadvantage (in a losing lane matchup, behind in xp/items, etc.), while playing to not lose at the moment, a great player will still be playing to win by looking for opportunities to regain an advantage, or better yet, even set up or orchestrate them. A great player will always be seeking small windows of opportunity to harass, and gain an upper hand in the game - even in the infamous Katarina/Chogath matchup (RIP). The same applies on the team level as well. This is the fundamental basis of the art of playing to win - even when in a losing position, you're keeping your mind open, not getting comfortable with your current status, and always looking to regain or achieve a lead. Playing passively is absolutely fine, there's nothing wrong with doing so - as long as you're doing it for the right reasons (maybe needing to stall until midgame, waiting for the jungler to gank, etc.). The intentions behind your decision to play safe make all the difference.

To wrap up...

Do some introspection within yourself, watch replays of your own games, anything. Question yourself and your mindset - am I playing to win, or am playing to not lose? Do I want to take a risk and have a shot at winning (sometimes contesting a bad baron is actually the right call if you're really behind!), or watch the match gradually slip away? The best players will know when to pull back and when to be passive - but always have that eye for forcing advantages wherever they can. Remember - if you're ahead, look to get more ahead.

That's all for today, I hope you enjoyed the article. If you'd like to discuss anything League or have comments/feedback, or just want to say hi, feel free to follow/tweet me @k0nduit (with a zero instead of an 'o') and I'll get back to you.

Until next time.

konduit