Believe it or not, there is much more to Valorant than just flashy Duelist plays and lineups. Lurking, comms, map awareness… if you're trying to climb the ladders and get a better rank, there is only so much a good double satchel flight can do for you. There are, however, some key elements of the game, tactically speaking, often ignored by players that, if learned, can show a tremendous impact on your win rate. Today, we'll talk about one of these; being more specific, the act of Anchoring.

What is Anchoring?

So, what exactly is anchoring? Making a comparison with the most famous sport on Earth, football, the Anchor can fit in the same shoes as the central defender of the team, the one who comes last to the attacking side of the field, but who got the team's trust to make things work if anything goes awry. This is exactly what an Anchor is in Valorant. In FPS terms, the Anchor is the last player to rotate to another site in case of the enemy team attacking the other side of the map; working as the last line of defense for the Defenders who bet on the other bombsite. It's also from this characteristic that the position got its name, because the player doing this role hardly ever makes quick rotations. Instead, they stay in their spot like an actual anchor.

Why Anchoring

Now, just from the explanation in the last paragraph, it's clear that the role of an Anchor is neither easy nor the most fun of roles, so why should one do it? Simply put, to win more matches.

Believe it or not, one of the things that can easily cost you rounds is over-rotating. There are, of course, times when you can, or need, to bet on where the enemy will appear; but overcommitting and leaving a site open is rarely a good idea - unless you know where the Spike is and there is no time remaining for a rotation by the enemy team or it's already being planted on the bombsite, of course.

One simple way to fix, or nullify, this problem is by having an Anchor.

With an Anchor, you can be sure that, at least, the information about a possible rotation will go to your team; this warning - even if it can look like something with low value - can give your team precious seconds for a rotation. Seconds that, in the end, may give you the round. It's also entirely possible for the Anchor player to deny entire pushes by themselves; the Anchor equivalent of the Duelist flashy play.

Anchoring and the responsibilities of an Anchor

Now, how does one Anchor?

In many ways, an Anchor may resemble a Lurker. While anchoring, you must inform your team of any possible rotations and have the discernment to ask for rotations from the other side of the map. Also, just like a Lurker, while playing solo, you'll need to make the most out of little to no utility.

One key element of Anchoring is that it's not your obligation to watch for flanks - the information you gather while on the other side of the map is already enough to alert your team about them. Your sole responsibility is to delay a site push for as long as you can, creating time for your team to rotate from one bombsite to the targeted one. Just so you can get an idea of the situation, it's normal to expect only one kill from the Anchor in almost all situations; any more than this can be classified as the Anchor doing a great job. While anchoring, however, it's necessary to know that, as the, normally, the last man on half of the map, you do carry some responsibilities.

As you read above, anchoring resembles lurking. This comes from the fact that not only will you be working on the other side of the map, but you'll also be working with low utility and information. This situation helps us understand why some classes excel in Anchoring - namely Sentinels, which carries an entire kit focused on denying access to certain areas and gaining information. In this role, you'll need to rely upon your instincts and 'timing' to make things work. Different from lurking, however, there are some cheap tricks, especially when thinking about movement and positioning as an Anchor, that can help you overcome some gaps in the lack of instinct and timing.

Credits to Riot Games

Now, before the cheap tricks, it's necessary to show you the sole responsibility carried by the Anchor: simply staying alive. As the last man standing in this sector of the map, dying represents giving away the whole region to the enemy team. So, as the Anchor, while it's sometimes worth it to advance, gain space, and even flank in some cases, you need to pay attention and preserve your life.

Essential Anchoring Positions

While anchoring matters, and can bring you victory, in any map, only some maps allow the player to shine and make those big and flashy Anchor plays. Maps where the meta developed to focus on playing for the retake rather than fight for the space around the bombsite are the number one enemy of a player looking for opportunities as an Anchor.

Knowing this, the first location will be for the first map released after the beta: Ascent.

In this slightly defender-sided map, knowing how to Anchor A - the most retakeable bombsite of the map - and, thus allowing your team to stack on the other side of the map, is a must. Here, the basic location you'll want to learn how to play is behind the green boxes in the middle of the bombsite and its outskirts. If played correctly, with only this you can easily become a great anchor.

The next location is located in Split, more specifically in its B bombsite. Here, together with the standard backsite hold, especially if the enemy is pushing from heaven, holding from Hell or behind New Box can let you work wonders in your task.

The last point in our list is located in the map where the fastest rotations happen: Bind. Here, the place you'll be looking for is while playing B, the Hexagon and near the teleport. In there, not only will you maintain your control over B Long, but you can also hear anything in Hookah. Playing from this position will get you great results, especially when playing post-plant comps, which normally sit in Long for some lineups.

Conclusion

While not the most action-packed position in the game, learning and playing the Anchor role will definitely help you climb the ladder. Just remember that just like when playing Lurker, good communication has pivotal importance in the effectiveness of your anchor.