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Red Bull Solo Q winners tell us how to survive in qualifiers
Want to book your place at the Red Bull Solo Q World Finals in Germany later this year? Here’s how to withstand the pressure of the qualifiers, from those who know best.
Red Bull Solo Q is the most unique League of Legends event of the year. Instead of playing as a five-man squad, you’re on your own. That’s right, Red Bull Solo Q pits you against your opponent in the top lane. There are no jungler ganks, no roaming supports and no dragons or barons – just you and your opponent. While some qualifiers have already finished, there are still chances to win yourself a ticket to Germany for the Red Bull Solo Q World Finals in December. To do this, you’ll have to battle through a gauntlet of players just like yourself. Luckily, you’re not the first person to do it, and we had the chance to chat with three of our finalists to talk about their qualifier journey. Read their stories and experiences below.
Red Bull Solo Q is a lot different than your standard League of Legends tournament. For one, you don’t need a team. If you’ve never played in a one-versus-one format before, it can be quite daunting just to sign up. Luckily, we’ve got you covered with three different guides on itemisation, tactics and champions. After reading those and signing up for the tournament, you’re ready for your first game.
So you’re loading up with your champion picked and a starting item in your bag. Suddenly you notice your palms are sweaty. Don’t worry, nervousness is all part of the game. Michał 'Ravenno' Owczarski, winner of Red Bull Solo Q Europe Nordic and East qualifier in May, tells us that he got nervous too. In his final qualification game, it finally hit him, but he still managed to push through. Remember, even the best players get nervous from time to time, so don’t let it worry you!
Bedirhan ‘reptilezero’ Turan won the Red Bull Solo Q Europe West qualifier on May 9, 2020. He tells us that his final round was by far the hardest round he played in the tournament against Jinsh, a former pro player.
“There was a round against him (Lucian vs Syndra) where he had 97 farm and I had a bit less than him (like 95). At that moment I realised that there is no way I could kill him, but at least I could try to stop him from farming and getting all farm myself. There were only three ranged minions on my side but one complete wave on his side. I dashed in and used all abilities to kill those minions but at the same time, I exhausted him because I knew he wouldn’t attack me. The outcome was that I had 100 farm and he was at 99 because one minion survived on my side because of the damage reduction from the exhaust. There was no round that could be closer than that.”
While a lot of qualifier winners are high ranked, you don’t have to be in the top percentile to win it all. Juan ‘Xenory’ Cruz Ponce, winner of the Red Bull Solo Q Latin American qualifier, is the perfect example of that. While he played in the qualifier, he was in Diamond three. To win it all, he had to face players ranked in Master and in Grandmaster. On facing them he said “I just tried to stay calm while playing them, they are human too and luckily, I was able to punish their mistakes to win the games I played against them.”
It’s great to step aside from conventional League of Legends and play 1v1
The Red Bull Solo Q qualifier was a great experience according to all three of our Red Bull Solo Q Finalists. For many of them, it was also the first time that they competed in the Solo Q tournament. Xenory said that some rounds were really challenging but “still extremely fun to play”.
Ravenno was impressed with the tournament structure, as well as the tournament running really smooth, he says: “It’s great to step aside from conventional League of Legends and play 1v1. The rules change completely and I think everyone can say that it was a really fun experience.”
During the tournament, Ravenno picked up that you’re not only playing against your enemy but also against yourself. “It’s important to know your weaknesses and strengths. If you are aware of them, you know in what areas you must improve and how to succeed.”
The most important thing that reptilezero learned is that you should never give up in a 1v1 because “I had many games that looked bad for me but some enemies tend to get greedy or make other mistakes like taking bad trades. I still managed to win all those rounds even though it looked like I was about to lose".
