Introduction

For those of you that don't know what stratagem means, the definition from google search yields these results:This term has been used to describe warfare, gameplay, and a number of other things. With so much talk of micro and macro management, not a lot of emphasis gets put on your personal approach to the game of League of Legends, and how that effects everything you do.So I was playing a game of tetris, when suddenly a great truth presented itself to me. I had learned a lot by examining what made me a bad or good player in tetris. It has also allowed me to look at League of Legends in a different light.Let's say, for instance, that I'm in a tetris game right now. Everything I do, starting from where I choose to place my first piece, to the speed at which I navigate the boundary lines, to the structure design and clearing strategy for my blocks, are all a part of an overall stratagem.You get more points for tetrises (clearing 4 lines at once), so it is a very common strategy to build all of your blocks up like a building. There are positives and negatives to this strategy, but overall it has been deemed the strongest for its versatility, and the ability to restructure your clearing order at a moments notice. I, myself, use this strategy and expect everyone at my rating to do the same.If we were to look at the game of tetris objectively, we can clearly state the stratagem to be:Now that makes it sound like there's not a lot to tetris, but that isn't exactly true. You see, my personal approach to the game of tetris is to build my "building" as fast as possible and I keep an eye on what the other guy has built. Multitasking like that may seem counter-intuitive at first because you want to send lines faster than the other guy, but it quickly becomes second nature to watch your opponent's "building." You also gain a strategical advantage on him if he doesn't do the same.I may alter my building in weird ways, sometimes building them up extremely high on one side, or perhaps pulling off a T-spin in order to fix a precarious section of blocks, but the stratagem for tetris remains the same: clear more blocks than your opponent. How I go about that, is entirely up to me and even if I make a few mistakes, I am pretty confident in playing fast, so that's how I play.At that point, the only way he will beat me is if he can outplay me with pure mechanical skill and speed. I have the strategic advantage because I keep an eye on his progress. Now if I make a mistake, I have a better idea of what is available in terms of resources. In tetris, your only resource is the amount of blocks they send at you or the lack thereof. In other words, your manipulation of space with the blocks that you have determine how well you do. I also have a good idea of when I should send my blocks over. Sending 12 blocks in 3 seconds is more effective than sending them over 5 seconds, so I may even abstain from clearing a section of blocks in favor of more "burst" later.If there's one thing I know, is that there will always be blocks of different shapes coming at me. In order to place them faster, I try to lay them horizontally as opposed to vertically. Typically, you will know where your next piece is going to go before you've placed the previous one, but that doesn't mean you won't make mistakes. Adjusting your individual stratagem to accomodate for mechanical error is key in all games.For example:How does this relate to league of legends though? If you looked at your mini map after every cs, much like watching your opponent's "build" in tetris, or the other player's position on a basketball court, you would have a strategical advantage, purely from being more attentive than your opponent. At the highest level of play, you can expect the players to do this naturally because it is such a fundamental part of winning (good map awareness). You are both presented with the same information, yet you use yours more effectively.Sure, you may make a few more mistakes mechanically because you have diverted your attention from your mechanical endeavours, but you can be sure your decision making will be sound and informed. What am I talking about? The minimap of course. I started looking at the mini map after every successful last hit in mid season 2, and it completely transformed my game. Paying attention to the enemy "building" in tetris, is the same as watching the minimap in League of Legends. Two entirely different games have the same emergent strategy. We can learn things about each individual game if we are truly honest with ourselves about our own flawed approach to the game.No more getting ganked by the mid laner without expecting it. If I died to him now, let it be because we couldn't get away, or it was worth it to get what experience and gold I could before dying. Or maybe, I made a calculated error and died, thinking I would pick up a kill or two. I think of the minimap like a television almost:I understand the dude potential (or dp, referring to the number of people that could be in a particular brush) of each bush.Even if I die to them, I can use the information to my advantage by assessing whether or not it's worth it to stay there. Even if the only thing I do is waste more time by taking a weird route through their jungle and end up dying in their base, at least that is better than expecting only one person to be there and just dying to him and his ally straight up. There really is no excuse for not knowing who is where on the map. and it is one of the biggest mistakes I see in lower elo.Truth be told, there is actually a flip side to this, as I have always tended to be a hothead in real life. Playing League of Legends and dealing with rage, made me less combative in everyday life. No longer did I feel like other people were jerks for something I didn't understand. I took it upon myself to be better informed and blame myself for anything that I don't understand. If someone does something that upsets me in real life, I can apply the lessons that I have learned in-game, to creatively come up with a better solution for all parties in my actual life.You're never going to be perfect. However, understanding your approach to the game as it relates to your mechanical skill is probably the most important thing to consider.Merry Christmas (belated) and Have a Great New YearMy New Year's Resolution is the same as it is every year: "To understand myself better and to become a better person by years end, through positive reinforcement, objective consideration, and mechanical practice."I would be delighted if anyone wanted to share their new year's resolutions with me. You don't have to, but I appreciate any comments or concerns.P.S. If it's not too much to ask please follow my livestream on twitch:please also support my friend mylixia over at:I am around for most of mylixia's casts, so be sure to check him out often as he streams for a living and has a wonderful community based stream.