Practicing mechanics is all based on how much you play the game, and realistically, that’s up to you and your time commitment. When it comes to decision-making, however, that is a teachable subject, and we can help with that. We’ve consulted with a collection of the top League players in the world to compile a list of the 10 game losing mistakes that Low ELO players commonly make, so we can help you avoid them in the future. Let’s get into it.

#1: Neglecting the Vision Game

The first game losing mistake is neglecting the vision game. Many players mistakenly believe that the responsibility of providing vision for the team falls solely on the support. This is far from the truth. Vision control starts as soon as the laning phase begins. Champions considered lane bullies, like Jayce and Caitlyn, often have low win rates in low Elo due to players overextending without adequate vision, leading to fatal ganks. As the game progresses, vision control becomes even more complex, especially around objective fights. It’s not just the support’s job; the entire team needs to contribute by using their trinkets and buying control wards.

#2: Poor Wave Management

The second common mistake is poor wave management. This skill is crucial throughout the game, not just during the laning phase. Good wave management can set you up for success. When you’re the weaker laner, it can make the lane playable. When you’re stronger, it allows you to win the lane via farm and denying your opponent’s CS without opening yourself up to enemy jungle ganks. As the game progresses, good wave management can significantly impact your team’s map pressure since stacked minion waves can serve as a split-pushing teammate.

#3: Treating the Game as a 1v1 or 2v2

The third mistake is treating the game as a 1v1 or, in the case of bot lane, a 2v2. This mindset can lead to autopiloting and assuming that you’re locked into your matchup, which can result in losing games. You have to consider the other matchups in the game. If the enemy mid laner has prio and the enemy jungler is a high-pressure early-game champion, while yours is a farming one, you need to adjust your playstyle accordingly.

#4: Neglecting Farming

Our fourth mistake on our list is neglecting farming. This game losing mistake is prevalent in lower ELO, but it’s also a problem in the upper ranks. The priority should almost always be to secure CS over going for trades unless it’s a really free trade that will put you in the driver’s seat. The concept of keeping up your farm shouldn’t end with the laning phase. It’s common to see teams randomly group up and play ARAM for a few minutes, resulting in minions dying in side lanes with tons of gold and XP vanishing.

#5: Bad Back Timings

The fifth mistake is bad back timings. Even if you have good mechanics for your rank, having bad tempo can completely kill any lead that you’re trying to generate in the laning phase. It’s essential to understand not just your champion’s power spikes but also your opponent’s and how you need to play around them.

#6: Overstaying After a Kill

Next up on our list of game losing mistakes is overstaying after a kill. If you get an early kill in lane but don’t have enough time to go back for a big item, sitting in lane pushing to hit plates that you can never break can be detrimental. Your opponent can come back with a single small component, and from that point on, you’re the one playing the losing lane because you’re out of mana and down an item. Your foe can dictate the lane, and you start losing out on farm. It’s better to go back, buy more items than your foe, and come back with full HP and mana so that you can continue running the lane.

#7: Bad Builds

Next on the list of mistake that low ELO players often make is running bad builds. Both rune pages and items are something that a lot of people get wrong. This ranges from common misconceptions to downright delusional. Sometimes people don’t understand situational items; other times, someone argues that AP is actually the right way to play Aphelios. It’s crucial to learn what builds to go with, and there are many stat websites out there that can help.

#8: Playing Around Losing Lanes

The eighth mistake is playing around losing lanes. If a lane is losing, it’s not the jungler’s job to bail them out. If the gap isn’t that big yet, and you can turn the lane around or at least stop the bleeding, do it. But if your top laner is already 0-4-0 at 10 minutes, and you go up there to try to save the day, you won’t do much for your team. You’re better off playing around lanes that are already winning.

#9: Bad Roam Timers

The ninth mistake is bad roam timers. The concept of roaming seems simple enough, but you’d be surprised how many ways people can mess it up. For one, you have to get the right timing. As a mid laner, it’s pretty easy to grasp. If you clear a wave and roam right as the next wave enters the lane, you’re guaranteed to miss out on the farm. Roaming is a double-edged sword. Pull off roams well, and your entire team ends up ahead. Do it wrong, and you end up behind for no reason.

#10: Not Dodging Enough

Lastly, the tenth mistake is not dodging enough. If a game looks like it’s going to be a guaranteed loss from select, it’s better to dodge. Riot has made it a bit more punishing to dodge games in recent seasons since three dodges in a day can give you a 24-hour timeout. But it’s better to use those first two dodges well. If you have teammates blaming each other in select or you have the most troll draft of all time, you’ll have a much better mental for the rest of the day if you take the -3 over playing 15 minutes of hell simulator just to lose 20+.

Now that you know the most common game losing mistakes, you can learn from them, work around them, and begin making better decisions game after game. Remember, practice makes perfect, and as you put these lessons into play in the future, you will start seeing the benefits, and you’ll begin improving your own instincts over time. Good luck out there!