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gpk proves he is the best Dota 2 midlaner in BetBoom Dacha
It's rare to find a Dota 2 tournament that features the classic 1v1 Solo Mid challenge but that's exactly what BetBoom Dacha had in store for fans.
1v1 Solo Mid was used to settle tiebreakers between teams in the group stage. After that, the tournament included a mini-competition exclusively for the midlaners.
After the dust settled, one player emerged as the best among all the competitors. Danil "gpk" Skutin was crowned as champion, taking home USD $1000, along with the bragging rights that came with it.
In this article, we will look at what gpk did that enabled him to dominate the tournament, and how that could help you become a better player as well.
Three things gpk did to win the mid lane every time
Buy a whole lot of consumables
One thing all the professional players did during the Solo tournament was buy regeneration items, a lot of regeneration items.
Healing Salves and Mangos are critical for staying in the lane. Health is a resource and gpk would trade hits with the opposing mid then quickly jump back into the fray after using a Healing Salve
The mid-lane is won or lost based on who can use spells more effectively and that's why it's important to load up on Mangos (they come with a lot of vitamin C as well).
It's important to note that gpk never bought Tangos or Clarity potions. Both of these items take too long to regenerate and force midlaners to stay out of the action for too long.
In summary, don't be afraid to spend extra gold on consumables in order to stay in the mid-lane for as long as possible.
Small stat items make a big difference
In a typical Dota 2 game, midlaners will often buy a couple of Iron Branches to pad out their stats in the early game.
This concept was taken to the extreme in BetBoom Dacha, as gpk and other pros quickly realized that cheap stat items were the key to victory.
Bracers, Wraith Bands, and Magic Wand were the meta items in the 1v1 Solo Mid tournament. These items have fantastic stat-to-cost ratios.
Among the pros, gpk focused on stat items the most, frequently buying two Bracers and one Wraith Band to his inventory.
Instead of rushing Boots or saving up for expensive purchases, it's often better to get a couple of extra stats in the early game in order to win the mid-lane.
gpk focused heavily on zoning out his enemies
Gold and experience are the only two resources in Dota 2 players can collect. Gold is used to buy items, while experience is needed for heroes to level up and grow stronger.
A Dota 2 game boils down to which team can farm the map more efficiently. The winning team has a networth advantage 99% of the time.
In the 1v1 Solo Mid tournament, gpk would often put plant himself between his opponent and creeps, preventing them from getting last hits.
Thanks to his use of consumables, as well as his inventory of stat items, gpk's aggressive playstyle resulted in a significant lead for him in every game he won.
Don't settle for farming passively as a midlaner. Get in the opponent's face and give them a hard time whenever possible.
While a 1v1 Solo Mid game is very different from a standard game of Dota 2, there is a lot to learn from watching gpk and other pros.
With a couple of extra Iron Branches, an additional Healing Salve, and a touch more aggression, you too can crush your enemies in the mid-lane and see them driven before you.
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Featured image source: WePlay, Valve
