You promised a top lane tutorial, but you're just using Worlds as material for your videos?

Chapter 490 Top laner camping in the bushes, it's not shameful!
The barrels entered LGD's blue buff area, at which point the game had been going on for nearly 6 minutes.

Faker's Ryze in the mid lane has reached level six and learned the ultimate ability, "Drive".

Both Gnar and Yasuo in the top lane are at a loss in experience during the laning phase, so they are still at level 5.

The barrel walked to LGD's Marsh Frog camp.

The ground churned, and the Swamp Frogs had just respawned.

Peanut didn't even glance at the Gromp, and instead maneuvered the Gragas straight towards the triangular bush behind LGD's top tower.

At this moment, Yasuo had already pushed a wave of cannon minions to LGD's top tower.

Ryze also left the middle lane and entered the upper river.

Although he didn't have the vision of the Gragas, Zhou Dian immediately sensed something was wrong after hearing Wei Shen inform him that the level 6 Ryze had entered the upper river.

Immediately control Gnar to retreat.

When Gragas entered the tri-bush in LGD's top lane, Gnar had already completely retreated from the range of his own top turret.

At the same time, Faker's Ryze was also about to reach the Baron pit.

Ryze has reached a position where he can use his ultimate to reach LGD's top tower.

At this moment, Gnar's Flash was almost ready again. If he had been any slower in retreating, he would have been trapped under the tower by SKT's top, mid, and jungle.

Ryze has some crowd control abilities, so if he's really surrounded by three people, even if Zhou Dian's skills are incredible, he won't be able to make any plays.

Seeing Gnar escape so quickly, Faker immediately controlled Ryze to return to the mid lane.

Peanut's Gragas came straight out of the bush and brazenly went into LGD's top tower.

At this point, Ryze's exact location was still not visible, so Zhou Dian could only control Gnar to continue retreating, directly to the small bushes in front of his own second top tower.

This patch of grass is also known as the "self-isolating grass patch".

Every top laner has spent time camping in the bushes, feeling utterly helpless!

Playing in a competition is nothing to be ashamed of!

In the commentary box.

"SKT is trying to mess with Zhou Shen here, and Zhou Shen is having a tough time!" Remember said.

“That was a quick reaction!” Miller added.

"But there are so many soldiers under Bonarta, are we going to be unable to take any of them?"

"We have to back down here, there's no other way, after all, SKT is in a pincer movement here!" PDD said, "We have to give up this wave of minions."

After the Gragas appeared, Huni's Yasuo directly bypassed LGD's top tower and cut off a wave of minions.

Of course, Nar could only continue to squat in the secluded bushes and watch all of this happen.

However, Ryze soon reappeared in the mid lane, and with Jarvan IV having also arrived in the upper jungle, Zhou Dian controlled Gnar to walk back to the first tower.

In this wave alone, Gnar has already lost an entire wave of cannon minions.

The turret also lost half its health to Gragas and Yasuo.

But there's nothing that can be done; that's the predicament of a top laner!

Top laners are very vulnerable to vision ganks—even if the enemy jungler doesn't actually gank you, just glancing at you from the side can often have the same effect as a gank.

This is a problem with the game mechanics, and it's beyond human control.

"This is tantamount to forcibly giving Huni's Yasuo an advantage," PDD said.

"Zhou Shen's Gnar missed out on more than a wave of minions, which should be equivalent to half a level of experience. In a solo lane, that's really a blow!"

SKT's top and jungle duo have retreated. Gnar came forward to devour the remaining red minions under the tower, but Yasuo has already pulled ahead by more than ten CS.

At the same time, Gnar's level also fell to the lowest in the entire game, almost the same as the jungler and bot laner.

It's been almost 7 minutes, and I still haven't reached level 6.

"SKT's strategy in this match was actually half successful." Miller's tone was somewhat dejected.

In the game, Yasuo has already recalled to base and bought a pair of attack speed boots.

With the addition of the two Doran's Rings he had built earlier to strengthen his laning phase, Yasuo's combat power was already quite considerable at this point.

After leaving the top lane, Gragas surprisingly returned to LGD's blue buff area via the river.

It's been almost 7 minutes, and the barrel still hasn't returned to base.

Peanut was holding onto LGD's top jungle like glue!
At this moment, the prince was fighting the Swamp Frog, and the barrel had already reached the base of the wall behind the prince.

Then, to the lower right of the prince, in the very center of LGD's blue buff area, a red teleportation vortex appeared out of thin air.

It was a teleport from Yasuo.

The teleport landed at the ward that Gragas had casually placed when he entered LGD's blue buff area in the previous wave, intending to gank Gnar.

Seeing the teleport, Eimy had no choice but to abandon the half-killed Gromp and control the Prince to escape towards his own second top tower.

The escape route from the Swamp Frog to his own second tower was one that the Prince seemed to have just run three minutes ago.

Within just three minutes, Eimy was chased along the same path twice by the enemy jungler, leaving him feeling incredibly frustrated.

"Damn it, Peanut, you just wait!" Eimy cursed out in the LGD team voice chat.

He was completely outmaneuvered by SKT in this game.

From the moment the game started, SKT had a clear understanding of every move the prince made.

Having played the game this far, not only do I only get a single buff at the start, but I also have to sneak around to farm my own jungle monsters.

As a result, Gnar in the top lane also suffered.

Eimy knew perfectly well that although he was feeling frustrated, Little Peanut was having a great time.

However, the prince is currently ahead of Gragas in jungle clearing, and his experience points should also be ahead of Gragas'.

After he was outmaneuvered by SKT at the start of the game, the one who was most affected was not him.

Rather, it was Zhou Dian, who was countered from the start in terms of hero selection.

Fortunately, Zhou Ge's skills are outstanding. Despite various unfavorable factors, he managed to stabilize the situation in the top lane.

It’s not easy!
"Brother Zhou has done his best. I need to think of a way to change the situation!" Eimy thought to herself.

Of course, before changing the situation, you need to go back to town to replenish your health and equipment.

While the prince was returning to town from the second tower of his own base, the wine barrel was also returning to town from the upper river.

At this point, the game had just over 7 minutes into the game, and this was the first time the Gragas had recalled to base in this match.

Gnar finally reached level six at the 7-minute mark.

In the commentary box.

Seeing Eimy's Prince trying to farm a Gromp in his own jungle, only to be chased away by the enemy top laner teleporting down, Miller couldn't help but say:
"SKT's changes in this match really hurt LGD, especially Eimy."

Miller only saw the surface.

On the surface, it was the prince who was repeatedly invaded by the enemy, but in reality, it was Gnar who suffered the most.

Most of the pressure has fallen on him.

However, Zhou Dian's performance remained so effortless that he didn't seem to be under much pressure.

Miller continued, "LGD is having a really tough time right now!"

Back to the game.

After pushing the top lane minion wave to SKT's top tower, Gnar retreated to the bushes on the lane to recall.

The observer's view switches to Yasuo, who has been teleported to LGD's blue buff area and has already returned to the top lane.

"Wow, Huni's build over here is really aggressive, he's going straight for two Doran's Blades and attack speed boots!" PDD exclaimed.

“Yes, the ultimate laning build.” Miller nodded. Remember added, “It felt like the top lane was the key to winning or losing in the first two games of this BO5.”

"That's definitely a feeling!" PDD nodded in agreement.
Although Yasuo had built attack speed boots, Zhou Dian also bought armor boots after Gnar recalled.

Buy another Control Ward, and Gnar will teleport directly to the top lane.

Building Tier 2 boots first is a very cost-effective and beneficial option for both top laners in this game.

After recalling to base, both junglers upgraded to Sightstone jungle item.

What follows will inevitably be frequent battles for vision control in the jungle.

The observer view switches, and both mid laners have arrived in the lower river.

Malzahar and Ryze both placed a control ward in the river bush on the right side of the mid lane.

Both Wei Shen and Faker wanted to clear the true sight ward that the other had placed in the bush in front of them.

Neither of them would give way, and each unleashed two skills at the other, neither wanting to let the other easily destroy their true sight ward.

After Faker's Ryze dodged Malzahar's Q skill, he used an EW rune-enhanced root to immobilize Malzahar in place.

Peanut's barrels were now almost at the lower reaches of the river.

Eimy's Prince was also nearby. He was originally attacking the red buff, but when he saw Ryze and Malzahar fighting, he immediately abandoned the red buff he was halfway through and rushed to support his mid laner.

"In the mid lane, we might force Wei Shen to use Flash. Let's see how Peanut handles it. Prince is also there!" Miller quickly commented.

When Malzahar was immobilized by Ryze's EW, Gragas was still quite far away.

Once the barrel was close enough, Malzahar had already broken free of Ryze's hold and was retreating.

Ryze, on the other hand, chased after Malzahar and unleashed his abilities.

Considering that his Gragas wasn't level 6 yet and Ryze had already used all his skills, Peanut didn't choose to E-Flash directly. Instead, he first used Rolling Gragas (Q) to slow Malzahar down.

Then the barrel trails behind Malzahar, waiting for Ryze's abilities to cool down.

The prince then appeared from the side, and SKT's mid and jungle players immediately chose to retreat.

Just as SKT's mid and jungle players turned around and retreated, GodV's Malzahar suddenly flashed and used Hades Grip (R) to suppress Ryze.

Although Ryze was hit by Malzahar's ultimate, he was not pinned down.

Almost simultaneously with Malzahar's Flash, Faker also used Flash.

As a result, Ryze widened the gap between himself and LGD's mid and jungle.

Even so, Ryze was still sucked in by Malzahar's ultimate.

But Faker's Flash had a real effect.

Just as Malzahar used his ultimate ability with Flash, a Demacian banner fell from the sky and landed where Ryze had just used Flash.

The LGD mid and jungle duo coordinated perfectly in this play; almost at the same time Malzahar flashed and used his ultimate, Jarvan IV also used his EQ combo.

Faker just used Flash too quickly.

However, judging from the result, even if Faker hadn't flashed out, it seems there wasn't much of a problem.

Because of the prince's EQ combo, he was knocked off his way by the Gragas's Body Bomb (E).

Peanut's reaction speed and execution were also top-notch this time.

Gragas' E skill this time wasn't a direct confrontation with Jarvan IV's EQ combo.

It's not difficult to interrupt the prince's EQ combo like that.

The trajectory of Gragas' E skill was perpendicular to the trajectory of Jarvan IV's EQ combo.

It's like the barrel crashed sideways into the prince who was sliding with his EQ combo halfway through the game.

That's very difficult to do!
Then, Malzahar's ultimate ability expired, and both mid and jungle players dispersed.

The result of this exchange was simply a trade of Flash between the two mid laners.

Malzahar used his ultimate ability, but first blood was not secured.

"In that case, the mid laners on both sides will exchange Flashes, so neither side will lose too much," Remember said.

That certainly seems to be the case.

But the key issue is that Malzahar's ultimate ability is gone.

Ryze returned to the mid lane and pushed the minion wave. Peanut then controlled Gragas to enter LGD's red buff area and brazenly destroyed the control ward that Jarvan IV had just placed.

The Gragas didn't force the attack on the Prince's red buff; after placing a ward, he left.

However, they didn't go too far; they were still in LGD's lower jungle.

Because the bottom lane minions were pushing up in front of LGD's bottom tower at this time.

Even though Gragas seemed to be absent, Eimy didn't dare to attack his red buff right now.

He then instructed the prince to farm the stone beetles first, without worrying about the red buff.

Meanwhile, the barrels were swiping LGD's F6 on the other side.

After taking down the five birds in F6, the barrel leveled up to level six.

After pushing their respective minion waves, Ryze and Yasuo headed straight for LGD's blue buff, which had already spawned.

LGD has absolutely no ability to defend against this blue buff!

SKT's move was actually a two-pronged approach, attempting to simultaneously counter LGD's red and blue buffs.

After the second buff refresh, Zhou Dian's Gnar was no longer able to help Eimy's Jarvan IV relieve the pressure.

SKT's pre-match strategy against LGD's jungler is gradually putting pressure on Eimy.

The real test for him has arrived!
Ryze secured LGD's blue buff and headed back towards the mid lane.

Yasuo then casually started farming the river crab in the top river.

After defeating the Stone Beetles, Eimy's prince also reached level six.

With Gnar helping him share the pressure in the jungle, Jarvan IV didn't fall behind Gragas in levels at all.

But who can shoulder the pressure for the prince now?

The answer came quickly.

This player has switched from top lane to mid lane.

Huni's Yasuo was fighting the river crab when Ryze next to him suddenly activated Warp Jump (R).

Huni quickly put down the river crab he had only half-killed and controlled Yasuo to get into the car.

Meanwhile, in the mid lane, Ryze was nowhere to be seen for a long time, and Wei Shen suddenly realized that something was wrong.

Malzahar had only pushed halfway down the lane when GodV quickly controlled Malzahar to retreat towards the tower.

Malzahar had just retreated to the mid tower when Ryze's ultimate appeared in front of the tower, and SKT's mid and top laners appeared out of thin air.

However, Malzahar has already returned to the tower. Even if Malzahar doesn't have Flash or his ultimate, it won't be easy for Ryze and Yasuo to kill him without minions.

Then, SKT delivered the decisive blow!
The barrel appeared from the right, and the Human Bomb Impact (E) teleported to close the distance, throwing an Exploding Barrel (R) at Malzahar's feet.

Malzahar was knocked back a little distance by Gragas's ultimate, but stopped retreating and crashed into the wall.

But the key point is that Malzahar was knocked up by Gragas' ultimate!

Yasuo flew up with Malzahar and unleashed his Last Breath (R) strike, slamming it into Malzahar's body.

With Ryze's combined attacks, Malzahar's health bar quickly disappeared.

First Blood!
Wei Shen's Malzahar gave up the first blood in this game.

Ryze got the kill.

(End of this chapter)