Playing in a smurf queue lobby is almost never fun. It is the bane of many skilled players, either new to the game or making fresh accounts so they can play with their lower ranked friends. Although some players may find fun in winning against new players and facing players with higher skill, eventually the smurf queue experience turns sour at a certain point, such as facing a level 30 silver account that’s going 15/0 as Irelia, showcasing incredible mechanical skill that would give diamond players a run for their money. Playing in these unfavorable lobbies is frustrating on many levels and makes the ranked experience less enjoyable.

This guide aims to provide various methods to reduce the problems of players playing in smurf queues, but first we must define the terms.

Differences between MMR and LP

Firstly, some differences between MMR and LP. MMR is a hidden statistic that the system uses to determine your skill level, for example, as Silver-Platinum or D1 to Challenger. On the other hand, LP is the rank you have when you open your ranked screen and see Gold 2, 54LP. MMR and LP are very similar for most players, whoser MMR is reflected by their rank in their profile.

What is Smurf Queue?

Smurf queue refers to players that make smurf accounts, only to find themselves facing only other smurfs. Smurf queue also matches players with high MMR variance together to get rid of all the “discrepancies” in one go, which may lead to low-quality games that could last under 15 minutes, your team going 50-10 on the enemy team, or one of the players being extraordinarily better than their opposition.

For players ranked Diamond and above, smurf queue poses a real nuisance due to increased queue times and lower quality of games as rank decay exists for players above Diamond 1.

How to avoid Smurf Queue

Below are general guidelines that all players can incorporate to either get the most out of smurf queue, or avoid it.

Guideline 1: If some games are unwinnable, let them be. Due to the nature of smurf que, you will be matched with high ranking players. If this happens, don't bother flaming and complaining, save your mental energy for the succeeding games.

Guideline 2: Dodge games if the draft looks unfavorable. For players looking to minimize the grind, dodging unfavorable lineups, especially as a solo laner, is crucial. There’s also an off chance that the enemy team contains a skilled player, dictating which champions to pick so as to maximize their chance of winning.

Guideline 3: Don’t take the losses personally; and don’t take the LP gains too hard. Riot’s matchmaking is trying to narrow down your MMR variance, which may lead to inflated or deflated LP.

Guideline 4: Play draft/blind pick. Ranked and normal game modes match you with players with similar MMR. Instead of playing ranked and facing lower quality games and losing LP, playing normal game modes is more relaxing and allows the matchmaking system to determine your MMR.

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