As gamers know, DOTA is an extremely popular game which sees millions of players compete worldwide for a place in gaming history. The game has seen people from all over the world take part in casual or competitive play, comparable perhaps to games like poker or Texas poker online, but it is particularly popular amongst the Asian gaming community. DOTA has managed to become more popular than games such as Blizzard's World of Warcraft, which was incredibly popular in its heyday particularly in the competitive-gaming community, yes even up to know. There are players who are downloading and trying DOTA every day, and most have never played it or heard of it at all. What this means is that many players could benefit from advice or some kind of guide which would be helpful to their mere beginnings in the game. This is exactly what this article aims to provide for players, as we will give players some tips and tricks which can be considered particularly valuable for 5vs5 games. More fun than real poker online and with equally satisfying rewards. These are some top tips for a good 5 on 5 game. Remember to practice a lot and good luck in your competitive play! DOTA 2 can give you an enjoyment level similar to the high you get after finishing your [lqc][/lqc]. Trying out their highly interactive Texas HoldEm poker games kinda reminds one of playing Zynga Poker on Facebook, complete with this online poker game's superb graphics and fast gameplay. Choosing your Hero Ultimately, you should have a lot of fun before you learn exactly what each hero can do. The game is difficult to master at the highest levels, so in a 5vs5 setting it requires a high-level of concentration and focus in order to be able to play to optimal levels. Picking the right hero is crucial and there are certain combinations which players prefer over others. Some people would pick the following combinations for most effective play: -Atropos, Leshrac, Leviathan, Voljin, Jahrakal-Sven, Lina,Vengeful Spirit, Rexxar, Treant Protector-Sand King, Akasha, Leshrac, Bone Clinkz, Darkterror Just watch this cool YouTube video on Leshrac. There are certainly other combinations but these will allow you the most effective moves for a successful 5vs5 team play. Strategies It is important to understand most, if not all of the fundamental strategies when participating in an online tournament. This will eventually allow players to automate all the important strategies into their play, particularly as part of a team, and be able to implement these strats (commonly used gaming term for strategies) to maximum effectiveness and efficiency. There are different things players can do, and teams like EHOME or Na'Vi (Check out updates on their Facebook Page) commonly employ all these strategies at various time during a competitive game in order to maximise their chance of winning (i.e. variation and effectiveness of tactics). Some commonly used strats are: Ganking - This is a term which has now found common usage in many other games, such as Dark Souls, and it indicates using an aggressive early-game strat. This does not usually involve a hard carry and is executed with maximum speed and efficiency. Pushing - This means rushing and taking overall control of the map very early, by seizing early towers and gradually choking opponents. Push is actually one of the most fundamental strategies your team needs to learn in a 5vs5 (or any competitive) in order to be able to have some measure of success in tournaments. Preferred skills for this strat are summoning, aura and active skills as to be able to effectively destroy towers, clear creepwaves and so on. Rice Strat - This will hopefully ensure a smoother mid to late game for your team without having to worry about heroes peaking during the mid to late game. Some examples of DOTA heroes carrying the late-game would be: Medusa, Mainge, Gyro and Spectre or heroes with Area of Effect (AoE) attacks like Puck, or Krobelus. Two Good Laning Strategies There are various strategies which you can undertake in order to maximise your potential. If you (and your team) don't know what laning is, we recommend reading a more basic guide instead of this one. It is not really ideal to go into tournament play unless you have some practice and solid experience of these strats. 2-1-2 : This is considered the most commonly used lane employing a hero on solo-mid, two on final lane and one on the top lane. It is the easiest laning to carry out and will ensure good protection in any carry strategy. 1-1-2 : A common laning strat, perhaps more so than strategies like dual-jungle. It is still good for carry strats and will also protect your team from an early game ganking.