Focus on short trades using (Q) silence and (E) spin to chip Cho'Gath before he scales into a tanky front line.
Manage lane pressure to deny Cho'Gath free farming and stacking health with (R) execute, as this is a snowball versus scaling matchup.
Trading pattern
Initiate trades with (Q) to silence and prevent (W) silence counterplay, then follow with (E) damage and disengage before his slow and knockup chain punishes.
Avoid extended trades after (E) ends to prevent being outdamaged by Cho'Gath's empowered autos and crowd control.
Punish missed (Q) knockups by stepping forward for quick trades while Cho'Gath's engage threat is down.
Danger windows
Beware of (Q) knockup followed by (W) silence; avoid predictable movement near minions to reduce risk.
Avoid extended trades when (W) silence is available to prevent being locked down.
Exercise caution when low on health as (R) execute can finish you quickly after chip damage.
Early game
Use early levels to pressure Cho'Gath with quick (Q)+(E) trades, avoiding extended fights where his sustain and crowd control punish you.
Maintain passive health regeneration by stepping back after trades to survive his poke and zone control.
Power spikes
Level 6: Use (R) execute to finish low-health Cho'Gath targets and convert chip damage into kills; avoid staying low yourself.
First bruiser/tank item: Repeat controlled trades to absorb burst and sustain longer in lane.
Respect Cho'Gath's level 6 (R) execute spike and his increasing durability from health stacking; avoid prolonged fights as he becomes harder to burst.
Win conditions
Use short, controlled (Q)+(E) trades to chip Cho'Gath and build execute pressure for (R) kills.
Deny Cho'Gath free farming and stacking by applying lane pressure and punishing missed (Q) cooldowns.
Survive early game poke with passive health regen and durable trading, then leverage level 6 execute windows to snowball and dominate side-lane fights.
Tip: For Garen vs Cho'Gath, read overview, trading pattern, and danger windows first for a fast Top lane check.
