dastan on HObbit: “At first, I was worried about Abay—since he’s getting on in years, I thought he might not be able to kill as effectively.”
PARIVISION coach Dastan “dastan” Akbaev spoke with Vladislav “stariy_bog” Levents in an interview at 1win Private Club #2 about Abay “HObbit” Khasenov’s adjustment to the team, preparations for matches against Tier 2 opponents, and the team’s level of play.
On HObbit’s adaptation to the team
At first, it’s hard for him to take on responsibility when you join a team, but now that he’s faced some challenges, it’s getting easier. At first, I was worried about Abay—since he’s a bit older, I thought he might not be able to carry the team. But he wants to play, and I have few concerns about him. After the game, I talk to him calmly. There were some friction at first, but we managed to work it out. Plus, as I said before, wins heal everything. You can play incredibly well, but if you win in the end—that’s all that matters. But if you lose, just one situation can change everything, and we’re practically enemies one moment or close friends the next.
On preparing for Tier 2 teams
These teams have a wide range of plays and a huge number of scripts—you have to be ready for them, and every team has its own style. Magic plays this way; Fnatic with Fear plays that way. You always have to pick up on things, figure them out overnight—not just play as captain and call the shots, but understand how they think, what their stackups are, whether they push—understanding that comes from experience. You can’t just train together and instantly become a great team. It’s important to go through experiences and situations together so you can figure out how to get out of them. For example, you go to a certain location, and we get caught. Young teams already have trouble getting out of tough situations, and you can’t discuss these scenarios with them in advance.
On the pressure in matches for Major slots
The guys have a Major spot on the line. They know their chances are around 30–40%. And in a game like that, the approach and the feel of the game are different. It’s not just a regular tournament. If it were just a regular tournament, we’d have more problems, I’m sure. But when you’re playing—essentially—for a Major, there’s already pressure and nerves.
On PARIVISION’s level
Honestly, I’d like us to become a team like Legacy. BetBoom has stepped up. Like, a solid Tier 1.5 team. I think we’re close to that level. But, of course, we lack the consistency to really dominate. Maybe we’ll pull it off here at this tournament.
Read also: gr1ks on BIG at 1win Private Club #2: “We can easily win the championship. I’m confident in us.”
Earlier, PARIVISION rifler Abay “HObbit” Khasenov, in an interview with Vladislav “stariy_bog” Levents at 1win Private Club #2, he shared his impressions of the match against Fnatic, talked about the team’s preparation for upcoming games, and discussed adapting to the updated roster.
Photo — BLAST, Stephanie Lindgren.
