dastan on the role of a sniper captain: “It could be a bonus”
PARIVISION coach Dastan “dastan” Akbaev spoke during a personal livestream about the team’s training process, expectations for its results, and the specifics of the roster’s structure.
On the training process
Our typical day: We’re currently in a phase of development and discussions. I schedule at least five practice sessions—that’s five hours. There’s a six-hour break between them for lunch. You don’t always get up just in time for a practice session—you get up before it starts. And yes, let’s say the evening discussions run long. Sometimes... You spend the whole day discussing things without playing practice sessions. Well, on average, plan for at least ten hours of playtime. Specifically, eight hours of actual gameplay. But, I think—and here’s something new I’ll tell you, for the younger players—a lot of time is needed for discussions. Since Counter-Strike is a game of teamwork, especially at the stage when you’re just forming a team, you have to spend a lot of time agreeing on strategies and planning. Plus, now, in 2026, the number of rounds and interactions is much higher than it was five years ago. So it’s very energy-intensive.
On Expectations
You know, sometimes the thought crosses my mind: “We’re not going to make it through this; things will go badly, and we’ll end up back in qualifiers.” Well, I don’t think anyone wants that, and management will continue to make decisions, but I think that if you’re strong, you’ll be able to make the leap from any point—whether it’s Tier 2 or Tier 3.
On Team Structure
I always notice that if the rifler is the captain, it probably simplifies the structure a lot and makes the game itself easier, so to speak. Every now and then, yes, I think about it—about whether it’s possible and to what extent Zheka could switch to the rifle role and so on. Yes, thoughts like that cross my mind, but since there’s no need to think about it right now, I don’t dwell on them. <...> If the team is well-coordinated and has been playing together for a long time, then having a sniper as captain can actually be a bonus.
Earlier, Dastan “dastan” Akbaev spoke about Natus Vincere’s slump, the characteristics of PARIVISION’s playstyle, and the development of Kazakhstan’s professional scene. According to the coach, his team is struggling due to constant roster changes, and the development of Kazakhstani players is hindered by poor training conditions and a lack of experienced captains.
Photo by Adela Sznajder, ESL.
