“I was told that Spirit will fit my ideas. But later, they declined.” Degster on why he left, matchfixing in CS:GO, and his upbringingInterview

Professional CS:GO competitor Abdulkhalik “degster” Gasanov recently appeared on a Russian-language podcast, sharing insights about his unconventional upbringing, resisting authoritarian family dynamics, and the circumstances surrounding his exit from Team Spirit.

Abdul revealed he possessed the necessary abilities to pursue a professional Dota 2 career during his early gaming days. He attempted to join a local tournament roster, but experienced competitors hesitated to include a younger player due to accountability concerns.

Makhachkala featured a gaming establishment I recall named Cyber Arena. During one tournament team selection process, I contacted every squad needing roster completion. My preferred roles included carry or mid positions. The most considerate teams responded: “Your skills seem promising, but your youth presents complications since we frequently use explicit language.”

The disappointment led me to completely abandon Dota 2. Entirely.

Degster discussed extensively his pattern of skipping secondary school and later college sessions. Despite demonstrating academic capability, his video game dedication caused significant class absences, and he never considered formal education particularly beneficial. He nevertheless achieved predominantly excellent grades upon completion.

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Eventually, degster found Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and committed to rigorous improvement. He described practicing specific targeting exercises for eight continuous hours daily. The training emphasized tracking precision: maintaining crosshair alignment on moving targets for five-second intervals before executing headshots. Abdul advises against adopting such extreme training regimens for most players.

Degster consistently challenged elder authority figures and opposed traditional hierarchical structures, which carries significant cultural weight in Caucasian societies. Frequent disputes with relatives also characterized this period.

My eldest uncle (among my father’s ten siblings) confronted me stating: “Your computer gaming pursuits are worthless, you’ll inevitably get defrauded. Why are you glaring at me that way?” My facial expression reflected genuine anger. I consistently express emotional authenticity. When addressed disrespectfully, I demonstrate my feelings transparently. The interaction concluded with my uncle threatening: “Change that expression immediately or I’ll physically discipline you.”

I negotiated a twelve-month trial period with my family to demonstrate professional viability, after which they would cease interference. My father intervened: “I’ll authorize that timeframe, I trust your judgment, pursue your chosen path. Disregard his [uncle’s] comments.” Presently, this same uncle demonstrates exceptional respect toward me, exceeding that shown to anyone else.

He celebrated delivering his initial Counter-Strike earnings home. Immediately following this achievement, he transitioned to remote education and concentrated fully on CS:GO professional development. Abdul found college disappointing because it duplicated secondary school curriculum, and he believed all essential knowledge was accessible online.

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Abdul encountered individuals suggesting match manipulation. He consistently rejected these proposals and distanced himself from such influences. He asserted that several recognizable tier-2 competitors participated in fixed matches.

Numerous professional gamers with established fanbases engage in match-fixing activities. This represents reality. When people approached me about rigging competitive results, I permanently severed communication. This constitutes an absolute dealbreaker. I refuse further interaction with anyone compromising my trust.

Situations occurred where tournament victory prizes were lower than match-fixing payments. I’ll refrain from identifying individuals, but I’m aware of participants receiving substantial compensation. I reject participation in such systems. <…> Uncertain about top-tier scenes, but occurrences happen at lower competitive levels.

Degster acknowledged his unwillingness to reside in Serbia for nine continuous months, though this didn’t singularly cause his Team Spirit departure. Based on his account, the organization requested patience for developmental adaptation to his concepts but ultimately reneged on their commitment.

I questioned teammates regarding previously made assurances. I sought modifications to my gameplay approach. Certain proposed adjustments were fundamentally incompatible. After joining OG I discovered the necessary support structure. During my Spirit tenure, a discussion occurred where leadership stated: “Abdul, we require specific actions from you. We recognize your innovative approaches have merit, but our collective inexperience prevents universal implementation.” Do you comprehend the implication?

From my perspective, this reflects capability thresholds. Competent players can integrate my strategic concepts. I’m not suggesting Spirit lacks such individuals currently. However, circumstances evolved: initially I received promises about eventual integration of my ideas. Later, management questioned: “Why implement changes when current strategies produce victories.”

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He contrasted Spirit’s methodology with OG’s approach. The European organization demonstrated greater flexibility accommodating and executing his tactical theories.

After transferring to OG, leadership declared: “Execute your preferred strategies, we’ll adapt accordingly.” This represents my essential requirement. I maintain competitive drive, enthusiasm, and innovative concepts. Strategic creativity proves vital. Previously, I received instructions to analyze recordings and replicate. I complied with those directives. Currently, I develop original strategic frameworks.

Degster currently represents no organization while negotiating with various teams. He won’t compete in IEM Cologne, determining future plans following the competitive break. He anticipates his next team composition will be European-based.

No reproduction without permission：Game Guides » “I was told that Spirit will fit my ideas. But later, they declined.” Degster on why he left, matchfixing in CS:GO, and his upbringingInterview Professional CS:GO player degster reveals his journey from rebellious youth to esports success and team challenges