During FISSURE Playground 3 in Suzhou, MN spoke with young The MongolZ player Zolbayar tikuak Chimedtseren. He discussed adapting to tier-one Counter-Strike and changing habits from the Asian scene and shared his impressions of constant international travel and life in a new roster.
You joined The MongolZ around three months ago. What has been the biggest challenge in adapting to the main roster? Have there been any difficulties at all?
Probably getting used to a more passive holding style. In smaller Asian teams, we peek a lot. Now that I am playing tier-one Counter-Strike, it is very difficult to control my peeks.
— tikuak
How are you finding the constant travel around the world? Is the schedule difficult when you spend one week in China, another in Serbia, and then perhaps fly to France the following week?
Yes, the first two tournaments were difficult for me. I think I was simply very tired. But now I feel like I have gotten used to it.
— tikuak
Who is your best teammate in The MongolZ? Had you played together before joining the team?
Probably darkmeister. We joined The MongolZ at the same time. But no, we did not play together in the academy. This is actually the first time we have been on the same team.
— tikuak
How did your parents react when you told them that you wanted to become a professional Counter-Strike player?
At first, they were completely against it. They kept telling me, ‘No, you need to go to school,’ and things like that. But after a few months — around half a year with Chinggis Warriors — they started to understand: ‘Okay, if this is the career you are choosing, you can give it a try.’ After I joined The MongolZ, they became incredibly supportive.
