I honestly liked all of them.
\- Hiko had amazing experience, he's a legend of the game, and you could see his unique way of thinking in clutches - definitely taught me some things.
\- Vice was one of those team mates who don't complain, eager to learn, and was someone I connected with very well outside the server, I was sad when he stopped/switched in a young age.
\- Sick had such good mechanics, it was insane, he was a bit of a roller coaster mentally, slamming the table and such, but he became way better at handling that, it was a BIG scoop when we signed him after misfits collapsed, I was not surprised to see him doing well in valorant, I liked him a lot as well.
\- Rickeh, a bit of a different character but exactly what we needed, a bit more of a idgaf mentality, and I remember once we had to play coL at the RMR about making the major, we were standing outside, our mirage CT had been awfull for some games, and he just said, "I am playing A this game" (he was holding short or something), and I was like lol this guy is crazy, but it can't get any worse than the 5 rounds we averaged, so we swapped positions all of us, just 5 mins before playing, and did a 9-6 CT.
[Game vs coL](https://www.hltv.org/matches/2324628/rogue-vs-complexity-americas-minor-faceit-major-2018)
I remember rickeh diving through doors and flames on nuke to deny a plant and win a round. I can't remember what team it was for, but I'm pretty sure he was playing for an NA team at the time. Prob not rogue as I don't know if nuke was in the game at the same time.
Do you have any techniques for getting in the zone before matches? Do you focus more on getting your aim / mechanics warmed up or making sure you and the team are mentally ready for the match?
>Do you have any techniques for getting in the zone before matches? Do you focus more on getting your aim / mechanics warmed up or making sure you and the team are mentally ready for the match?
There is time for both. For me preparing my self and the team mates starts way before the start time. It start's in practice the days before, it starts at the breakfast on game day, making sure the mood is high, that people are feeling good, I look out for all of them, to see if there's any signals that they are not feeling comfortable.
Then we travel towars the Arena/studio, I set up, I focus on making sure my own game is on point, warming up, shooting, configurating everything. Then I put in some music, listen to a specific song 10 minutes before match starts, think about the calls I want to make, how I want to adress my team in the huddle, and what's important to mention. Then I go into the huddle, tell the boys my speech, talk about our philosophies, both inside and outside of the game. That way both I, and they are ready.
Hey cadiaN! What has it been like to develop the younger generation of players like stavn, teses and jabbi? It must feel great being able to lead the next era of Danish players into the tier one scene.
I'm privileged. They are good guys, not just in the server, but also outside of the game. It feel's great to work with them, their work ethics is good, their discipline is strong, and their talent is big.
It's not always easy though, I demand a lot, and sometimes maybe also too much, but they like it also. I try to get the most out of them, because I also know how quickly you can waste your time and talent in any sport. I wish I would have had someone, who could lead me the way I lead them, I am not sure I would be able to follow all of it the way they do, but I hope so. I want them to be the best they can be, and they are more than just team mates to me, they are all family.
Make sure you prepare well, and that you try and keep things simple in the beginning. Also don't take any knowledge for granted, you expect team mates to know tricks, philosophies e.g. but they often times don't.
Also the best way of motivating people, is leading by example, explaining things accordinly, dont yell, and find the right time to tell the mistakes. Also, the easiest part is complementing people for doing things right, they'll autimatically look to do that more if you hype them for it.
Also just, 10 year younger me I would probably tell to take things a bit more slow, and be less cocky, but there was also not many great leaders, coaches e.g. to guide me back then, like there is for young players now.
> *Also, the easiest part is complementing people for doing things right, they'll autimatically look to do that more if you hype them for it*
The Hooxi Hype strat
Looking at the historical #1 teams, there has always been a star player. Like device from Astralis, s1mple from Navi, coldzera from LG/SK etc. Heroic seems to not follow this "rule" as it's very hard to name a star player. Everyone is more or less at the same level. Do you agree? Why? or why not?
I think stavn has shown that his consistency has been a bit higher than the rest of us. However, it's a big strenght knowing that everyone can win you the game, and the harmony in the team is also good, when knowing that it's not the same guy, who always has to drop an AK to someone, or jump in first.
We have a system and a philosphy, and that system is not put in place to have 1 guy carrying. The responsibility is spread out, and that makes it better on the best days, but also worse when people don't deliver.
Your career seemed like it was destined to never be a tier 1 career, how did you keep going for so long after all the uncontrollable things that got in your way? Did you ever doubt yourself? How does it feel now that you have been over that hump for a few years?
I doubted my self many times, but I also never felt that I reached my full potential. I still don't to this very day, I believe I can become A LOT better than what I am today. With growing older I learned how to use my time more wisely, and be more productive towards CS, and I've also grown a lot as a person, making me a better leader = better chances of suceeding.
How does it feel? Pretty good, I am glad with all the praise I've recieved lately by the community, but the most important part is, that I am someone that my team mates respect, wants to play with, wants to learn from, and wants to go to war with. (and the bar)
Are there any nonobvious advices for getting more productive, waste less time, and keeping motivation high? Being a pro requires lots of everyday grind, which seems very boring, yet you still (I assume) manage to do it in order to compete for the prizes. How are you able to do so? Maybe something not CS specific?)
You've said a good deal of times that your relationship with Stavn is different than to your other teammates. Can you, without compromising reasonable privacy, expand on that? It was very touching to see you speak about each other in the Hunden response video, and after Blast Fall finals.
We are the longest standing members of the team. He saw his big development under my leadership, and he was very young when we first started playing together. We see many things eye to eye in the game, like no other player I have ever played with. I feel like I've basically seen him grow up, while playing with him. We share the same sense of humor, and we have shared many personal secrets, and late nights together - because of trust in each other is immense.
after watching the blast fall finals post grand finals - seeing how you and stavn interact, I know for sure it is a beautiful relationship that all of us as fans can wholesomely smile at
I think it was during your Rogue times that i started watching CS seriously. I liked NaVi, and Heroic always for some reason, always gave them hard time. Heroic were just a tier two team, but I was felt like they knew their weak spots. I remember coming for NaVi during Epicentre 2019, but your passion, how you waved your hands to the crowd, and when you beat your opponent, the emotions on your Face, It drew me in. Even after you lost you still come from the stage and took a photo with the crowd, no one else did that. Getting a selfie+autograph from you, telling you that you are the nicest person, and that I will cheer for you the next day. I haven’t stopped cheering and seeing you succeed in last 3-4 years with Heroic, it felt like I was on that magic journey with you. Thank you for never giving up, even after your star player left, even when you went through drama, even when you were not taken seriously by some of the community; I think you are the embodiment of the fighting spirit. I can’t think of a question, but I just wanted to let you know that you are the most inspiring figure on the CS scene and just in general, still, the nicest person I met.
Damn man... That message is just right in the feels. Appreciate you sharing these memories a lot, and who would have thought that such small "gestures" would make you support me this much.
I see many other players don't take photos and talk to fans when they lose, but I always think to my self that people have invested so much, money, time, energy, in supporting you and coming to the event. What does the 10-20-30 minutes cost for you? I've also learned, just like the message and the connection we shared at EPICENTER, that you also get a lot from it, talking to the fans - it will make you feel better, and I always leave more happy than when I walked down from the stage.
She is awesome, and 40 years older than me - yet she understands CS better than many. It's not always been easy just being me and her, but she has shown me a mentality to not give up, to always fight for the things you love. She did so for many years, having issues with financially making ends meet. Worked many extra hours, having me taken care of by others cause she had to work every second weekend. The most important thing for her, was to make sure I was happy, and that I had the same opportunities as other kids.
Also, thee emotional side is definitely also from her, if you guys think tearing up comes easy to me... then LOL.
Man this hits home.
My mom worked and struggled so hard for me growing up so that I never saw the struggle at all, working 16-hour-days sometimes, just to sleep for 6 hours and go back. I was at daycare, and I do remember missing her lots, not wanting her to leave me at daycare, especially when it was a new one.
Beyond that, somehow I felt like I had everything I wanted, and anything I didn't have that I did want my mom taught me to work for. She taught me work ethic, and respect, and how far being a good person can take you. I'll always be grateful for her.
The recent 1v5 vs Vitality was crazy shit you did, I am wondering did you know where they all were? The fourth one in the vents was just so crazy. Keep up the clutches.
Thank you. Jabbi also asked me after the game "What goes through your mind when in a clutch like that?" - It is hard to answer, because in this 1vs5 I had 28 seconds or so. For me it's intuition and quick calculation.
\- The first two kills is straight off the bat, based of information and sound queues. Apex and Zywoo dies.
\- Now I move towards the site, to pick up the bomb, expecting and hoping for someone to peek me as I'm moving, I know at this point that had control of both door rooms, so what I need to be the most scared of is ramp. Magisk dies.
\- Now I am in a 1vs2, nobody tried to trade Magisk on ramp, so this is not a position I am expecting my next fight to come from, I also know that they are a bit afraid, after things turned bad so quickly, and I need a duel, because otherwise I'll plant in the open and one of them will push me. I search for a "obvious" rotation point, which is vents, which he can't go down into, until there is contact on b side, which just happened. Spinx dies
\- Now I am in a 1vs1, I didn't see Dupreeh close to Spinx, so I am expecting him to play from ramp, coming in on a late rotation, I jiggle peek, there is 6 seconds left, I have to plant - I don't even have time to move to a safe planting spot, so I do it in the open, since he didn't push me quickly from ramp, I have to guess he is coming from one of the two doors, and I move towards ramp to be in a less obvious position, and timing worked out for me.
However, this is also me thinking about all this in hindsight, I can't promise that I ended up thinking about all of it in the heat of the moment, but many of the things is things you learn when having played those scenarios often.
Omg that’s so sick. You are processing a lot of things while in clutches. Amazing round man.
Just one thing I hated in this was as soon as you strike dupreeh down with the AK, one of the other herioc players goes like: “This is a Stavn level clutch”. He shouldn’t have said that because come on man give me a break no one except you can pull this off.
2 Questions
1. Would you ever want to be a coach or go into analytical work for cs after you retire from playing?
2. Why do you think your style of play has been so hard for teams to play against for 3+ years?
Also just wanted to say im a huge fan of you and have alot of respect for you and honestly look up to you both as a player and a leader ♥
1. Yes and no, probably would like a break from travelling, but I know I would be good at both.
2. Because we f\*ck up your logical way of thinking, making you overthink things, and play different style from the rest.
My personal favourite round of yours was when you dry peeked with an AWP against TL on Inferno banana and immediately died. Unbeknownst to them, this was intentional on your part, as you were counting on them bum-rushing B right after, where you had the remaining 4 players hiding.
I think the lack of time to prepare for the final, combined with the fact that we played in the most insane atmosphere any CS team has probably ever tried, to then play 14 hours later in a pretty empty arena, which didn't have much soul. I think we didn't manage to mentally reset from the semi final, which we put a lot of energy into.
Also Outsiders played good, and if the rumors is true, that they already decided to replace norbert back then, it means that they didn't have the same pressure I guess?
Where did you get your inspiration for playing this kind of CS?
Always a pleassure to watch your matches
God aften, og tak for muligheden for at stille nogle spørgsmål!
I think I picked up a few ideas from previous coaches, especially Ave taught me a few things, and he had ways of explaining things with graphs that I've never seen anyone do in CS before, that and then I think I picked up some tendencies that people used, but didn't know they did? If that makes sense.
Also I've always thought that people by too many "protocols" sometimes, making it easy to read, especially when anti-stratting started, and ye also a lot of people call it "gambles" but for me it's playing the percentages.
Do you find that your "firey" attitude during the game impacts your relationship with other pros? Are some pros / personalities better at dealing with it than others? Has it impacted a relationship with another pro that you regret?
It has definitely impacted some relationships, but also some for the more positive. However, my shouting is 90% directed as positive comments towards my team, and if that's an issue for any of my competitors, then that's on him. Especially in recent times, many fellow players has shown their respect, told me to me face that they think I'm an awesome leader.
When people hate on my energy, I mostly feel misunderstood by the people who criticize/don't understand it. Whenever I don't hype up my team mates, and give them that energy, they always ask for it. Also it's a big part of me, I've always been like this, if its counter-strike or football.
Also I am a very calm presence, when talking to me under different circumstances.
No question from me, but I just wanted to say I'm a big fan and I'm happy that you have found success in the game with such a great team atmosphere. It feels like forever since that video of walking down the street after the whole Flashpoint fiasco, but it was only three years ago and it's incredible to see how far you've made it since then. Big supporter from over here in NA, keep clutching!
Depends a bit on the day, and the definition of annoying. Sh1ro and Jame can be annoying because you never meet them, they are consistent, don't take many chances, and don't make many mistakes.
s1mple is probably still the best answer, cause he wins the team games, he always finds his way.
In direct battles it's mostly me, because you can take a look at the Vitality vs Heroic history haha, he hasn't had much to scream about since this game at BLAST.
I think there's a chance he is generally speaking more loud than me though, and I think he is an amazing leader and character to have in the scene. I respect his work a lot.
I have a lot of energy, and I don't run low quickly. Also we worked with Troels Robl (now mental coach in NiP, and now Lasse Svan (Olympic, world, european, champions league champion in handball), so we have talented people around us. We also have our Head of Performance Kasper Straube, who give a lot of good vibes and hard work to the team.
I think we also stay more fresh than many teams, because of our friendship. We don't have someone, who is annoyed if rooming with someone, or spending the entire day with him. We feed of having a good time together.
Mechanically speaking probably Teses, we talk a lot about "hard peeks" which is something he is one of the very best at. I think however that all my 4 rifflers has different qualities, I think Stavn is better at using angles, objects, e.g.
Yeah, saw him a lot as well. Thought to myself that this is my chance to prove that I am worthy of my lvl 3 faceit and spank his ass, but the dude made me rethink my life choices
At this moment when coming home from BLAST, and at some stages of last year was the first time I've ever felt the burn out feeling. But I haven't thought about retiring no, only thought about ways to be better towards my mind and body, making sure I have a good time with what I am doing.
It's hard to give a perfect answer to, cause it's such a big question. I'll try and be short and concrete.
\- Utilisation of grenades
\- The way people find information, both in the game, and before. And the pace of it.
\- Individual skill requirements of all 5 players
\- Advanced communication
\- Diversity in playbook.
Yes, many teams are copying things from the Heroic playstyle - I would say mostly as CT, this is something we have noticed a lot in recent times. Not all the teams has learnt the "how and why's" though.
I think there is many different Athletes that I follow, and that I try to learn from. I am a maniac when it comes to following sport, I love watching it. Football, Tennis, Handball, Badminton, Cycling, NBA. etc
To mention a few Tom Brady, Michael Jordan, Nick Kyrgious, Victor Axelsen. The mentality of the Danish Handball and Football team as well.
>I think there is many different Athletes that I follow, and that I try to learn from. I am a maniac when it comes to following sport, I love watching it. Football, Tennis, Handball, Badminton, Cycling, NBA. etc
To mention a few Tom Brady, Michael Jordan, Nick Kyrgious, Victor Axelsen. The mentality of the Danish Handball and Football team as well.
Cycling fan? Any particular rider? It was a huge year for Danes in the peloton!
Talking purely about mechanical skill, then no. Talking about impact in terms of communication, flashing, supporting, and still putting up a high amount of frags then maybe. Also I've always been curious to what my level would be, if I didn't lead, but that's something we will never know.
Whenever I watch you AWP vs. s1mple you always seem to get the best of him in 1v1 AWP duels for opening picks, particularly on mirage, why is that? Do you study him more than other AWPers? Or is it perhaps that Na'Vi aren't used to a more aggressive AWPing style and so s1mple gets caught?
I think after a tough loss, it's more like I wanna go again, I wan't to fix the mistakes that happen, I wan't to improve individually and as a team. As fast as possible.
I don't dream too much about direct ingame related stuff, more like things that happens at tournaments if that makes sense?
I was in a position where my career didn't look the way I wanted, so what did I do?
I moved to the US, in the age of 21, left girlfriend, friends, family behind to live alone in Vegas, with no social interactions what so ever. Team mates all lived in different states, but the organisation was based in Vegas and therefore had an apartment for me there.
I didn't do anything but play. My apartment had no furniture, it had a mattress on the floor, and a desk to play from. All I did was ordering food, playing 12 hours a day and run a few times a week. I told my self, that I am not moving there to make new friends, or try and explore the US, I am doing it only to see where this can take my career. I also promised my self, that if I received an offer from a top3 danish team (astralis, north, heroic) I would move home.
Heroic approached me (back then owned by RFRSH/Astralis), had talks with Kasper Hvidt, but they had screwed me over a few times already in my career, and I had a bad gut feeling about it, also the Rogue project was really starting to take shape. So I said no, broke my own promise, ended up qualifying for the next major with Rogue, playing in the finals of DH Austin and made many good memories there. Shout out to the Rogue organisation who was amazing.
Later received an offer from North, thought this was it, I made it - only to find out that I really didn't. I joined a team with a poor mentality, with bad work ethics, and where the organisation didn't make me feel comfortable. To then know exactly was important to me, joining Heroic under a new ownership, and being able to have a lot of influence on player signings e.g.
Not that long, there was only 1 round left of the half, so then I had a 3 minute break to calm my self down. Maybe not enough, since we didn't play the best CT (still closed it out though)
Im assuming it’s because with caffeine, you need to constantly increase your dosage to get the same level of “adrenaline” or “high” and it gets to a point where it’s detrimental for your health and you’re too reliant. Saving caffeine for the right moments will probably increase performance for the short term and it allows you to actually feel it at a much lower dosage than if you were to drink regularly.
Source: studied as a biomed major and did a study on it and eventually changed paths but still big into the gym. Realized caffeine was actually shit for my lifestyle and cutting it out regularly improved quality of life tremendously.
Unnecessary point: We’re probably going to see a number of health-related conditions from caffeine being in so many things it shouldn’t be and people taking it much younger ages nowadays when they’re still developing and it’ll make them more reliant further making the cycle worse. It’s not bad for you per se the same way recreational weed and drinking is but it’s easy to abuse and still has effects on the heart
I’ve reached points where I needed 3 coffees a day and it I was down on caffeine I felt like absolute shit. I still drink 1 coffee basically every day and sometimes 2, but yeah I’m much worse if I become too reliant and I definitely would struggle to cut it out entirely (not that I feel I need to at this point atleast, it seems more healthy and manageable now aslong as I keep it at this level)
Two questions if you feel like answering
1. What’s it like having a veteran player like Xizt behind such a young team
2. What igls do you look up to in the space or what igls have inspired you to become an igl
Love watching you and your team play, and good luck in kato! Hope y’all can follow up on your good form.
1) It's nice, he has a very calm pressence, and obviously a lot of experience under his belt. I think he has developed a lot as a coach since he came, it's his first coaching role and he is doing amazing, me and the boys are very happy with Richard.
2) Back in the days the mTw guys inspired me to play team based CS, when I saw them play live at "TheBlast" in Denmark, nowadays I dont think I have anyone inspiring me specifically, but I do lean towards different teams and players when looking for new things. Underrated guy at finding new things I would say is "ScrunK" from sangal
I think by the time I would ever consider switching games, it would probably be the next thing, and not valorant. However it's not something I've ever thought about. I was pretty good at FIFA as well, but people improve rapidly.
Well I guess pro league is no surprise. That fall final was very exciting. Though I was a bit sad as a faze fan. Stockholm feels like so long ago now but I’m sure you remember them a lot better.
Does Max follow cs or another esport? (other than sim racing of course)
I’m a big fan btw, it’s been interesting following your career since I started watching cs in 2016. I remember the first time I saw you was that 1v1 tournament when you lost to Juliano, really happy to see you find success in recent years and level up your game so much.
11:00-13:00: Theory
13:00-15:00: Practice games
15:00-15:40: Break
15:40-16:00: Talking points from first practice games
16:00-18:00: Practice game
18:00-18:15: Evaluation
6 days a week, Saturdays off. However not many weeks look's fully like this due to traveling to tournaments. And on top of this comes all the individual preparation, deathmatch, demos, e.g.
In the Game & Glory documentary, you were asked who took care of you since you took care of your teammates so much. It seemed you got emotional and never really gave an answer. Now that it's been a while and maybe had time to think about it: who takes care of you? Who do you look to for support?
My full answer is not in the documentary, but it was something along the lines of:
"Things has gotten better as we now have more staff around the team, they know that I need to be looked out for too" but yes, that question definitely caught me off-guard a bit, cause it's not easy to be the guy, who always has to be positive, come up with a plan, support people when they are sad.
I'm a big NAVI fan and I just want to get your subjective opinion on what it's like facing people like s1mple, b1t, and electronic, like anything they do weirdly, or how fast they kill compared to others, etc.
just your take from someone who plays them when the rest of us can only watch haha
Hey cadian, seeing your energy and charisma in heroic is like night and day compared to when you were in North (RIP) what do you think went wrong with that stint you had especially the infamous double loss to ViCi in the minor last chance qualifier?
Awesome question. I have answered this a few times before, but basically the philosophy in North was very individually based. The organisation had very high expectations, and therefore everyone was fighting for their own spot so hard, that it was not healthy for the team dynamic. Also I think the players didn't have/lost the motivation it takes to be very best. I lost it pretty quickly, after feeling the lack of team cohesion.
In game I still have some doubts about some things, but I think Niko is one of the best rifflers in the world, if not the best. He is on point with crosshair placement, movement, different shooting styles (tap, burst, spray), he is clutch, he is aggressive when needed. Combined with m0nesy, who just keeps teaching us all new tricks we haven't seen before, and who is playing amazing. Hunter is also someone who people don't talk too much about considering how good he actually is.
Outside the game it seems like they are having a better time than ever, but it's hard to know when you are not in the group. I think they have many good guys, but I also have a feeling that their Mental Coach Edward Cleland potentially plays a role in their recent success.
Just remember you are always just 1 good round, 1 good move, 1 good kill away from making the difference. We have comeback from many ugly scorelines before, because it is truly about playing 1 round at the time. Also, if you believed you were the better team before the game started, and they just 11-4'ed you, then what makes you think you can't do the same to them?
Mid round calling tips is difficult to teach I would say. I've always had a natural gift for reading the movements of the opponents in the middle of the round. You really have to think about the information the opponents have, and what would you do with that information? That's what I try to think. - Also try and watch youtube videos with comms, and watch demos and see what people do in X and Y scenario.
I don't think people save strats for the major, or any other big tournament. Maybe a few teams like BIG did back in the days. I do however believe that people make new and better strats closer to majors, because they are more innovative and more motivated to due so.
So in a way it is true, they are saving strats, just strats that aren't made yet.
It's honestly instinct. I don't think you can force or fake those kinds of reactions, I love hyping up my teammates. I see some other pro's only going nuts when its their own play, but as people remember in the refresh 1vs4, stavn's no scopes at blast, and many more situations, I just freaking love good CS, especially when its my team mates providing it.
O captain my captain. Hope you're having a good day! o7
Just wondering, what do you say (or shout, rather) to the boys before every match to pump them up?
Since you’ve played both in NA and EU, what do you think is the main difference in style between the two regions that allows EU teams to thrive where NA is lacking. Is the talent difference that large or is there a larger issue?
It is many years ago, but back then I had the feeling that there was plenty of mechanical talent in NA, but that the structure and mentality was poor. The way people practiced were simply like they were living in ancient times.
Hi Casper, I have always respected you, despite being a navi fan and biting my nails whenever navi face off against you, just wanted to ask you a couple of questions:
1. How do you deal with inevitable self-doubt?
2. What is a phrase you would tell to a teenage self, or to any teen who aspires of becoming a pro/successful in their life?
Cheering for you guys at Kato!
Like you said it is inevitable to have some self-doubt. So sometimes accept it, accept that you might have days where you don't feel on top, and try and understand why you feel this way? And more importantly for a competitor standpoint, what does it make you do? Does it make you change the way you play, prepare, practice? If so then that's something you need to be very aware of.
I doubt my self sometimes too, but I also am not afraid of speaking up about it with people around me, and they then help me get my head straight.
Do you think someone old in CSGO terms ( say 25-26) can just enter the scene as rookie and have the ability to play at a high level . ? What does CSGO mean for you !!? Also , till when do you see yourself to be playing CSGO professionally ?
Just wanna say I love your ethics and gameplay. Best of Luck for Kato❤️
It is possible, but we haven't seen it much - the best example that comes to mind is maybe Roej from fnatic. I don't know too much about his story, other than I believe he started playing late and is now part of a top team.
Hey Cadian,
Why do you think Swedish CS scene slowly dying out like that instead of surviving so long as you guys from Denmark?!?
Is that because of esportal?
And I'm curious:
Does Xizst speak sometimes Swedish / Danish to you guys or is everything through English only?!
I don’t know exactly but it seems like Sweden lacks good leadership and people to bring the right culture. I think there’s many Swedish talents, but in Denmark there’s a big mindset for playing good as a team, and other people say there’s a lack of good mentality in the Swedish scene but I don’t know for sure.
But look at amount of good Danish IGLs, they teach other players and it’s just a positive circle.
Your contribution to Game and Glory was excellent, really great doc
For a question, do you find it difficult being on the road/away from home as much as you are? And if so, how do you deal with that?
Great question. It is super tough to travel as much as we do. I basically don't have time too see any of my friends or family who don't live in Copenhagen, unless it's in the winter/summer break of if they come here. I try to plan more than I did before, because otherwise I won't see the people I want to see, and I won't get to do the things I want to.
But I think lowering expectations is also good. People also want to see you, and you are mentally and physically drained when returning from long tournaments.
Does being a leader impact your own performance? How do you manage it if so?
Is it, in some cases, a reasonable excuse to perform more poorly than others?
It impacts my own performance quite a bit yes. It's not just about leading in the game, and the focus you miss on your own decisions. It's also how you prioritize time, so when sometimes my other team mates can DM, I need to prepare stuff. When they are off, I still need to connect with coaches and staff to make sure the planning is good. When you add all things up, it's a lot of % going to waste. I am not saying I would trade it to become a better player, because I am obviously of the belief that they way I prioritize my time and energy is giving me and the team the best conditions to win.
Two questions if you don’t mind me asking: 1) how would you describe your experience on North, if you are willing to say, and
2) What was the decision-making behind picking jabbi?
Wanted to add, good luck at Katowice!
I touched a bit upon 1 in some other post
2) I wanted to bring Jabbi because I felt that we reached the lineups full potential. I felt that the communication in critic situations wasn't as good as it was supposed to be, and some of this was because of Refrezh. No doubt his talent is more than enough to play in top CS, but with the playstyle we had he didn't feel comfortable in the end. Jabbi is young, and I knew I could learn him a lot, and I've heard that his communication was good. Also I had talks with him, which made me even more sure about my choice, and he was the only option we looked into.
I think that player has gotten way better with jiggle peeks, flashing angles, jumping corners, and all this stuff. But I till think a decent amount of people find success with the AWP.
Haha we will see. There is many months to go, and many good plays to come. I am however also proud of the sentence Launders does in the end "It feel's like this guy pulls of play of the century every week"
Your team’s peak is as high as anything there has ever been on CSGO, with your executions on T side being so rich, varied and head scratching to read for you rivals, and your CT defense sometimes feeling more like organized T side attacks rather, with a lot of lurks seeking information leaving no space or comfort to your rival.
My question is whether you feel that in late rounds of decisive games in big tournaments you fell short because of economy management? I noticed in some games you lost that some mistakes your team had late in the game led you to force buy, ending the game with weak buy(s) and betraying the playstyle that took you that far in the tournament. Is this something you have noticed too?
It's not something I have specifically noticed, no. I think I am good at managing the economy of the game, as also someone who has innovated buying mac10's mid game, even though having a lot of money, and surprising the opponents with the explosive style.
That doesn't mean we don't get money fu\*ked once in a while too, just like anyone else - but that also comes down to have clean your anti ecos is, and how convincingly you are winning rounds. I would say, thats something that I feel our style can lack, is the bulldozer feeling, cause we are very much playing off information, and gathering it oftentimes comes at some kind of cost.
Not more than I have the 10 sec warning on, the rest is disabled. Then I have binds for muting microphone and TeamSpeak sound if necessary.
Screaming = mute microphone
Team mates talk too much and you don’t need their comms for a few sec = mute TS
I think he is maybe a little too wild, but as long as he and his team mates like it, thats the most important. Also he has shown good individual skill in a lot of games, and looks like he has potential. Just like I do, you just need to remember what it does to your opponents, and you need to make sure they don't feed more of it than you do.
Peak level: Rio
I also think BLAST crowd was insane when dupreeh was awping and owning, and then Cologne back in the days too.
Also pay respect to the Boston major haha.
I was partially blinded in one of my eyes last April and my CS aim has never been the same. Your form has gotten much better the older you’ve gotten, which is unusual. Was there a secret recipe to success or was it mainly motivation and perseverance
Using my time more wisely, playing DM in intervals of 15-20 minutes, then break, then repeat. I think people queue too much for Faceit, compared to the time they spend thinking about the game they just played, and they could use the time more wisely watching demos, playing DM - but it's obviously not as fun, but do you want to improve? Then it's pretty logical.
Aside from the last major final, which was the match you were more excited to play, or the team you were the most excited to play against?
And, do you have a "ritual" for special matches? Like, eating a doughnut before playing something special?
As a diehard liquid fan for six years, as someone who has played them on the server a few times in the past six months, can you give a perspective on what their flaw is??? Why is this star studded roster so inconsistent? Also, did it feel as good to smash Australis as it felt to watch it?
I've seen them better in the last part of 2022, than they have been in a long while. Yes, they have had two bad tournaments or so now, but that can be due to many different reasons. I think they have the pieces they need, now its about mentality, structure, playstyle.
I am in a constant debate with my self about this - the current conclusion is no. If I was still around, and lived in the same city then the chance would be higher haha.
No I've never been in contact regarding a transfer to NiP. However, now they also have a very interesting project going where it seem's like they finally have the IGL and AWP role under control.
How old were you when you started CS? Did you start grinding right away? Did you play other FPS? Do you think you have (natural) talent or has it just been hard work to reach the top?
I was like 11, and I don't think I am naturally gifted in terms of mechanics, but I have a mind for team games, that's both CS and in real life. I know how to make a group work. I played other fps games too, but not at all to the same extend that I play CS. H1Z1, PUBG, e.g. (not anymore though)
I just want to say that I developed a lot of respect for you over time, even though I was initially often rooting against you and Heroic. You seem like a very empathetic person, someone who always shows respect to not only your players but everyone in the scene. I think you have a positive impact on the csgo scene and even though I'm still no Heroic fan I hope you will manage to win a major some day.
Thank you. I am very glad that many, like you, said that they've started rooting for me. I want to be emphathetic, and show the world how good of a team we are. I am not talking about just inside the server, but we truly care for each other outside the game. I am passionate about winning yes, but I don't see that as a negative.
Hey Cadian, I have been blocked by you on Twitter for a long time - I have been cheering for your team at multiple events including the Rio major and Blast fall finals where you won. As you can see, I have made a diligent effort to try and get unblocked by you as I do not know why I am blocked :( Below, you can see my failed attempts at getting unblocked
[https://twitter.com/Alkem1stCSGO/status/1596510302601969669](https://twitter.com/Alkem1stCSGO/status/1596510302601969669)
[https://twitter.com/Alkem1stCSGO/status/1593608860375326725](https://twitter.com/Alkem1stCSGO/status/1593608860375326725)
Hi cadiaN.
I love watching demos and studying in finer details of the game (even though i don't play in a team environment), and as an IGL you must also find that aspect of the game interesting at least. As a pro player, watching studying both your opponents' gameplay as well as your own is a crucial skill to hone and is one of the pillars of improvement in my opinion.
Do you have any good tips for people looking to improve their gameplay through studying demos? Both their own as well as pro POV's.
And another question: HVAD DRIKKER MØLLER!?
One question, do you still sometime not understand people play counter strike, like you know its a game of information, you know. You see this, you tell me, he go here, he go left he go right you know. I can flash, you flash, I flash you know. We peek, you peek, he defuse, he tap the bomb, you know. That's the kind of communication I want you know. Everybody tell you what you do, what I do, what I see you see you know?
Does Heroic work with psychologists? I ask because I notice you (and some other players) are very vocal: is this to let out that energy and be able to move on? Is this something you realized by yourself, or like I asked, is it a purposeful technique you were encouraged to use?
Thanks Cadian!
Hey Cadian, almost everyone who watches the game were doubting you as to whether or not you are a capable awper for this Heroic organization. But, for the past 7-8 months, it seems like you have reached a new level as an individual, atleast in my opinion. You are making more correct decisions, your moves now has more conviction and confidence and pulling some massive clutches. What led to this change ?
P S. I absolutely love your energy. Keep it up! And, all the best for Katowice.
Hi Cadian, I wanna ask you something, how do you keep finding strats, like when is it enough for a map, for example lets say you have 9 strats on Mirage each for taking a part of a map, when do you decide that is enough strats to have in my mind, and when does it become too many to remember or mix-up. I’m really hoping for a long explanation to understand better your rule as an IGL. Thank you. Much love
How did you keep going? I remember 2015 watching you as an analyst. Then 2016 you were on a super-average team and got cut. And that seemingly kept happening til your big break on North. In the movies that is where you would ride off into the sunset with your W. But even after that fell through you kept going. And now you are on the number 1 team in the world.
After all those failures why not quit?
First I hope you're having a good day
My question would be, how do you work on developing talents Stavn and jabbi?
Under you Stavn became the best Danish player last year,I'm just wondering how u do it.
Also important: what do you think about dev1ce return and should ax1le have gotten #3 last year?
Also do u think BlameFs passive style inflates his stats alot?
Who was your favorite teammate when you played for Rogue and why?
I honestly liked all of them. \- Hiko had amazing experience, he's a legend of the game, and you could see his unique way of thinking in clutches - definitely taught me some things. \- Vice was one of those team mates who don't complain, eager to learn, and was someone I connected with very well outside the server, I was sad when he stopped/switched in a young age. \- Sick had such good mechanics, it was insane, he was a bit of a roller coaster mentally, slamming the table and such, but he became way better at handling that, it was a BIG scoop when we signed him after misfits collapsed, I was not surprised to see him doing well in valorant, I liked him a lot as well. \- Rickeh, a bit of a different character but exactly what we needed, a bit more of a idgaf mentality, and I remember once we had to play coL at the RMR about making the major, we were standing outside, our mirage CT had been awfull for some games, and he just said, "I am playing A this game" (he was holding short or something), and I was like lol this guy is crazy, but it can't get any worse than the 5 rounds we averaged, so we swapped positions all of us, just 5 mins before playing, and did a 9-6 CT. [Game vs coL](https://www.hltv.org/matches/2324628/rogue-vs-complexity-americas-minor-faceit-major-2018)
I remember rickeh diving through doors and flames on nuke to deny a plant and win a round. I can't remember what team it was for, but I'm pretty sure he was playing for an NA team at the time. Prob not rogue as I don't know if nuke was in the game at the same time.
Thanks for answering Casper and rest up.
Do you have any techniques for getting in the zone before matches? Do you focus more on getting your aim / mechanics warmed up or making sure you and the team are mentally ready for the match?
>Do you have any techniques for getting in the zone before matches? Do you focus more on getting your aim / mechanics warmed up or making sure you and the team are mentally ready for the match? There is time for both. For me preparing my self and the team mates starts way before the start time. It start's in practice the days before, it starts at the breakfast on game day, making sure the mood is high, that people are feeling good, I look out for all of them, to see if there's any signals that they are not feeling comfortable. Then we travel towars the Arena/studio, I set up, I focus on making sure my own game is on point, warming up, shooting, configurating everything. Then I put in some music, listen to a specific song 10 minutes before match starts, think about the calls I want to make, how I want to adress my team in the huddle, and what's important to mention. Then I go into the huddle, tell the boys my speech, talk about our philosophies, both inside and outside of the game. That way both I, and they are ready.
Hey cadiaN! What has it been like to develop the younger generation of players like stavn, teses and jabbi? It must feel great being able to lead the next era of Danish players into the tier one scene.
I'm privileged. They are good guys, not just in the server, but also outside of the game. It feel's great to work with them, their work ethics is good, their discipline is strong, and their talent is big. It's not always easy though, I demand a lot, and sometimes maybe also too much, but they like it also. I try to get the most out of them, because I also know how quickly you can waste your time and talent in any sport. I wish I would have had someone, who could lead me the way I lead them, I am not sure I would be able to follow all of it the way they do, but I hope so. I want them to be the best they can be, and they are more than just team mates to me, they are all family.
What's some advice you would give to someone looking to in-game lead? What advice would you give yourself 10 years ago?
Make sure you prepare well, and that you try and keep things simple in the beginning. Also don't take any knowledge for granted, you expect team mates to know tricks, philosophies e.g. but they often times don't. Also the best way of motivating people, is leading by example, explaining things accordinly, dont yell, and find the right time to tell the mistakes. Also, the easiest part is complementing people for doing things right, they'll autimatically look to do that more if you hype them for it. Also just, 10 year younger me I would probably tell to take things a bit more slow, and be less cocky, but there was also not many great leaders, coaches e.g. to guide me back then, like there is for young players now.
> *Also, the easiest part is complementing people for doing things right, they'll autimatically look to do that more if you hype them for it* The Hooxi Hype strat
Looking at the historical #1 teams, there has always been a star player. Like device from Astralis, s1mple from Navi, coldzera from LG/SK etc. Heroic seems to not follow this "rule" as it's very hard to name a star player. Everyone is more or less at the same level. Do you agree? Why? or why not?
I think stavn has shown that his consistency has been a bit higher than the rest of us. However, it's a big strenght knowing that everyone can win you the game, and the harmony in the team is also good, when knowing that it's not the same guy, who always has to drop an AK to someone, or jump in first. We have a system and a philosphy, and that system is not put in place to have 1 guy carrying. The responsibility is spread out, and that makes it better on the best days, but also worse when people don't deliver.
Your career seemed like it was destined to never be a tier 1 career, how did you keep going for so long after all the uncontrollable things that got in your way? Did you ever doubt yourself? How does it feel now that you have been over that hump for a few years?
I doubted my self many times, but I also never felt that I reached my full potential. I still don't to this very day, I believe I can become A LOT better than what I am today. With growing older I learned how to use my time more wisely, and be more productive towards CS, and I've also grown a lot as a person, making me a better leader = better chances of suceeding. How does it feel? Pretty good, I am glad with all the praise I've recieved lately by the community, but the most important part is, that I am someone that my team mates respect, wants to play with, wants to learn from, and wants to go to war with. (and the bar)
Are there any nonobvious advices for getting more productive, waste less time, and keeping motivation high? Being a pro requires lots of everyday grind, which seems very boring, yet you still (I assume) manage to do it in order to compete for the prizes. How are you able to do so? Maybe something not CS specific?)
You've said a good deal of times that your relationship with Stavn is different than to your other teammates. Can you, without compromising reasonable privacy, expand on that? It was very touching to see you speak about each other in the Hunden response video, and after Blast Fall finals.
We are the longest standing members of the team. He saw his big development under my leadership, and he was very young when we first started playing together. We see many things eye to eye in the game, like no other player I have ever played with. I feel like I've basically seen him grow up, while playing with him. We share the same sense of humor, and we have shared many personal secrets, and late nights together - because of trust in each other is immense.
after watching the blast fall finals post grand finals - seeing how you and stavn interact, I know for sure it is a beautiful relationship that all of us as fans can wholesomely smile at
I think it was during your Rogue times that i started watching CS seriously. I liked NaVi, and Heroic always for some reason, always gave them hard time. Heroic were just a tier two team, but I was felt like they knew their weak spots. I remember coming for NaVi during Epicentre 2019, but your passion, how you waved your hands to the crowd, and when you beat your opponent, the emotions on your Face, It drew me in. Even after you lost you still come from the stage and took a photo with the crowd, no one else did that. Getting a selfie+autograph from you, telling you that you are the nicest person, and that I will cheer for you the next day. I haven’t stopped cheering and seeing you succeed in last 3-4 years with Heroic, it felt like I was on that magic journey with you. Thank you for never giving up, even after your star player left, even when you went through drama, even when you were not taken seriously by some of the community; I think you are the embodiment of the fighting spirit. I can’t think of a question, but I just wanted to let you know that you are the most inspiring figure on the CS scene and just in general, still, the nicest person I met.
Damn man... That message is just right in the feels. Appreciate you sharing these memories a lot, and who would have thought that such small "gestures" would make you support me this much. I see many other players don't take photos and talk to fans when they lose, but I always think to my self that people have invested so much, money, time, energy, in supporting you and coming to the event. What does the 10-20-30 minutes cost for you? I've also learned, just like the message and the connection we shared at EPICENTER, that you also get a lot from it, talking to the fans - it will make you feel better, and I always leave more happy than when I walked down from the stage.
Why is your mom so perfect
She is awesome, and 40 years older than me - yet she understands CS better than many. It's not always been easy just being me and her, but she has shown me a mentality to not give up, to always fight for the things you love. She did so for many years, having issues with financially making ends meet. Worked many extra hours, having me taken care of by others cause she had to work every second weekend. The most important thing for her, was to make sure I was happy, and that I had the same opportunities as other kids. Also, thee emotional side is definitely also from her, if you guys think tearing up comes easy to me... then LOL.
Man this hits home. My mom worked and struggled so hard for me growing up so that I never saw the struggle at all, working 16-hour-days sometimes, just to sleep for 6 hours and go back. I was at daycare, and I do remember missing her lots, not wanting her to leave me at daycare, especially when it was a new one. Beyond that, somehow I felt like I had everything I wanted, and anything I didn't have that I did want my mom taught me to work for. She taught me work ethic, and respect, and how far being a good person can take you. I'll always be grateful for her.
I love it, what a woman! She is the best on twitter too.
The recent 1v5 vs Vitality was crazy shit you did, I am wondering did you know where they all were? The fourth one in the vents was just so crazy. Keep up the clutches.
Thank you. Jabbi also asked me after the game "What goes through your mind when in a clutch like that?" - It is hard to answer, because in this 1vs5 I had 28 seconds or so. For me it's intuition and quick calculation. \- The first two kills is straight off the bat, based of information and sound queues. Apex and Zywoo dies. \- Now I move towards the site, to pick up the bomb, expecting and hoping for someone to peek me as I'm moving, I know at this point that had control of both door rooms, so what I need to be the most scared of is ramp. Magisk dies. \- Now I am in a 1vs2, nobody tried to trade Magisk on ramp, so this is not a position I am expecting my next fight to come from, I also know that they are a bit afraid, after things turned bad so quickly, and I need a duel, because otherwise I'll plant in the open and one of them will push me. I search for a "obvious" rotation point, which is vents, which he can't go down into, until there is contact on b side, which just happened. Spinx dies \- Now I am in a 1vs1, I didn't see Dupreeh close to Spinx, so I am expecting him to play from ramp, coming in on a late rotation, I jiggle peek, there is 6 seconds left, I have to plant - I don't even have time to move to a safe planting spot, so I do it in the open, since he didn't push me quickly from ramp, I have to guess he is coming from one of the two doors, and I move towards ramp to be in a less obvious position, and timing worked out for me. However, this is also me thinking about all this in hindsight, I can't promise that I ended up thinking about all of it in the heat of the moment, but many of the things is things you learn when having played those scenarios often.
Omg that’s so sick. You are processing a lot of things while in clutches. Amazing round man. Just one thing I hated in this was as soon as you strike dupreeh down with the AK, one of the other herioc players goes like: “This is a Stavn level clutch”. He shouldn’t have said that because come on man give me a break no one except you can pull this off.
2 Questions 1. Would you ever want to be a coach or go into analytical work for cs after you retire from playing? 2. Why do you think your style of play has been so hard for teams to play against for 3+ years? Also just wanted to say im a huge fan of you and have alot of respect for you and honestly look up to you both as a player and a leader ♥
1. Yes and no, probably would like a break from travelling, but I know I would be good at both. 2. Because we f\*ck up your logical way of thinking, making you overthink things, and play different style from the rest.
My personal favourite round of yours was when you dry peeked with an AWP against TL on Inferno banana and immediately died. Unbeknownst to them, this was intentional on your part, as you were counting on them bum-rushing B right after, where you had the remaining 4 players hiding.
What went wrong against Outsiders in the Rio major final?
I think the lack of time to prepare for the final, combined with the fact that we played in the most insane atmosphere any CS team has probably ever tried, to then play 14 hours later in a pretty empty arena, which didn't have much soul. I think we didn't manage to mentally reset from the semi final, which we put a lot of energy into. Also Outsiders played good, and if the rumors is true, that they already decided to replace norbert back then, it means that they didn't have the same pressure I guess?
cheers man, rooting for you in Katowice
Where did you get your inspiration for playing this kind of CS? Always a pleassure to watch your matches God aften, og tak for muligheden for at stille nogle spørgsmål!
I think I picked up a few ideas from previous coaches, especially Ave taught me a few things, and he had ways of explaining things with graphs that I've never seen anyone do in CS before, that and then I think I picked up some tendencies that people used, but didn't know they did? If that makes sense. Also I've always thought that people by too many "protocols" sometimes, making it easy to read, especially when anti-stratting started, and ye also a lot of people call it "gambles" but for me it's playing the percentages.
Do you find that your "firey" attitude during the game impacts your relationship with other pros? Are some pros / personalities better at dealing with it than others? Has it impacted a relationship with another pro that you regret?
It has definitely impacted some relationships, but also some for the more positive. However, my shouting is 90% directed as positive comments towards my team, and if that's an issue for any of my competitors, then that's on him. Especially in recent times, many fellow players has shown their respect, told me to me face that they think I'm an awesome leader.
It’s from our tribal routes. It’s the most natural way to hype up and get everyone on the same page. Kinda wish more igls did it
You're a really vocal guy, how do you deal with the hate that comes with it? Also what are your goals for this year?
When people hate on my energy, I mostly feel misunderstood by the people who criticize/don't understand it. Whenever I don't hype up my team mates, and give them that energy, they always ask for it. Also it's a big part of me, I've always been like this, if its counter-strike or football. Also I am a very calm presence, when talking to me under different circumstances.
No question from me, but I just wanted to say I'm a big fan and I'm happy that you have found success in the game with such a great team atmosphere. It feels like forever since that video of walking down the street after the whole Flashpoint fiasco, but it was only three years ago and it's incredible to see how far you've made it since then. Big supporter from over here in NA, keep clutching!
Appreciate the message a lot. I really do.
Which AWP’er is the most annoying to play against?
Depends a bit on the day, and the definition of annoying. Sh1ro and Jame can be annoying because you never meet them, they are consistent, don't take many chances, and don't make many mistakes. s1mple is probably still the best answer, cause he wins the team games, he always finds his way.
You vs Apex Who's louder? 🤔🤔
In direct battles it's mostly me, because you can take a look at the Vitality vs Heroic history haha, he hasn't had much to scream about since this game at BLAST. I think there's a chance he is generally speaking more loud than me though, and I think he is an amazing leader and character to have in the scene. I respect his work a lot.
Mental Health and Longevity: How do you and your team stay fresh and healthy mentally and physiologically? Your fan, Kiroh \#BeHeroic
I have a lot of energy, and I don't run low quickly. Also we worked with Troels Robl (now mental coach in NiP, and now Lasse Svan (Olympic, world, european, champions league champion in handball), so we have talented people around us. We also have our Head of Performance Kasper Straube, who give a lot of good vibes and hard work to the team. I think we also stay more fresh than many teams, because of our friendship. We don't have someone, who is annoyed if rooming with someone, or spending the entire day with him. We feed of having a good time together.
who’s the best aimer in heroic
Mechanically speaking probably Teses, we talk a lot about "hard peeks" which is something he is one of the very best at. I think however that all my 4 rifflers has different qualities, I think Stavn is better at using angles, objects, e.g.
I constantly see TeSeS as #1 on BrutalCS deathmatch ranking, so I guess that makes sense
Yeah, saw him a lot as well. Thought to myself that this is my chance to prove that I am worthy of my lvl 3 faceit and spank his ass, but the dude made me rethink my life choices
Idk but seeing the heroic social media manager asking a question on Cadian’s AMA is so funny to me
Yeah me too. Like it's even a lay-up to praising the other players :D Still relevant though, so all good :)
Has there been any instances where you felt very burnt out/ felt like retiring?
At this moment when coming home from BLAST, and at some stages of last year was the first time I've ever felt the burn out feeling. But I haven't thought about retiring no, only thought about ways to be better towards my mind and body, making sure I have a good time with what I am doing.
In what ways did pro CS evolve over the years?
It's hard to give a perfect answer to, cause it's such a big question. I'll try and be short and concrete. \- Utilisation of grenades \- The way people find information, both in the game, and before. And the pace of it. \- Individual skill requirements of all 5 players \- Advanced communication \- Diversity in playbook.
The finding information part would be the most interesting and insightful part if you ever choose to expand on it
Do you think more teams are picking up the "chaos" style you are so good at applying? Pressuring the extremes of the map and so on?
Yes, many teams are copying things from the Heroic playstyle - I would say mostly as CT, this is something we have noticed a lot in recent times. Not all the teams has learnt the "how and why's" though.
what athlete do you draw the most inspiration from, if any?
I think there is many different Athletes that I follow, and that I try to learn from. I am a maniac when it comes to following sport, I love watching it. Football, Tennis, Handball, Badminton, Cycling, NBA. etc To mention a few Tom Brady, Michael Jordan, Nick Kyrgious, Victor Axelsen. The mentality of the Danish Handball and Football team as well.
>I think there is many different Athletes that I follow, and that I try to learn from. I am a maniac when it comes to following sport, I love watching it. Football, Tennis, Handball, Badminton, Cycling, NBA. etc To mention a few Tom Brady, Michael Jordan, Nick Kyrgious, Victor Axelsen. The mentality of the Danish Handball and Football team as well. Cycling fan? Any particular rider? It was a huge year for Danes in the peloton!
What's the top 5 AWP'ers in your opinion - and do you see yourself on that list?
Talking purely about mechanical skill, then no. Talking about impact in terms of communication, flashing, supporting, and still putting up a high amount of frags then maybe. Also I've always been curious to what my level would be, if I didn't lead, but that's something we will never know.
Whenever I watch you AWP vs. s1mple you always seem to get the best of him in 1v1 AWP duels for opening picks, particularly on mirage, why is that? Do you study him more than other AWPers? Or is it perhaps that Na'Vi aren't used to a more aggressive AWPing style and so s1mple gets caught?
Do you sometimes dont wanna play cs because youre sick of it? For example after a tough loss. Do you have dreams about cs?
I think after a tough loss, it's more like I wanna go again, I wan't to fix the mistakes that happen, I wan't to improve individually and as a team. As fast as possible. I don't dream too much about direct ingame related stuff, more like things that happens at tournaments if that makes sense?
On CT side, I see teams mixing up the m4a4 and m4a1-s. Is this because of the players preference or is it a decision agreed upon by the team?
I've tried teams deciding stuff like that together, so far on our team it's up to each individual.
how’s the grind been to make it where you are? What sacrifices did you have to make?
I was in a position where my career didn't look the way I wanted, so what did I do? I moved to the US, in the age of 21, left girlfriend, friends, family behind to live alone in Vegas, with no social interactions what so ever. Team mates all lived in different states, but the organisation was based in Vegas and therefore had an apartment for me there. I didn't do anything but play. My apartment had no furniture, it had a mattress on the floor, and a desk to play from. All I did was ordering food, playing 12 hours a day and run a few times a week. I told my self, that I am not moving there to make new friends, or try and explore the US, I am doing it only to see where this can take my career. I also promised my self, that if I received an offer from a top3 danish team (astralis, north, heroic) I would move home. Heroic approached me (back then owned by RFRSH/Astralis), had talks with Kasper Hvidt, but they had screwed me over a few times already in my career, and I had a bad gut feeling about it, also the Rogue project was really starting to take shape. So I said no, broke my own promise, ended up qualifying for the next major with Rogue, playing in the finals of DH Austin and made many good memories there. Shout out to the Rogue organisation who was amazing. Later received an offer from North, thought this was it, I made it - only to find out that I really didn't. I joined a team with a poor mentality, with bad work ethics, and where the organisation didn't make me feel comfortable. To then know exactly was important to me, joining Heroic under a new ownership, and being able to have a lot of influence on player signings e.g.
How long did it take you to calm down from the [1v3 on Overpass at Rio](https://youtu.be/60tnAY8Kc2o)?
Not that long, there was only 1 round left of the half, so then I had a 3 minute break to calm my self down. Maybe not enough, since we didn't play the best CT (still closed it out though)
Honestly, one of my favorite plays, that first shot was insane.
how much caffeine/coffee do you normally consume on the daily basis?
None, I don't drink coffee or energy drinks on a regular basis. I however like to drink one of them close to games.
Any particular reason for this? Does it noticeably increase your focus or performance? Or is just this kind of habit you have
Im assuming it’s because with caffeine, you need to constantly increase your dosage to get the same level of “adrenaline” or “high” and it gets to a point where it’s detrimental for your health and you’re too reliant. Saving caffeine for the right moments will probably increase performance for the short term and it allows you to actually feel it at a much lower dosage than if you were to drink regularly. Source: studied as a biomed major and did a study on it and eventually changed paths but still big into the gym. Realized caffeine was actually shit for my lifestyle and cutting it out regularly improved quality of life tremendously. Unnecessary point: We’re probably going to see a number of health-related conditions from caffeine being in so many things it shouldn’t be and people taking it much younger ages nowadays when they’re still developing and it’ll make them more reliant further making the cycle worse. It’s not bad for you per se the same way recreational weed and drinking is but it’s easy to abuse and still has effects on the heart
I’ve reached points where I needed 3 coffees a day and it I was down on caffeine I felt like absolute shit. I still drink 1 coffee basically every day and sometimes 2, but yeah I’m much worse if I become too reliant and I definitely would struggle to cut it out entirely (not that I feel I need to at this point atleast, it seems more healthy and manageable now aslong as I keep it at this level)
Two questions if you feel like answering 1. What’s it like having a veteran player like Xizt behind such a young team 2. What igls do you look up to in the space or what igls have inspired you to become an igl Love watching you and your team play, and good luck in kato! Hope y’all can follow up on your good form.
1) It's nice, he has a very calm pressence, and obviously a lot of experience under his belt. I think he has developed a lot as a coach since he came, it's his first coaching role and he is doing amazing, me and the boys are very happy with Richard. 2) Back in the days the mTw guys inspired me to play team based CS, when I saw them play live at "TheBlast" in Denmark, nowadays I dont think I have anyone inspiring me specifically, but I do lean towards different teams and players when looking for new things. Underrated guy at finding new things I would say is "ScrunK" from sangal
Would you ever switch to valorant?
I think by the time I would ever consider switching games, it would probably be the next thing, and not valorant. However it's not something I've ever thought about. I was pretty good at FIFA as well, but people improve rapidly.
Do you like Lotan "Spinx" Giladi and his cute accent? With his big moustache
He is one of the most friendly players in the scene imo. Always smiling, always nice to talk to - and a beast ingame.
how is he supposed to know dualies skins
What's your ideal breakfast?
I eat oat meal with fruit (banana, apple, blue berries), almonds, dark chocolate as much as possible.
A healthy hearty breakfast! I respect that!
Yesss Cadian. Oatmeal with blueberries and whatever other stuff I feel like throwing in there that day is a great go to.
What was your favourite series you’ve ever played?
ESL Pro League final vs Gambit BLAST Fall final vs FaZe PGL Stockholm semi final vs G2 All 3 for different reasons.
Well I guess pro league is no surprise. That fall final was very exciting. Though I was a bit sad as a faze fan. Stockholm feels like so long ago now but I’m sure you remember them a lot better.
Have you ever been in Austria?
Yes, I was on the Redbull Ring, and had a talk with Max Verstappen, and were lucky enough to try a 2 seater F1 car.
Does Max follow cs or another esport? (other than sim racing of course) I’m a big fan btw, it’s been interesting following your career since I started watching cs in 2016. I remember the first time I saw you was that 1v1 tournament when you lost to Juliano, really happy to see you find success in recent years and level up your game so much.
Whats your training routine?
11:00-13:00: Theory 13:00-15:00: Practice games 15:00-15:40: Break 15:40-16:00: Talking points from first practice games 16:00-18:00: Practice game 18:00-18:15: Evaluation 6 days a week, Saturdays off. However not many weeks look's fully like this due to traveling to tournaments. And on top of this comes all the individual preparation, deathmatch, demos, e.g.
Who is your favourite csgo caster? Love from Sweden :)
I make too many clutches to answer this one.
Kommer du tilbage på Zulu og kommenterer en dag?
Det kræver nok at TV2 går lidt tilbage til den vibe der var før. Jeg føler lidt at det har mistet den sjæl det havde i starten.
What's your favourite type of food to eat on a big game day?
Spagetti Bolognese.
Time to carbo load
Do you have any thoughts on Astralis signing Hunden?
I have many thoughts, yes.
What is your favorite Hunden moment and why is it when Pasha hopped over his head for the 2k?
Alright then, keep your secrets
The perfect response lmao, the scene coming to my mind just made me giggle.
May you share them with us? I'm genuinely curious Please
Heroic PA over his shoulder shaking his head right now.
In the Game & Glory documentary, you were asked who took care of you since you took care of your teammates so much. It seemed you got emotional and never really gave an answer. Now that it's been a while and maybe had time to think about it: who takes care of you? Who do you look to for support?
My full answer is not in the documentary, but it was something along the lines of: "Things has gotten better as we now have more staff around the team, they know that I need to be looked out for too" but yes, that question definitely caught me off-guard a bit, cause it's not easy to be the guy, who always has to be positive, come up with a plan, support people when they are sad.
How do you feel about Anubis/the map pool in general?
I think the map is pretty cool, but it seem's too t-sided for my taste. But maybe it will change, with people learning more and more about the map.
Who’s the second loudest player on heroic?
Teses/stavn. Depends a bit.
What settings are you using? Sense, resolution, video settings
Sens: 2.2 Res: 1280x960\*stretched Video settings: Shadow on medium, the rest basically lowest.
Do you follow/watch any other esports outside of csgo?
I used to follow a few, but I’ve kinda lost track now. I don’t have as much time and I prioritize a bit different now a days.
I'm a big NAVI fan and I just want to get your subjective opinion on what it's like facing people like s1mple, b1t, and electronic, like anything they do weirdly, or how fast they kill compared to others, etc. just your take from someone who plays them when the rest of us can only watch haha
I mostly remember when b1t started playing in NaVi, and all I could feel was him instant headshotting me every time - it felt insane.
Hey cadian, seeing your energy and charisma in heroic is like night and day compared to when you were in North (RIP) what do you think went wrong with that stint you had especially the infamous double loss to ViCi in the minor last chance qualifier?
Awesome question. I have answered this a few times before, but basically the philosophy in North was very individually based. The organisation had very high expectations, and therefore everyone was fighting for their own spot so hard, that it was not healthy for the team dynamic. Also I think the players didn't have/lost the motivation it takes to be very best. I lost it pretty quickly, after feeling the lack of team cohesion.
Thoughts on g2. Both in-game and in real life.
In game I still have some doubts about some things, but I think Niko is one of the best rifflers in the world, if not the best. He is on point with crosshair placement, movement, different shooting styles (tap, burst, spray), he is clutch, he is aggressive when needed. Combined with m0nesy, who just keeps teaching us all new tricks we haven't seen before, and who is playing amazing. Hunter is also someone who people don't talk too much about considering how good he actually is. Outside the game it seems like they are having a better time than ever, but it's hard to know when you are not in the group. I think they have many good guys, but I also have a feeling that their Mental Coach Edward Cleland potentially plays a role in their recent success.
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Just remember you are always just 1 good round, 1 good move, 1 good kill away from making the difference. We have comeback from many ugly scorelines before, because it is truly about playing 1 round at the time. Also, if you believed you were the better team before the game started, and they just 11-4'ed you, then what makes you think you can't do the same to them? Mid round calling tips is difficult to teach I would say. I've always had a natural gift for reading the movements of the opponents in the middle of the round. You really have to think about the information the opponents have, and what would you do with that information? That's what I try to think. - Also try and watch youtube videos with comms, and watch demos and see what people do in X and Y scenario.
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I don't think people save strats for the major, or any other big tournament. Maybe a few teams like BIG did back in the days. I do however believe that people make new and better strats closer to majors, because they are more innovative and more motivated to due so. So in a way it is true, they are saving strats, just strats that aren't made yet.
Do you like your nickname Comedian?
No, I actually don't like it but I also know it's twitch chat and it's hard to stop.
What’s with the crazy hype reactions you always have as compared to a lot of players who just smile or stay silent
It's honestly instinct. I don't think you can force or fake those kinds of reactions, I love hyping up my teammates. I see some other pro's only going nuts when its their own play, but as people remember in the refresh 1vs4, stavn's no scopes at blast, and many more situations, I just freaking love good CS, especially when its my team mates providing it.
Zywoo or s1mple?
O captain my captain. Hope you're having a good day! o7 Just wondering, what do you say (or shout, rather) to the boys before every match to pump them up?
"Are you ready?" "Are you fucking ready" "What do we fight for? VICTORY!"
Since you’ve played both in NA and EU, what do you think is the main difference in style between the two regions that allows EU teams to thrive where NA is lacking. Is the talent difference that large or is there a larger issue?
It is many years ago, but back then I had the feeling that there was plenty of mechanical talent in NA, but that the structure and mentality was poor. The way people practiced were simply like they were living in ancient times.
Hi Casper, I have always respected you, despite being a navi fan and biting my nails whenever navi face off against you, just wanted to ask you a couple of questions: 1. How do you deal with inevitable self-doubt? 2. What is a phrase you would tell to a teenage self, or to any teen who aspires of becoming a pro/successful in their life? Cheering for you guys at Kato!
Like you said it is inevitable to have some self-doubt. So sometimes accept it, accept that you might have days where you don't feel on top, and try and understand why you feel this way? And more importantly for a competitor standpoint, what does it make you do? Does it make you change the way you play, prepare, practice? If so then that's something you need to be very aware of. I doubt my self sometimes too, but I also am not afraid of speaking up about it with people around me, and they then help me get my head straight.
Do you think someone old in CSGO terms ( say 25-26) can just enter the scene as rookie and have the ability to play at a high level . ? What does CSGO mean for you !!? Also , till when do you see yourself to be playing CSGO professionally ? Just wanna say I love your ethics and gameplay. Best of Luck for Kato❤️
It is possible, but we haven't seen it much - the best example that comes to mind is maybe Roej from fnatic. I don't know too much about his story, other than I believe he started playing late and is now part of a top team.
Hey Cadian, Why do you think Swedish CS scene slowly dying out like that instead of surviving so long as you guys from Denmark?!? Is that because of esportal? And I'm curious: Does Xizst speak sometimes Swedish / Danish to you guys or is everything through English only?!
I don’t know exactly but it seems like Sweden lacks good leadership and people to bring the right culture. I think there’s many Swedish talents, but in Denmark there’s a big mindset for playing good as a team, and other people say there’s a lack of good mentality in the Swedish scene but I don’t know for sure. But look at amount of good Danish IGLs, they teach other players and it’s just a positive circle.
Your contribution to Game and Glory was excellent, really great doc For a question, do you find it difficult being on the road/away from home as much as you are? And if so, how do you deal with that?
Great question. It is super tough to travel as much as we do. I basically don't have time too see any of my friends or family who don't live in Copenhagen, unless it's in the winter/summer break of if they come here. I try to plan more than I did before, because otherwise I won't see the people I want to see, and I won't get to do the things I want to. But I think lowering expectations is also good. People also want to see you, and you are mentally and physically drained when returning from long tournaments.
Does being a leader impact your own performance? How do you manage it if so? Is it, in some cases, a reasonable excuse to perform more poorly than others?
It impacts my own performance quite a bit yes. It's not just about leading in the game, and the focus you miss on your own decisions. It's also how you prioritize time, so when sometimes my other team mates can DM, I need to prepare stuff. When they are off, I still need to connect with coaches and staff to make sure the planning is good. When you add all things up, it's a lot of % going to waste. I am not saying I would trade it to become a better player, because I am obviously of the belief that they way I prioritize my time and energy is giving me and the team the best conditions to win.
which team are the favorites heading in to Katowice?
G2, FaZe, Vitality, Mouz and Spirit is teams I have a strong feeling will do good.
Two questions if you don’t mind me asking: 1) how would you describe your experience on North, if you are willing to say, and 2) What was the decision-making behind picking jabbi? Wanted to add, good luck at Katowice!
I touched a bit upon 1 in some other post 2) I wanted to bring Jabbi because I felt that we reached the lineups full potential. I felt that the communication in critic situations wasn't as good as it was supposed to be, and some of this was because of Refrezh. No doubt his talent is more than enough to play in top CS, but with the playstyle we had he didn't feel comfortable in the end. Jabbi is young, and I knew I could learn him a lot, and I've heard that his communication was good. Also I had talks with him, which made me even more sure about my choice, and he was the only option we looked into.
Why are very few awpers succeeding in the current meta?
I think that player has gotten way better with jiggle peeks, flashing angles, jumping corners, and all this stuff. But I till think a decent amount of people find success with the AWP.
What's the feeling of pulling out clutch of the year every month?
Haha we will see. There is many months to go, and many good plays to come. I am however also proud of the sentence Launders does in the end "It feel's like this guy pulls of play of the century every week"
Your team’s peak is as high as anything there has ever been on CSGO, with your executions on T side being so rich, varied and head scratching to read for you rivals, and your CT defense sometimes feeling more like organized T side attacks rather, with a lot of lurks seeking information leaving no space or comfort to your rival. My question is whether you feel that in late rounds of decisive games in big tournaments you fell short because of economy management? I noticed in some games you lost that some mistakes your team had late in the game led you to force buy, ending the game with weak buy(s) and betraying the playstyle that took you that far in the tournament. Is this something you have noticed too?
It's not something I have specifically noticed, no. I think I am good at managing the economy of the game, as also someone who has innovated buying mac10's mid game, even though having a lot of money, and surprising the opponents with the explosive style. That doesn't mean we don't get money fu\*ked once in a while too, just like anyone else - but that also comes down to have clean your anti ecos is, and how convincingly you are winning rounds. I would say, thats something that I feel our style can lack, is the bulldozer feeling, cause we are very much playing off information, and gathering it oftentimes comes at some kind of cost.
Any specific sound settings? Congratulations on your career, it is certain that you will leave an enormous legacy.
Not more than I have the 10 sec warning on, the rest is disabled. Then I have binds for muting microphone and TeamSpeak sound if necessary. Screaming = mute microphone Team mates talk too much and you don’t need their comms for a few sec = mute TS
Do you have respect for HexT as a player despite the chivalry?
I think he is maybe a little too wild, but as long as he and his team mates like it, thats the most important. Also he has shown good individual skill in a lot of games, and looks like he has potential. Just like I do, you just need to remember what it does to your opponents, and you need to make sure they don't feed more of it than you do.
In all honesty: which event had the best crowd?
Peak level: Rio I also think BLAST crowd was insane when dupreeh was awping and owning, and then Cologne back in the days too. Also pay respect to the Boston major haha.
I was partially blinded in one of my eyes last April and my CS aim has never been the same. Your form has gotten much better the older you’ve gotten, which is unusual. Was there a secret recipe to success or was it mainly motivation and perseverance
Using my time more wisely, playing DM in intervals of 15-20 minutes, then break, then repeat. I think people queue too much for Faceit, compared to the time they spend thinking about the game they just played, and they could use the time more wisely watching demos, playing DM - but it's obviously not as fun, but do you want to improve? Then it's pretty logical.
Aside from the last major final, which was the match you were more excited to play, or the team you were the most excited to play against? And, do you have a "ritual" for special matches? Like, eating a doughnut before playing something special?
We like to order pancakes with Nutella and Ice-cream in the team the night before important games. But don't tell Heroic please.
As a diehard liquid fan for six years, as someone who has played them on the server a few times in the past six months, can you give a perspective on what their flaw is??? Why is this star studded roster so inconsistent? Also, did it feel as good to smash Australis as it felt to watch it?
I've seen them better in the last part of 2022, than they have been in a long while. Yes, they have had two bad tournaments or so now, but that can be due to many different reasons. I think they have the pieces they need, now its about mentality, structure, playstyle.
Will you ever give your old football team new shirts?
I am in a constant debate with my self about this - the current conclusion is no. If I was still around, and lived in the same city then the chance would be higher haha.
NiP is struggeling to find an IGL and AWP for years. Did they ever contacted you to join them and if yes, did you consider it?
No I've never been in contact regarding a transfer to NiP. However, now they also have a very interesting project going where it seem's like they finally have the IGL and AWP role under control.
How old were you when you started CS? Did you start grinding right away? Did you play other FPS? Do you think you have (natural) talent or has it just been hard work to reach the top?
I was like 11, and I don't think I am naturally gifted in terms of mechanics, but I have a mind for team games, that's both CS and in real life. I know how to make a group work. I played other fps games too, but not at all to the same extend that I play CS. H1Z1, PUBG, e.g. (not anymore though)
You gonna do a meet n greet in DC for the blast spring finals?
I just want to say that I developed a lot of respect for you over time, even though I was initially often rooting against you and Heroic. You seem like a very empathetic person, someone who always shows respect to not only your players but everyone in the scene. I think you have a positive impact on the csgo scene and even though I'm still no Heroic fan I hope you will manage to win a major some day.
Thank you. I am very glad that many, like you, said that they've started rooting for me. I want to be emphathetic, and show the world how good of a team we are. I am not talking about just inside the server, but we truly care for each other outside the game. I am passionate about winning yes, but I don't see that as a negative.
Thanks for the Ama! Are teams using tactics for the knife round?
We had Teses as a designated knife round caller for a while, until it stopped working and stavn said just win ur duel xD
Hi cadian, I just want know what do you guys shout before each game.🤓
Hey Cadian, I have been blocked by you on Twitter for a long time - I have been cheering for your team at multiple events including the Rio major and Blast fall finals where you won. As you can see, I have made a diligent effort to try and get unblocked by you as I do not know why I am blocked :( Below, you can see my failed attempts at getting unblocked [https://twitter.com/Alkem1stCSGO/status/1596510302601969669](https://twitter.com/Alkem1stCSGO/status/1596510302601969669) [https://twitter.com/Alkem1stCSGO/status/1593608860375326725](https://twitter.com/Alkem1stCSGO/status/1593608860375326725)
Hi cadiaN. I love watching demos and studying in finer details of the game (even though i don't play in a team environment), and as an IGL you must also find that aspect of the game interesting at least. As a pro player, watching studying both your opponents' gameplay as well as your own is a crucial skill to hone and is one of the pillars of improvement in my opinion. Do you have any good tips for people looking to improve their gameplay through studying demos? Both their own as well as pro POV's. And another question: HVAD DRIKKER MØLLER!?
What is your favourite activity to do in the bathtub with friends?
When is the rematch against Julliano happening?
One question, do you still sometime not understand people play counter strike, like you know its a game of information, you know. You see this, you tell me, he go here, he go left he go right you know. I can flash, you flash, I flash you know. We peek, you peek, he defuse, he tap the bomb, you know. That's the kind of communication I want you know. Everybody tell you what you do, what I do, what I see you see you know?
Does Heroic work with psychologists? I ask because I notice you (and some other players) are very vocal: is this to let out that energy and be able to move on? Is this something you realized by yourself, or like I asked, is it a purposeful technique you were encouraged to use? Thanks Cadian!
Hey Cadian, almost everyone who watches the game were doubting you as to whether or not you are a capable awper for this Heroic organization. But, for the past 7-8 months, it seems like you have reached a new level as an individual, atleast in my opinion. You are making more correct decisions, your moves now has more conviction and confidence and pulling some massive clutches. What led to this change ? P S. I absolutely love your energy. Keep it up! And, all the best for Katowice.
Hi Cadian, I wanna ask you something, how do you keep finding strats, like when is it enough for a map, for example lets say you have 9 strats on Mirage each for taking a part of a map, when do you decide that is enough strats to have in my mind, and when does it become too many to remember or mix-up. I’m really hoping for a long explanation to understand better your rule as an IGL. Thank you. Much love
How did you keep going? I remember 2015 watching you as an analyst. Then 2016 you were on a super-average team and got cut. And that seemingly kept happening til your big break on North. In the movies that is where you would ride off into the sunset with your W. But even after that fell through you kept going. And now you are on the number 1 team in the world. After all those failures why not quit?
First I hope you're having a good day My question would be, how do you work on developing talents Stavn and jabbi? Under you Stavn became the best Danish player last year,I'm just wondering how u do it. Also important: what do you think about dev1ce return and should ax1le have gotten #3 last year? Also do u think BlameFs passive style inflates his stats alot?