Kostiantyn “Rakuzan” Malinin is a former professional player and current coach of Balu Team — the squad that has won two consecutive stages of the Ukrainian Championship in Dota 2. We talked about why a top team plays a local championship, what surprised him at the tournament, and where the team is headed next.
Why Does Balu Play the Championship If There’s No Serious Competition There?
Rakuzan answers honestly: money is the main motivation for young players. But there’s a second reason that matters more in the long run.
“The more of these stages you play through, the less you’ll worry later — regardless of how much money is on the line. For teams at our level, the schedule isn’t always packed. The Championship means real tournament matches, not clan wars behind closed doors.”
The Most Unexpected Moment Across Three Stages
“I remember a match against a team from Kharkiv. They played this pool where Undying was a position-one carry, Bloodseeker, Razor. Heroes you don’t see at world-level competitions. And they genuinely broke the usual rules of the game. The guys on the team were disoriented.”
The New Logitech G Device Lineup
Players talk about skill — but skill always relies on equipment. Logitech G is presenting four new PRO Series products. Each product was developed together with professional players — not just “for” them, but literally with their involvement in labs and at tournament venues.
The PRO X3 SUPERSTRIKE mouse with the HITS system weighs just 59g. The PRO X2 RAPID keyboard with Rapid Trigger allows actuation to be configured from 0.1mm. The PRO X3 LIGHTSPEED headset with a 48kHz microphone and 70 hours of battery life. And the PRO X CONTROL mousepad with uniform resistance in all directions rounds out the final detail of the perfect setup.
The same equipment the best play on — now for those reaching toward them.
Does He Regret Coaching Instead of Playing?
“In my time, there was no platform like this. The first Ukrainian Championship I played in as a player was 2018 — 500,000 hryvnias in prizes, a format where one team came from each city. Some had a thousand followers, some were local powerhouses — the level was uneven. University tournaments before that — three bottles of beer and a hot dog if you were lucky.”
“Now — four stages, a big LAN final, a new series after it. A lot of opportunities. I feel like I’m in the right place and I know I can help these guys achieve more than I achieved myself.”
The Young Talent Spotted at the Championship
“There was a player — kiki. He played against us and brought very uncomfortable heroes to the offlane. We were banning him from the early stages. The organization noticed — and now he’s already signed with us.”
Lightning Round
If not esports? — Football. Striker.
Best player in esports? — Miracle. “The first person I played against where I just didn’t understand what was happening. I didn’t understand how he could avoid you across the whole map so well. That was before he won The International.”
Biggest mistake beginners make? — They tilt. Esports is about the long game. How far you can keep going determines your success.
Where will Balu be in six months? — At the level of closed qualifiers.
One piece of advice for anyone hesitating to register for Stage 4? — “Don’t hesitate. While you’re hesitating, someone else is registering and gaining experience. Even the painful experience of playing against stronger teams over time will be useful.”
Watch the full interview with Rakuzan on the UESF YouTube channel.
