{"id":2807,"date":"2026-09-24T14:04:23","date_gmt":"2026-09-24T11:04:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uesf.org.ua\/?p=2807"},"modified":"2026-09-24T14:22:27","modified_gmt":"2026-09-24T11:22:27","slug":"the-more-stages-you-play-through-the-less-you-ll-worry-interview-with-rakuzan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/uesf.org.ua\/en\/news\/2807-the-more-stages-you-play-through-the-less-you-ll-worry-interview-with-rakuzan\/","title":{"rendered":"“The More Stages You Play Through, the Less You’ll Worry” \u2014 Interview with Rakuzan"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Kostiantyn “Rakuzan” Malinin is a former professional player and current coach of Balu Team \u2014 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Why Does Balu Play the Championship If There’s No Serious Competition There?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Rakuzan answers honestly: money is the main motivation for young players. But there’s a second reason that matters more in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“The more of these stages you play through, the less you’ll worry later \u2014 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.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Most Unexpected Moment Across Three Stages<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
“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.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The New Logitech G Device Lineup<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Players talk about skill \u2014 but skill always relies on equipment. Logitech G is presenting four new PRO Series products. Each product was developed together with professional players \u2014 not just “for” them, but literally with their involvement in labs and at tournament venues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The same equipment the best play on \u2014 now for those reaching toward them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Does He Regret Coaching Instead of Playing?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
“In my time, there was no platform like this. The first Ukrainian Championship I played in as a player was 2018 \u2014 500,000 hryvnias in prizes, a format where one team came from each city. Some had a thousand followers, some were local powerhouses \u2014 the level was uneven. University tournaments before that \u2014 three bottles of beer and a hot dog if you were lucky.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Now \u2014 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.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Young Talent Spotted at the Championship<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
“There was a player \u2014 kiki. He played against us and brought very uncomfortable heroes to the offlane. We were banning him from the early stages. The organization noticed \u2014 and now he’s already signed with us.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Lightning Round<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
If not esports? \u2014 Football. Striker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Best player in esports? \u2014 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.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Biggest mistake beginners make? \u2014 They tilt. Esports is about the long game. How far you can keep going determines your success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Where will Balu be in six months? \u2014 At the level of closed qualifiers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One piece of advice for anyone hesitating to register for Stage 4? \u2014 “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.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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