Another week and another interview with players from the CS2 scene. This time, we spoke to the captain of ViBe Gaming, Tkacz, who told us about their recent success in the LAN qualifiers, the atmosphere within the team and… his unusual hobby: mushroom picking. The editor’s questions are marked [R].
[R] To start with, could you introduce yourself to our readers and say a few words about yourself and the ViBe Gaming team?
Hi, I’m Jakub, I’m 24 years old, and I’m the captain and point guard at ViBe Gaming. I’ve been playing CS for over 10 years now. As for our team, we’ve been playing together for about a month now and have had some decent results in the qualifiers. Things aren’t going our way in ESEA at the moment, though I’m optimistic about our future results.
[R] Your team has just qualified for the Galaxy Cup finals, which are due to take place in November. How do you feel now that you’ve secured this spot?
Well, straight after the match ended, we were obviously delighted because it’s great to get together and have a bit of a LAN run.
[R] How did you prepare for the qualifiers, and what do you think was the deciding factor in you making it to the LAN event?
To be honest, we didn’t prepare specifically for these qualifiers. We just played what we’d got ready and, above all, reacted to what our opponents allowed us to do.
[R] What are your goals for the Galaxy Cup finals themselves? Are you aiming for victory, or do you see this tournament more as a learning experience and a step in the team’s development?
Obviously we’re going there to win; if it were any other way, we wouldn’t have signed up.
[R] As captain, how would you assess ViBe Gaming’s current form? What do you think is the team’s greatest strength at the moment?
Our current form is a bit up and down, because we’re capable of beating really strong teams, yet losing to those that are theoretically weaker. I think our strength is simply landing good headshots. Obviously, I’m not talking about myself – I’m the one who does the thinking – but the lads really can spring a surprise when they’re on form.
[R] Let’s move on to the ESEA league – what are your goals there for this season, and how are you approaching these matches in terms of your development?
To be honest, this is our first season and we started playing together quite late. I think that just staying in the main league this season will be enough for us. We haven’t got off to a great start so far, but I’m optimistic.
Apart from the Galaxy Cup and ESEA, are you planning to take part in any other major tournaments in the near future?
I have to say that we haven’t given it much thought at the moment, but I think we’ll definitely be playing in something else as well.
[R] We’ve recently heard that ViBe Gaming is working on its own team shirts. Can you tell us a bit more about this project? What will the design look like and who’s behind the idea?
Yes, there will be shirts and they’ll probably be in production already. All I can reveal is that they’ll be black with purple accents. Everyone’s behind the idea – the CEO as well as us.
[R] What does your training week look like – how much time do you spend on individual preparation, and how much on joint scrims and game analysis?
You know what, it varies. We sort of set a schedule as we go along, because it depends on whether we’re playing qualifiers or league matches. From Monday to Friday, we spend three hours a day together on scrims. As for individual work, you’d have to ask each of us separately, but every day each of us also logs into DMA. As for analysis – we have a coach who analyses our gameplay from time to time, and then the next day he points out our mistakes to us on the server.
[R] You’ve been part of several interesting teams during your career – including Horizon, WolfTeamGuys, and, before that, Akademia Lodis. Which of these stages was the most important for you in terms of your development as a player and a leader?
You know what, I think the best time was actually at WolfTeamGuys, because of the results and the work I put in to develop my CS skills back then.
[R] During your time with WolfTeamGuys, you managed to secure a place in the PGE Championship Division, which led to a move to the Electrocuted organisation. How do you look back on that period?
It was quite a good period in, shall we say, my ‘career’. It certainly taught me a lot in terms of my in-game mindset, and above all, it gave me the chance to play against the top teams in CS:GO at that time. As far as I remember, we were playing alongside Singularity and Szpera’s mix at the time. They were, and still are, well-known figures on our Polish scene.
[R] What’s the biggest difference between those days in CS:GO and what the CS2 scene looks like today – in terms of teams, mentality or the level of competition?
In my opinion, it’s very different. First and foremost, there were far, far more Polish teams at a higher level in CS:GO. Because of that, it was harder, so to speak, to make a name for yourself on that scene. As for the players’ mindset itself – it hasn’t really changed, because those who want to play are still playing and still giving it their all.
[R] How are you finding the role of captain? Is it something that’s always appealed to you, or did it come naturally from your experience and character?
I think I’m coping quite well, but it’s not really for me to judge. You’d have to ask the lads how they feel about it. As for the rest of the question, I think it stemmed from the fact that there aren’t too many ‘needles’ on our Polish scene. So I decided to switch roles one day.
[R] From a captain’s perspective – what do you consider most important when building a team and maintaining a good atmosphere?
First and foremost, the most important thing is to pick five people who are keen to come round after work or school, sit down at a computer and still feel like working on the server. As for the atmosphere itself, it goes without saying that it depends entirely on people’s personalities, which is why it’s so important to pick the right people for the team.
[R] Outside of esports – I know you’re interested in football, basketball and… mushroom picking. How do you manage to strike a balance between gaming and taking time to relax?
Well, as I’ve already mentioned, we play from Monday to Friday. Of course, sometimes at the weekends there are qualifiers, but apart from that, we have the weekends off. That’s when, let’s say, there’s time either to go mushroom picking in the morning or to watch a match in the evening
[R] Do these more laid-back hobbies help you in any way to keep a cool head during stressful matches?
Perhaps to a small extent, but I think keeping a cool head is down to, let’s say, ‘experience’. I reckon that once you’ve been playing for the team for a few years running and have played a certain number of games, it just comes naturally.
[R] What are your long-term goals – both personally and for ViBe Gaming? Where would you like to see yourself and the team in a year’s time?
On a personal level, I’d definitely like to get back to a consistent scoring form, and as a team, I think that in a year’s time I’d like to see us perhaps in the ESEA Advanced division and maybe at a tournament with VRS.
[R] Finally – would you like to add anything else? Perhaps say hello to someone, thank the fans, or invite someone you’d like to see in the next interview?
Well, first and foremost, a big shout-out to the best coach, TomsonA. And besides that, if we’ve got any fans by now, it goes without saying that I’d like to say hello to them too and invite them to keep following our progress in the ESEA league or at the Galaxy Cup LAN finals.
Thank you to Tkacz for his time and for the interview. The player’s comments have undergone only minor stylistic changes – their meaning and message remain unchanged.
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