Hobbit: "I joined this team because ANGE1 is in it"

After HellRaisers qualified for the playoffs at SuperNova CS:GO Malta, we sat down with Abay "⁠HObbit⁠" Khassenov and talked about what went on since his departure from Gambit was announced.

In HObbit's debut LAN for HellRaisers, the international team managed to advance to the playoffs with two wins, over Gambit and TYLOO.

In our interview, the Kazakhstani player talked about the decision to leave his former team, what attracted him to HellRaisers and his rough start to the event in Malta.

From the point that Gambit announced that you were transfer listed, what were you up to? You still played from Gambit for some time and then went to look other options, what was that like?

First of all, I want to say that it was both mine and the organization's decision. We already talked to each other and we decided that I should change something in my life. Of course, I'm happy that I'm in HellRaisers because I had a dream to play in an international team. HellRaisers is a good team and I knew all of the players and I like them. In the end, my goal is to win everything, and these guys really want to win and they are doing a lot and practicing a lot to do so. That is what I needed.

You said that you knew the guys and all of that, but how did you decide to join HellRaisers? Did you approach them, did they approach you, how did all of that happen?

When ANGE1 saw the official announcement about me being benched he wrote to me and I told him that I need to think about it. But I made the decision to play for them very quickly, to be honest, and that is it.

In Gambit you have been playing without a real in-game leader for a long time, since Zeus left after you won the Major. So how has it been playing under ANGE1 now, under an in-game leader?

That is the most important thing, I joined this team because ANGE1 is in it. We had a lot of problems in Gambit when Zeus left and we didn't have an IGL. In CIS we have only two IGLs who have already played on the tier 1 level and have experience in Majors, ANGE1 and Zeus. So Natus Vincere are doing very well and they are not going to change anything, and HellRaisers wanted to change so I joined them.

Except that, it is obviously a big change for you because it is an international team. You can speak to ANGE1 and Johnta in Russian but most of the communication is still in English. So how has that been working out for you?

My English is... I think it will be much better, but now I have some problems with information, with calls, language overall. I need some time, but I think I will do better and everything will be ok.

What about the roles? When bondik was in the team, I think he was unhappy with where he was playing. Did you take over his roles and how did you fit into them?

Exactly, I'm playing in bondik's roles and it is something new for me. And it is very interesting because, it is not like I was bored in Gambit, but every day was the same and I needed something new. So I came here and I have a different role than I had in Gambit. It is a new adventure.

You are through to the playoffs after the first day, how are you feeling about it? When you started playing here, the first game, in the first ten rounds you had one kill I think, so that wasn't the greatest start, but at the end of the day it is pretty good?

That was really funny, but to be honest, it was very hard. I was stressed maybe, because I am playing versus my old teammates, and it is my first game on LAN with an international team. And of course, I need to talk with my teammates in English, a lot of things happened that made it hard.

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