“We were really motivated to win to shut up the crowd”. Chopper on match with FURIA, psychological tricks, and sacrificing his hair to the god of CSExclusive

Leonid “chopper” Vishnyakov provided exclusive insights to Maria Gunina following Spirit’s remarkable quarterfinal victory against FURIA at PGL Major Antwerp 2022. The in-game leader detailed their roster reconstruction following previous Major disappointments, shared perspectives on the coach suspension, and conveyed the intensity of competing on the grand stage.

— First of all, congratulations. A lot of people are calling your performance on the Major a sensation. Was it an expected one or a sensation for you as well?

— Thank you! Without question, this achievement represents a genuine surprise for our squad. Our initial objectives were considerably more modest when we arrived at the tournament. We established incremental targets: advance from the initial phase, then secure individual match victories, progressing systematically through each challenge. The depth of our advancement exceeded all projections, creating an incredibly rewarding competitive experience.

— How did you learn about coach ban, what was your first reaction, what was going on in the team?

— The notification arrived via formal correspondence during our practice sessions. He mentioned receiving unusual documentation and grew visibly concerned, repeatedly asserting he couldn’t recall any violations. Within forty-eight hours, additional correspondence arrived during further scrimmage preparations. We observed immediate emotional impact manifesting through his demeanor and facial expressions. Upon concluding our training matches, he disclosed the investigation findings and confirmed his withdrawal from Major participation. This sequence defined our introduction to the situation.

— So you came here with your brand director and psychologist. How do you distribute these new responsibilities that appeared without a coach?

— OverDrive serves as our analytical specialist, compiling extensive datasets, interpreting patterns for my review, and enabling strategic dissemination throughout the team structure.

— What does your psychologist do? He already got a lot of attention for helping the Dota 2 squad to win TI10, what is he doing for you?

— His involvement with our organization spans an extensive period. Primary functions include addressing individual player concerns as they emerge. When competitors experience excessive competitive pressure or stress manifestations, when we detect performance deviations from established baselines, we promptly recommend psychological consultation sessions. Affected players engage in dialogue sessions aimed at resolving underlying issues.

Secondary responsibilities involve energy management during matches and tension diffusion through calculated interventions. His high-pitched vocal encouragement initially creates cringe reactions but reliably triggers collective laughter responses. This immediate relaxation effect demonstrates his professional effectiveness despite initial reactions. Additionally, he assumed certain managerial obligations throughout this tournament period.

— Can you share something that he taught you? Something that can help an average player that lost a match in MM, or is angry at his friend who did something bad ingame. What can he do?

— Numerous psychological frameworks contribute to competitive readiness. Identifying performance disruptors—commonly termed “tilt triggers”—represents a foundational practice. These subtle influences can significantly impact emotional stability and decision-making capacity. Recognizing specific triggers and understanding their emotional modulation effects enables more effective countermeasures. This methodology represents essential competitive toolkit integration for maintaining optimal performance states.

— Was he preparing you for the arena, for facing the public? Is it even possible to prepare for it?

— Our preparatory regimen maintained consistency with established protocols. We employed humor as tension mitigation while preventing external factors from influencing performance consistency. His established intervention patterns continued effectively without requiring specialized adaptations for the arena environment.

— What can you tell about your current roster? How it was created, who found your youngsters?

— Hally, collaborating with previous management and executive leadership, determined roster composition. Following team dissolution announcements and organizational restructuring, our CEO conducted individual consultations regarding competitive aspirations and strategic vision. Subsequently, the leadership triad initiated comprehensive team reconstruction efforts, establishing degster and magixx as foundational roster elements.

Patsi represented their third targeted acquisition, with indications suggesting captaincy considerations. However, in-game leadership reluctance prompted alternative leadership explorations that proved unsuccessful. Subsequent communications initiated my involvement, featuring multiple strategic discussions culminating in personal meetings. This gradual evaluation process led to integrating s1ren from the developmental squad, combined with my reinstatement. Organizational preferences initially favored fresh talent over previous roster members, but collaborative evaluation resulted in my recruitment.

— Let’s talk about the match with FURIA. First question, how did you end up on Vertigo?

— The map selection originated from their strategic preferences. We anticipated their Vertigo selection and developed specific counter-strategies through detailed gameplay analysis. Their attempted hyper-aggressive playstyle exceeded typical parameters but ultimately proved ineffective against our preparations.

— How did their fans in the arena affect you?

— We channeled crowd hostility into competitive motivation. The atmospheric dynamics created powerful incentive structures—observing opponent introductions triggering explosive audience reactions generated determination to demonstrate superior performance capabilities.

— Do you prefer the CS:GO approach to building the scene, with two very important and hyped Majors and stuff, or Dota 2 way with one gigantic tournament?

— CS:GO’s competitive infrastructure provides superior structural integrity. While The International represents an impressive spectacle, seasonal uncertainty creates strategic planning complications that competitive professionals must navigate carefully.

— Last question, both you and magixx once said that you’d be ok with shaving your heads as some kind of a ritual, similar to Yatoro who gave his hair as a sacrifice to the god of Dota at TI10. Would you sacrifice your hair to the god of CS?

— Personal grooming preferences present no obstacles for such symbolic gestures. Occasional shaving provides practical comfort when hair becomes bothersome. The promotional potential—creating narrative around symbolic sacrifice—contrasts with personal indifference to the act itself. Regarding our Dota counterparts, their competitive dedication represented the true offering rather than superficial rituals. Continued dedicated practice remains our primary focus for achieving sustained competitive success.

Magixx’s interview: “If the price for winning a major is a bald head, I’m ready!”
A frank talk.

Team Spirit’s undefeated progression from Challengers stage through major semifinal confrontation with FaZe Clan represented one of the tournament’s most significant competitive surprises. Most squad members, mirroring their Dota counterparts before TI10 victory, lacked previous stage experience competing before live audiences.

No reproduction without permission：SeeYouSoon Game Club » “We were really motivated to win to shut up the crowd”. Chopper on match with FURIA, psychological tricks, and sacrificing his hair to the god of CSExclusive Spirit's IGL reveals psychological tactics, roster rebuilding strategies, and mental preparation for CS:GO Major success