An interview with Ivan "STRICT" Boyko, the captain of an amateur esports team, representing CAVE ESPORTS. The team is ranked TIER 1 on the platform and holds one of the top spots in the BigPlay.gg rankings.

1. How did your team come together, and how long have you been playing together?
Currently, we're a team of five: me (STRICT), Keep, YTKA, KRAKKEN, and EFFYIS. We’ve only been playing in this lineup for a short time, about a week and a half. This wasn’t a planned shuffle but happened spontaneously. We had been looking for one player since July, but then a second player suddenly left in September, leaving us in a tough spot where we needed to find two players quickly. That’s when we found YTKA and EFFYIS; we played together, tried it out, and it worked for everyone. So, here we are with this roster.

2. How do you prepare to face strong teams? Do you have any special tactics?
We don’t have any unique preparations or special tactics for stronger teams. We generally prepare by analyzing opponents based on the map. It’s about understanding where their drop spots are, seeing if they’re close to us, or if they might even contest us. In such situations, we’ll adapt to their playstyle, rotations, and maybe come up with something specific. Overall, a strong team is no different from any other team before the match. It’s within the match that differences arise, like adaptability and quick strategic adjustments. Preparation and everything else are pretty much the same as for any other opponent.

3. How do you prepare for each map strategically, and do you have a distinct style of play?
We don’t have a particular signature style. Our gameplay is fairly standard edge control because of our chosen spots. We try to control the edge we initially take. Depending on zone shifts, if it’s favorable, we stay and secure it. If the shift is away, we pick the next edge and fight for it. Nothing too extraordinary in our approach.

4. What goals do you have as a team? What are your upcoming tournament goals and season plans?
Our primary goals right now are daily development, both as a team and individually, since we’ve recently come together. We need to set a direction for growth, help younger players develop, and continue improving ourselves. For now, we’re focused on establishing our internal dynamics. Then, we’ll wait for official tournament announcements and aim to win the first tournament we can participate in.

5. What qualities make a successful team captain?
A great captain needs an excellent understanding of the game. Many young players think that’s enough, but a captain also requires high stress resilience to make calm, level-headed decisions during and outside of the game. Calmness is crucial for every player. The captain must also communicate effectively to ensure ideas are clear to everyone in stressful situations. Attention to detail is vital because a missed detail can change the game’s course entirely. A captain should also maintain team morale, so the team can believe in the impossible and, if needed, pull off a miracle.

6. Are there any players or teams on the global stage you aspire to reach?
Absolutely, there are many teams globally that set a high standard. The global stage is a rich resource for information to develop our team and gameplay. Watching teams with similar drop spots helps us the most; for us, that includes Vampire Esports and Team Spirit. Both are strong teams with interesting rotations, strategies, and tips we can adapt to improve and become significantly stronger.

The initial interview was conducted through Telegram voice messages on the FREE AGENTS channel.