Krimbo: "My mentality wasn't the best half a year ago and I really worked on it"

The 19-year-old believes he is adjusting to top level play well.

Following the removal of Nils "⁠k1to⁠" Gruhne in March from BIG, academy player Karim "⁠Krimbo⁠" Moussa was promoted to the main lineup in time for Pro League. While the team didn't manage to make the playoffs at the event in Germany, the team had qualified for the European Regional Major Ranking event.

Both BIG and Krimbo made a statement at the RMR event, with the team sweeping the Swiss group 3-0 and qualifying for the Major as Legends, while Krimbo ended up as the third highest rated player of the event, just below Oleksandr "⁠s1mple⁠" Kostyliev and Martin "⁠stavn⁠" Lund.

We caught up with Krimbo after BIG's victory over MIBR in Group B. He spoke about the team's matches against Ninjas in Pyjamas and MIBR and gave his thoughts on being labeled as the best German talent in years by Johannes "⁠tabseN⁠" Wodarz. The young rifler also gave insight into his transition into playing in tier one against the best teams on LAN.

Yesterday, when you played against NIP, they of course had a stand-in. What was the game plan going into this match and did you factor in hampus being gone in your preparation for the match?

No, definitely not. We're prepping like the whole game was — like the other teammate (ztr) should also know, of course not what hampus would do in every situation, but their default playstyle shouldn't change, so we prepared for their normal style with hampus. We didn't know what ztr was going to play — we expected him to fill his (hampus') positions. We didn't have any extra "okay he's missing, they're not going to play that." Also, we're seeing the same style in demos with hampus as without him.

With the match you had today with MIBR, at the start on Mirage, MIBR were getting almost all the entry kills, do you think they caught you off guard at the start of that match?

We knew that because we didn't have many demos or anything you can watch from, they are going to play a bit more puggy and a bit more aggressive, trying to get entries. We expected it, but we were kind of sloppy, starting that game really slow and losing some rounds — "Okay they killed us here, they got an entry, it's 4v5" and then it's always "hmm." Mirage especially, it's harder to play out the round than on other maps. We expected it, but we played a bit sloppy and got the slow start.

Once they hit 15, I noticed syrsoN was getting a lot of multi-kills, stepping up a lot. What do you think helped you guys to make the comeback to go to overtime?

Every factor on the team I must say, syrsoN was getting the kills, tiziaN on the A hold was insane. Also, faveN was having two insane games as well, tabseN of course like every game, and gob b on our back. When it was 8-15 or 9-15 we knew we were going to win because before there were some unlucky rounds, our reads weren't the best. For example, we read the game wrong, and then you lose some rounds, but then when we hit our deault and we got into the game.

gob was also saying — he was behind us saying "9-15? only six rounds. Five. Four." and stuff like that. We were feeling the game and we were perfectly good — syrsoN like you said — everyone on the team was (good) that map. For me, I'll say I had a bit slower start into the game, we were caught off guard as you said in the question before, but then every factor in the team, even the communication, was insane, stepped up a lot.

Moving on to Nuke, you got off to a really great start. You were like 8-0, had an ace early on, and then the 4K with the FAMAS after that. Were you feeling a lot more confident after the victory on map one?

For sure. Even though I had a slower start on Mirage and not the best game maybe, I didn't change my default style. If I were 30-0 or if I were 0-30 I wouldn't change it. So coming into Nuke and getting these first few rounds where I destroyed them on Ramp, or even other positions, it gave me more confidence — "the first game just happened, it's okay, but you are still better than them on this map."

We talked to tabseN back at the RMR and he a lot of praise for you. He said you were the best talent in Germany in years. Do you agree with this assessment and how do you feel with him giving you that kind of praise?

It's insane, I think I've been in the team for two months now, not so long. Three or four months ago I was playing in the Academy league for example, I was playing ESEA leagues, and now being here and getting to hear stuff like that, or working with gob b, tabseN, or even every team member, tiziaN, faveN — an insane player. The fact that I'm playing with them now is just insane, it gives me so much confidence. What was the first part again?

Would you agree with that assessment, do you think you're the best prospect (from Germany) in years?

I would say yes, definitely. I'm hard working. As I said, my mentality wasn't the best half a year ago I would say, and I really worked on it. We also have a sports psychologist and stuff like that helps me to keep up my game. I don't think that other people in Germany would want it so bad. I work, but I was playing in the BIG Academy, and they are also really good players. For example s1n and prosus who are also upcoming, who I believe can do it as well. It's just a thing of a little percentage, you know? It's like putting in the extra hours, working on your mentality, then outside of the game, fitness for example, or just cooling off and that's why I think I'm the best one.

Going back a bit to the Major, even though you played really well at the RMR, things were a lot rougher at the Major itself. You in particular were a lot quieter at the Major. Do you think the nerves or pressure got to you or the team once you were there?

For me, not much I would say. But I would say I didn't have the best tournament, that's right. We got a slow start, the Imperial game was good, then losing against FURIA — we weren't ready for that. Then we had three close maps against Vitality as well, it was kind of unlucky I think. We as a team weren't 100% there like in the RMR, so everyone had their ups and downs, like me for example.

Speaking of the Vitality game that you had mentioned, do you have any kind of regrets about that game? like "if only we had won this one round, things would be different" because it came down to overtime at the end there

I think the whole tournament and especially in that game there were rounds that were so unlucky, for example in the MIBR game now, we lost like six rounds in a row when we were T, and there was only one or two alive always in these rounds. There were also some rounds versus Vitality where we had a good plan, but the execution wasn't that good. But I don't think there was this one round, but there were many rounds where — I think we were leading 7-1, and then they just kept rolling. We weren't coming in the game like we were, and I think the one round was just the whole game flow.

You had spent a long time playing in the lower tier German scene, in teams like ALTERNATE aTTaX and cowana, how has the transition been to playing against tier 1 opponents and also in a higher pressure environment?

For me I would say — for example, my first LAN was a little German LAN, the United Pro Series it was called. Coming into that first LAN and real official game in Pro League versus Liquid everything was new for me, and I wasn't the player I was at home. So everything was new, and I needed to just get used to the situations — it's on LAN, the lights are coming at you and you're fully white. It's not the same environment like you're used to on a bootcamp or at home, so that was a bit rough on me, but after that one or the second game, I just got used it, I was really comfortable I would say.

Also there is the team backing me up, and I had a lot of talks with my teammates, especially tabseN. There was not a big transition for me personally, and I would say I got used to the situation quickly. I was just playing my game, trying to get better. I would also say I've never been too nervous when playing games, like "I'm now playing versus some big star player" and I'm not going to change my game because of it, as I said — like when I'm having a bad game or a rough day. I need to get used to it, I think everyone does.

Looking forward to tomorrow, you will be playing FURIA. I would they are pretty beatable for you guys, so in general, how far do you guys think you can go in this tournament?

I think we will go deeper in the tournament than people expect. We won the RMR — there were two first places — we had had okay scores at Pro League, and even at the Major it wasn't the best, but we still have it in us. Even after a bad tournament it doesn't mean anything. I think our goal is to at least get into the semi-finals or final. Of course, we'll take it step by step.

After this tournament, you guys have a pretty busy schedule the next couple months, what do you think as a team your goals are for the next couple months?

We just need to show a good and constant BIG. Growing as a team, learning as a team maybe when we have a few rough times we've had a few in the past, I'm new to the team. It's not like I was someone playing for a year. faveN, everyone really knows him more than me for example. Growing as a team, surviving these bad ups and downs. But yeah, showing a good and constant BIG on every tournament, so that we are not having a few people always calling us "okay, they just had a good tournament, next time blah blah blah"

The next one is Pinnacle Championship, we will try to win this one, it is our goal. Also for me especially, to just get that experience from now (at Dallas) qualifying to the stage, in Sweden I don't know. But especially in Lisbon, we will have a big stage at BLAST. For me just getting experience, having a good time, and doing the best as a team and individually.

Do you have any personal goals for this year? Like winning a particular tournament, or getting an MVP, or something like that?

An MVP, no. For me it's never been important to be an MVP, of course it's nice to have but growing as a team and winning tournament as a team is always priority number one. Qualifying for the stage in Cologne is definitely one of the biggest goals this year. Qualifying for the stage of a Major is also one, and of course winning such a big tournament as well. Like of course winning Cologne, winning a Major, would be insane. But first step is getting back to the top 10, then coming back to the top 5, and then just getting better and better and going up in the ranks.