Training Day: Thierry “Kaymind” Kaltenback

In the latest in our Training Day series, Team Liquid player Kaymind discusses the ins and outs of professional PUBG – and shares why the team are “confident they can come out on top” at the PCS 1 Europe Grand Finals.

My day starts… well, not in the morning! I am a pretty late riser, I get up between 2-3pm and have some fresh coffee and eggs. 

In the past I’ve had really good routines which have involved getting up earlier and going to the gym to do some weightlifting, or going out for long runs. I haven’t been doing that recently, and have been using the corona situation as an excuse, but if I am honest I could probably do more. I’m aiming to get back into that routine, it makes you feel a lot more energetic at the start of the day.

I’ve got a dedicated PUBG room in my house… where I train every day. It’s a nice cozy size and has everything I need. At the moment I have my main light off and use a small lamp to illuminate the room, but I know other players who don’t like using lamps because they are often in your peripheral vision – I guess everyone has their own way of doing it. 

In terms of equipment, I’ve got a wireless mouse which is currently an important part of my setup. Unlike other players, I like to switch between wireless and wired mice – just to test them out and find the best model for me. One of the main differences between the two is you have a lot more choice when it comes to wired mice in terms of shape and weight. 

Top Tip: There are many different types of mouse out there, make sure you are trying out a few to find one that works for you.

To be a successful PUBG player… you need to be able to pinpoint your own weaknesses and analyze what you’re doing wrong. As far as I am concerned, every time you die is an opportunity to improve. Ask yourself questions, why did I lose that battle? Is my positioning good enough? Is there something wrong with the way I peek? 

Be honest with yourself, if something is happening repeatedly then the chances are you can learn from it – but also remember that sometimes it is not your fault and you need to take the hit and move on.

At lunch time… I won’t eat anything too heavy or I’ll be tired. Spaghetti is good, things like chicken, rice and veg also work. We live in quite a rural area of France so we have to cook our own food, there is no chance of getting a takeaway around here!

Every PUBG team needs… to be able to adjust and adapt. It’s easy to play PUBG when everything is going according to plan, but it’s when things start to go wrong that it gets difficult. The battlegrounds can be unforgiving, one small mistake can snowball and half a second later you’re dead. That’s why you and your teammates need to be able to adapt to whatever the game throws at you.

I also think it’s important that teammates act like colleagues first, rather than friends. That comes down to the way you communicate, you’re always going to be blunter when talking with friends, which isn’t necessarily the most diplomatic way of approaching difficult subjects. With teammates, you need to be professional and polite when dealing with what can be sensitive topics. 

One thing that has changed my training routine is… playing more online events. When we’re playing LAN there is lots to do on the day of the tournaments, you have to travel to the stadiums for example. That takes large chunks out of your day.

At the moment I am enjoying playing online, it means I can be training and practicing at home right up until the last minute before a tournament. It works well for me.

For Kaymind, online tournaments are a much welcomed chance to get a bit more practice in before big matches.

At the PCS Europe Charity Showdown… we were a little disappointed with our performance in the Grand Finals. We were overthinking our mistakes in between matches, which led us to not follow our strategy and game plan. But we’ve learnt from that experience, and are confident we can land top spot this time around. 

If I am not playing PUBG… you can usually find me streaming on Twitch, it’s a nice way to switch off and relax. I also produce my own music which I often share with fans. I love making music, but unfortunately have never had the time to learn an instrument. So I really enjoy making tracks digitally.