Former professional Dota 2 player Ilya "ALOHADANCE" Korobkin explained what he likes about poker. He derives immense pleasure from playing for big money.
"What did I like about professional poker? I liked the game. I still like it now, just not as much as before, so I don't play it as much. Honestly, I enjoy the highest stakes that I can afford to play. But that's just while I'm playing. When I lose — I feel like dying.
The most interesting part is the highest stakes. Imagine playing for $100,000, and you're laying down cards. The adrenaline and emotions you get from that are hard to find elsewhere. Sitting there, playing poker with the best for $100,000, it's cool, your adrenaline is pumping hard, you're literally shaking." - Ilya "ALOHADANCE" Korobkin
In 2023, Korobkin announced his move to Canada, stating that he didn't want to return to Dota 2 and planned to fully focus on poker, which he had been passionate about before. In May 2023, ALOHADANCE won a tournament with a prize pool of over $100,000.
Earlier, Alexander "Nix" Levin shared his impressions of poker. The streamer greatly enjoyed the card game while preparing for BetBoom Poker. More details can be found in the note below.