TL;DR
- Virtus.pro releases CSGO veteran AdreN after seven months, triggering RMR point deductions
- Team faces 20% penalty for roster change ahead of IEM New York Online CIS tournament
- AdreN posted -203 K/D despite team’s recent top-five tournament finishes
- Jame and YEKINDAR emerge as primary carry players with positive performance metrics
- Organization must find fifth player while maintaining third-place RMR ranking position

Virtus.pro has officially terminated its contract with Dauren “AdreN” Kystaubayev, the celebrated CSGO professional and Major MVP, concluding their seven-month partnership. This decision marks another significant roster adjustment for the storied esports organization.
The acquisition of AdreN and his former AVANGAR teammates occurred in December 2019, representing a strategic move following the squad’s impressive competitive achievements. The transfer was initially viewed as a promising development for VP’s rebuilding efforts.
AdreN’s competitive pedigree includes his championship victory at the 2017 PGL Major while competing with Gambit Esports. Following this career highlight, he transitioned to FaZe Clan before ultimately joining AVANGAR. His experienced gameplay and tactical intelligence proved instrumental in AVANGAR’s remarkable journey to the StarLadder Berlin Major grand finals.
However, the team’s competitive fortunes deteriorated rapidly after the organization transferred to Virtus.pro’s banner. VP was undergoing substantial restructuring at this time, having released their Polish lineup and refocusing operations within the CIS competitive region. From December 2019 through May 2020, the squad failed to achieve any placement better than fifth position across all entered competitions.
Their performance proved particularly inadequate at elite competitive levels, suffering early eliminations from both ESL Pro League Season 11 and IEM Katowice 2020 with disappointing 15th-18th place finishes.
While Virtus.pro has demonstrated improved results in recent months, AdreN continued to underperform despite the team securing four top-five placements across their last five tournament appearances. During this competitive period, the veteran player accumulated a concerning combined kill-to-death differential of -203.
His former colleagues, Alexey “qikert” Golubev and Sanjar “SANJI” Kuliev, similarly recorded negative K/D statistics of -11 and -68 respectively over the identical timeframe.

Virtus.pro’s primary sniper Dzhami “Jame” Ali and rifler Mareks “YEKINDAR” Gaļinskis have shouldered the competitive burden for the renowned organization throughout the past quarter. YEKINDAR maintains a consistent average performance rating around 1.1 with a +43 K/D spread, though Jame remains the roster’s standout talent with an exceptional +203 scoreline since ESL’s Road to Rio tournament series.
This roster move creates an immediate vacancy for Virtus.pro, leaving them without a complete five-player lineup as they approach the recently announced CIS Regional Ranking competition IEM New York Online, scheduled to commence in October. Additionally, VP—currently holding third position in the region’s RMR standings—will incur another 20% reduction in RMR points due to Valve’s established roster modification penalties.
The organization previously sacrificed 20% of their retained points from the StarLadder Berlin placement due to player substitutions during and between tournaments, following the benching of Timur “buster” Tulepov in favor of Mareks “YEKINDAR” Gaļinskis earlier this competitive season.
For teams navigating similar roster transitions, maintaining competitive consistency requires careful planning around Valve’s penalty structure. Organizations should consider timing major changes during natural competitive breaks to minimize point deductions that could impact Major qualification chances.
Action Checklist
- Analyze player performance metrics over minimum 3-month periods before roster decisions
- Schedule roster changes during competitive off-seasons to avoid RMR point penalties
- Evaluate replacement candidates using both statistical performance and team chemistry metrics
- Monitor Valve’s RMR rule updates regularly to ensure compliance with latest regulations
- Develop contingency plans for unexpected player departures or performance issues
No reproduction without permission:Game Guides Online » Virtus.pro kicks AdreN, takes RMR hit ahead of IEM New York Online Virtus.pro releases CSGO veteran AdreN, faces RMR penalties and roster challenges ahead of IEM New York Online
