Danil "Diamondprox" Reshetnikov has been the jungler for Gambit Gaming for the entirety of his three years in the pro League of Legends scene. He is regarded as one of the best and most innovative players in Europe, being voted on to the EU All-Stars team after the 2013 Spring Split. His team has gone to the League of Legends World championships twice and recently won IEM VIII Cologne, beating both regional champions Cloud 9 and Fnatic.

Diamond's wife, Darina "Rogue" is a high-elo League of Legends player herself, having encountered him in Solo Queue before they knew each other. As a native Russian like Diamond and his team, she has supported him in his career as a pro gamer. She took the time to do an interview with us and tell us about their relationship and the extra responsibility marriage brings to a pro gamer's career.

Many professional League players have met their girlfriends online. How did you two first meet?

Rogue: It was the middle of the season 2 and at that time I was playing around 2200 elo. Of course, everyone already knew about Moscow 5, but I had not experienced much fanaticism to this team. I learned about them mainly because of Genja's streams and their victories in various tournaments. So out of the whole team I mostly liked him. To be fair, at this time, I disliked Diamond, Pepper and Alex. Some as a player, some as a person.

But it just so happened that we got with Diamond in SoloQ and I was brutally humiliated by his Skarner, all would be fine if we did not start flame each other and, in the process of quarrel, had not figured out that we both know the Russian language pretty good and, especially, the foul part of it . After the defeat of mine, I proceed into another Queue and I got another game against him again. I don’t know really how it happened, but in the second game I deserve "gj" from him and some kind words. Later we talked for a long time on the internet (in our "Russian facebook"), he even doubted that I was a real girl and checked it on the lists of students at my university.

Lisha and Serina both explained that the distance was the biggest hurdle for their relationships. Gambit Gaming doesn’t have a gaming house and they travel to the LCS every week. How does the travelling affect your relationship?

Rogue: In general, we spend only a couple of hours a week together. In past LCS seasons he spent at home 2-3 days. But because I work or I am in the hospital (I have serious health problems) we don’t often see each other. During the whole of last summer we were together at the beginning of summer, at my birthday and at Gamescom. For all that, I believe that this is not a problem. Yes, I would like to be together more often, but it's nothing compared with his career.

Throughout the last year, I tried to persuade him to talk with the team and make GH in Moscow or Kiev. I don’t believe that the flights were one of the main reasons for such a bad result in the end. Rather, what distracts them all. It's like, I don’t distract him during training, I don’t let him play in other games(ha-ha), but the everyday things, his desire to stay with me a little more, you know. And it's not just his problem, the whole team has the same problem. Less women and ordinary life - more wins. Sad but true, and every man makes his choice.

So you two went to Gamescon together? What was it like being at a large event with him?

Rogue: Thank God, but few people know that Diamond is married, and especially the way I look. I wasn’t sitting in the hall when he played, tried not to bother him while he was with the fans.

Only in the last day, tried to meet him after game. He stood and photographed with fans and when I tried to get his attention, one of the boys pushed me hurt and said rudely that I should stand in line like everyone, if I want an autograph. Well, I stood.

Still, the game itself was certainly exciting. But for me, the only difference is that I saw him earlier than before.

Did you sit with the coaches or other people related to the team?
Rogue: Yes I sit with the coaches.

Well at least you got a much better view of the matches then.
Rogue: Ahah, true

Alex Ich and Diamond are two of the only married professional League of Legends players. How do you think this extra responsibility to their families affects them?

Rogue: As far as I know, on the American scene were also people with families.

Family is an extra motivation, but also more responsibility. You can no longer relate to League of legends as a game. It becomes your job, and even more. And your wins is not only an occasion to assert itself and the taste of victory, as well as the need, in some way.

So you're saying having a family makes them work harder at the game, because they can't do it as something for fun, but entirely as a career to provide for their family?

Rogue: Yes.

Gambit has had a stable roster of players for almost their entire career as a professional team. Have you gotten to know his teammates?

Rogue: I don’t communicate very closely with Edward and Alex. But I think that Darien is the strangest and interesting person in the whole European scene. I mean, what some consider him a clown and all these kind of jokes about smoke weed , but probably nobody reads as many books as he reads. You knew that he was №1 in the ladder in Beta-test Starcraft ? Well, I watched for a long time Genja. You never know what's on his mind, but a more peaceful and reconciled man is hard to find. I like Darien and Genja with Diamond because they are people who will not hide anything , lie about something or try to act like "goodguy" for their career. Bad for their work, but it's nice to chat with people like them.

Diamond is known for his innovation in League. Does Diamond ever bounce ideas off you or tell you about new strategies he’s come up with?

Rogue: I'll tell you a terrible thing , but I think that Diamond is a bit overrated as an innovator. I mean, I always thought that the most important advantage of it was that he plays consistently well . Sometimes it is better than good :D Sometimes it is bad games . We all have bad days.

If we are talking about some "innovation", then yes, we almost always discuss the upcoming and past games. Discussing Korean tournaments , watch replays together. So I almost always know what he wants to pick. The problem is that this is only his opinion, and that the team will say - it’s another question.

So you think it’s good you used to be such a high-elo player because you can talk to him about the game and watch replays with him?

Rogue: I don’t think that this is important in family life, and I believe that no matter what rating you have. Like Alex’s wife didn’t play ranked before they met, but they have so beautiful love and happy family.

The fact that we are able to discuss the game is just a nice plus. For example, in the third season I spam Xin in soloQ and started to build Locket (totally op), although my runes were just awful. And then you see it in the tournament, but in normal build, and with normal runes.

Diamond was voted onto the EU All-Stars team in the Spring 2013 Split despite him saying he probably wouldn’t be able to go. How do you feel seeing this kind of overwhelming fan support for him?

Rogue: Is it just a support or blindvote for a person whom everyone is talking about? He at that time had very big health problems and he had to go to hospital. But in the end we have postponed it for Allstars.

So you feel the community picked him because the team was doing well?

Rogue: I think that voting Allstars is not about skill, it’s about popularity.

Were you happy to see him be popular enough to be voted to all-stars then?

Rogue: Of course, I am pleased to see that people believe in him.

Gambit has made their way to the World Championship twice now and played against some of the top teams in the world. How do you feel watching them play in front of millions of people?

Rogue: For us, no matter how many people are watching the game, the main thing that matters can only be a victory over a worthy opponent. And when I see how Diamond benefits from playing against those who he really respects I am very proud of him.

So you like watching worlds because he's playing against the top teams and players in all of League of Legends?

Rogue: Yes. This is really important.

What do you two like to do when he has breaks like between Splits or after the World Championship?
Rogue: Bicycles, food and serials. Three Pillars of our free time.

Do you go out a lot together then?

Rogue: We rarely go out. I don’t really love it. Last time he invited me to the theater, where his father works.

Being married must give him a bit of an assurance for his future when he’s done with E-Sports. Have you two talked about what he plans to do after being a professional gamer?

Rogue: He wants to work in e-Sports forever :D also work in e-sports and I can confidently say that there is work for everyone, most importantly be able and willing to work. I don’t think it’s a temporary 'job' now, Riot did a great and a fantastic job for its e-sport development. He knows that he will not always be a player in the league of legends, but Diamond is sure that he will be part of e-Sports enough to then immediately retire.

Any final remarks or shout-outs?

Rogue: I would like to say to all the fans who are now very much worried because of losses of their favorite teams , and in particular Gambit. Losses on the LCS doesn’t show anything. As well as victory before the final weeks. The main thing is to get into the playoffs.

You should never say "they cannot lose" or "they cannot win," if you're comparing teams that already play on LCS. Everyone has a chance to defeat or victory. There are players who show results depending on their mood. Losing several times they throw up their hands. Talented, but impressionable. Similarly, in SoloQ you should never give in to emotions until the end of the last fight. Just remember that.

And yes, thank you for supporting Gambit. Faith in the team helped so many times not to throw. I hope the team will not disappoint you in this season.