

Full Name: Russel Van Dulken
Nick: Twistzz
Also known as: N/A
Game: Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
Current Team: FaZe Clan
Ex Team: Team Liquid, Misfits, TSM, KKona, Team AGG, SapphireKelownaDotCom, Tectonic
Date of Birth: November 14th, 1999
Height: 5ft9 (175.2cm)
Weight: 138lbs (62.5kg)
Place of Birth: Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
Nationality: Canadian
Relationship Status/Partners: Carolin “Aonir” Hanisch
Who is Twistzz?
The global eSports community knows him as Twistzz, but his full name is Russel David Kevin Van Dulken. This intriguing Counter-Strike: Global Offensive prodigy was born on November 14th, 1999, in Kelowna, British Columbia. Today, this CS gamer is one of the world’s top-rated players with a relatively short but intriguing career.
Van Dulken’s professional gaming career started in late 2015, although he grew up playing Quake with his father. The gamer bounced around between different prominent and lesser-known teams, but his talent was always consistently evident. Twistzz’s playing style is easily recognizable for his proficient pistol skill. However, his hairstyle is the dominant feature of his physical appearance. Here’s everything you need to know.
Twistzz CS:GO Career Beginnings
Twistzz’s professional career started when he joined his first pro team named Tectonic in late 2015. His time with Tectonic lasted barely two months, after which the gamer switched over to SapphireKelownaDotCom. Kyle “OCEAN” O’Brien also changed teams along with Van Dulken; at the time, O’Brien was a veteran In-Game Leader.
In February 2016, following another several month-long excursion with SapphireKelownaDotCom, the entire team signed over to AGG. A month later, AGG let go of the whole roster, causing Van Dulken and the former AGG clan to go over to team KKona.
Just when it looked like Twistzz would stay in one team more than a couple of months, an exciting offer came knocking. This time, TSM was at the door with a stand-in offer a mere week after the gamer transitioned to KKona. TSM’s offer also extended to Sean Gares, another veteran In-Game Leader.
Twistzz moves to the big leagues
The Canadian gaming prodigy decided to accept Team SoloMid’s offer and unknowingly opened the door to global fame. Although the initial offer was for a stand-in position only, the team eventually signed the gamer for a permanent position.
The TSM portion of Twistzz’s career lasted just shy of a year. In January 2017, Misfits Gaming capitalized on the fact that TSM released the gamer and his teammates from the roster. Besides spending more time with TSM than any other professional gaming organization up to that point, Van Dulken also benefited from Team SoloMid.
Twistzz’s CS:GO debut in Team Liquid
After a brief bout with Misfits Gaming, Team Liquid picked up Twistzz in April of 2017. Liquid needed new talent following Jacob “Pimp” Winneche’s departure from the roster. During his time with this team, Van Dulken rose to global prominence and honed his CS:GO skills to the highest level.
Team Liquid would quickly prove to be the team for young Van Dulken, despite several professional setbacks. Right off the bat, Twistzz was a significant part of the team’s high placement (2nd) on EST Tour Mykonos and ESL One New York 2017. Later in the year, the squad took home the Americas Minor Championship for ELEAGUE Boston 2017.
The iconic rivalry between Team Liquid & Astralis
At the beginning of 2018, the ELEAGUE Major: Boston 2018 saw Twistzz and the team placing 14th. The unusually low ranking in the event occurred because of roster-lock rules, which prevented Lucas “steel” Lopes from helping the squad. In his absence, it was up to the coach, Wilton “zews” Prado, to fill in the gap, which forced the team to adjust (though, unsuccessfully).
Following the January debacle, February was kinder to Team Liquid. In the finals of CS_Summit 2, Twistzz assisted in the squad’s triumph over Cloud9 in the finals. The victory marked the first 2018 win for the team.
However, by then, the legendary Astralis team proved to be the arch-nemesis of Team Liquid’s roster. The Canadian gamer felt the grind more than others, as the community pressure continuously landed on him. In the ELEAGUE Season Premier 2018 and the ECS Season 5 finals, Team Liquid lost to Astralis and placed 2nd.
The same turn of events occurred during the FACEIT Major: London 2018, where Liquid finished in 3rd/4th place after failing to beat Astralis once again in the semi-finals. Mousesports also managed to beat Twistzz’s team in the finals at ESL One New York 2018, despite the gamer winning the tournament’s MVP award.
The continuous inconsistent record & Twistzz leaving Liquid
2019 was a year filled with mixed feelings for both Twistzz and Team Liquid. The January 2019 HLTV rankings placed Twistzz as 2018’s 12th best professional CS:GO player. Team-wise, Liquid finally overcame the obstacle of beating Astralis, which took place at the iBUYPOWER Masters 2019 in a best of 3 final.
However, Liquid would once again drop the ball at the major and lose in the quarterfinals to the underdog ENCE to finish 5th-8th. The team finally caught a break in May of 2019, when Liquid won IEM Sydney 2019. This event also served as the first significant team win for Twistzz, who secured an average 1.25 HLTV ranking and the event’s MVP title.
The gamer’s winning streak continued throughout June, with the team securing victories in the ESL Pro League Season 9 Finals and DreamHack Masters Dallas 2019. Liquid also managed to beat their arch-enemy Astralis in the best out of 6 rounds contest in the former event.
Furthermore, the team continued to win the ESL One Cologne 2019 tournament and landed the Intel Grand Slam worth $1 million. However, the turbulent season persisted, as Astralis once again managed to defeat Team Liquid in the Starladder Berlin Major’s finals.
Twistzz is currently playing for FaZe Clan, which he joined in January 2021 after replacing Kjaerbye.
Twistzz CS:GO streaming
The Canadian gamer regularly streams on Twitch. He also has a community of more than 221,000 followers and subscribers on this platform. In addition to Twitch, Twistzz also streams via his YouTube channel. Van Dulken is also present on other platforms, such as Instagram and Twitter.
Twistzz girlfriend
According to his Instagram profile, Twistzz is dating Carolin “Aonir” Hanisch. Hanisch is a Dota 2 observer with notable involvements in numerous Dota Pro Circuit events and the ESL.
Although information regarding Twistzz’s girlfriend is scarce, she is a German national. Hanisch currently works at ESL as an Event Marketing Manager. However, Aonir got into Dota 2 observing at the request of fellow observer PimpmuckL, who asked for her help in observing ESL One Katowice 2019.
Twistzz personal info
Van Dulken’s father is responsible for introducing Twistzz to the world of video games. The gamer stated that his father would often play Quake after coming home from work. After a while, Van Dulken also started playing Quake alongside his dad.
However, the gamer started playing games as an escape from real life after his parents’ marriage didn’t work and his dad moved away. After a while, Van Dulken and his mother moved in with her new boyfriend.
During this stage of his childhood, Twistzz transitioned from other FPS games to Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. The gamer’s new life quickly took a turn for the worse as his mother’s new boyfriend started abusing the young gamer verbally. The abuse caused Twistzz’s progress in the game to stall.
The boy’s mom finally decided to leave her boyfriend in 2014, which allowed Van Dulken to continue honing his CS:GO prowess. The gamer stated that the reason why his mother was supportive of his prolonged gaming sessions was because “she knew where I was at all times.”
Twistzz net worth & finances
The young Canadian gamer has done well for himself in terms of his professional career. While you’ll find differing information regarding his estimated net worth, Twistzz has earned the most in his career from professional CS:GO competitions.
When it comes to additional income sources, most professional eSports players also receive pay from sponsorships, ads, and social media platforms. Twitch is the perfect example of such passive income, although eSports pros also receive salaries as team members.
The following is a breakdown of the gamer’s yearly earnings throughout his professional career:
2015 – $280.00
2016 – $20,716.67
2017 – $74,429.76
2018 – $211,900.00
2019 – $477,850.00
2020 – $78,200.00.
FAQ
- How old is Twistzz?
Twistzz was born on November 14, 1999. In other words, the gamer is currently 22 years old and will turn 23 in late 2021.
- Where does Twistzz live?
Van Dulken was born in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada, and is a Canadian national. However, he joined FaZe Clan in 2021, which has a headquarters in Los Angeles, United States. The gamer’s precise current residence is unknown.
- Twistzz Height
Twistzz is 5ft9 (175.2cm) tall and weighs 138lbs (62.5kg).
A lack of consistency stemmed from numerous roster changes. Nonetheless, the arrival of Twistzz is one transfer that has shown to be a success for the team.