Couldn’t help but wonder how the players who decided to relocate are doing now. Let's talk to some of them, starting with syromonoed:

— Where did you relocate, and what was the choice based on?
To Kazakhstan, the city of Almaty. The relocation happened by accident. A choice without a choice) A large IT company in which my wife planned to work left the Russian Federation, and in Kazakhstan this company exists and works

— ​​What is the current regime of staying in the country, how long can you stay there and what needs to be done for this?
You can stay for 90 days, then there is an opportunity to make a visa-ran, but I don't know about confirmed successful cases yet. Keeping track with the information.

Upon arrival, you need to make a migration arrival notice within three days. It is made by the owner of the housing. Then you can get a temporary residence permit by getting a job, or by becoming an individual entrepreneur. Issued for a period of one year.

— Did you manage to open a bank account?
So far, it is possible to open a Visa card in the local currency tenge in Kaspi bank without any problems.

I managed to open a multi-currency account in RBC bank, the first year of service is free. After April 25, the conditions in this bank for non-residents have changed. Now the opening of an account is 10 000 rubles, and then 1000 rubles each month. Other banks require an employment contract or have stopped opening for non-residents altogether.

An important point, they open a bank account and make a SIM card using only a foreign passport. At the same time, the conditions are constantly changing, and not for the better.

— What payment systems do you use, and how does the withdrawal take place?
I have unblocked Skrill (withdrawal to a local card), Paysera is now in the process.

— How are things going with rooms verification in the new location?
Unlocked ps.com and ps.es. Partypoker works here too.

— How much are everyday life and poker routine different from the usual ones now?
The time difference is not very convenient. +3 hours Moscow time. Otherwise, everything is habitual.

— Do you like the new location, the vibe, the people, the food, the weather?
So far, I like everything, but maybe it’s a newcomer's euphoria. Compared to St. Petersburg, the weather is great, there is plenty of green. 

The only thing is that it's good here in spring and autumn, and they say about summer that it's infernal heat. I've already been to the mountains, the graphics are amazing. 

People are friendly, without aggression and not as gloomy with impenetrable faces as in St. Petersburg. The food is tastier and the portions are bigger. There is McDonald's : )

— What do you miss the most?
Fast and cheap Internet as in Petersburg, back at home it was 400 mbit/s for 600 rubles. And my own housing, which was left there. Relatives, friends. Rent in Almaty is high, much more expensive than in Petersburg.

— What is your life planning horizon now? Do you have plans to return or maybe go somewhere further?
So far, we have decided to live here for a year, and then we will think. If we had gone further, it would have been to Poland or America.