watson

Alimzhan “watson” Islambekov was born on April 30, 2002, in Kazakhstan. He is a professional Dota 2 carry currently playing for Team Yandex.

watson is known for exceptional farming efficiency, strong laning fundamentals, and sustained success on the European ranked leaderboard. His individual matchmaking achievements helped establish his reputation, while his results with Entity, Cloud9, Gaimin Gladiators, and Team Yandex confirmed that he could perform consistently in Tier 1 competition.

Early Career

watson began playing Dota in 2013 and entered professional competition through local and regional teams in Kazakhstan. His first recorded professional period included KHAN and a short trial with Galaxy Team.

In 2021, he joined B8, where he gained broader exposure while playing alongside Dendi. He later moved to HellRaisers and developed a productive carry-support partnership with Malady.

HellRaisers became a competitive Eastern European roster and won several online tournaments, including Dota 2 Champions League Season 7. Although the team did not qualify for The International 2022, watson’s performances attracted attention from international organizations.

Entity and Cloud9

watson joined Entity in December 2022. The move marked his introduction to regular Tier 1 competition in Western Europe.

With Entity, he finished 5th–6th at the Lima Major 2023 and qualified for his first International later that year. Entity placed 9th–12th at The International 2023, making watson one of the first Kazakhstani players to compete at the event.

Cloud9 acquired the Entity roster in July 2024. Under the new organization, watson finished 5th–6th at The International 2024, which became his best TI result at the time.

Gaimin Gladiators

watson joined Gaimin Gladiators in October 2024. He replaced dyrachyo as the team’s carry and became part of a roster with significant experience in Grand Finals and international tournaments.

Gaimin Gladiators reached several finals during 2025, including BLAST Slam II, FISSURE Universe: Episode 4, and PGL Wallachia Season 5. Malady later joined the roster, reuniting the support with watson after their earlier HellRaisers period.

Team Yandex Era

watson and Malady joined Team Yandex in October 2025. Their arrival, together with Saksa’s addition, completed a major reconstruction of the organization’s original roster.

The results came quickly. Team Yandex finished third at FISSURE PLAYGROUND 2, second at BLAST Slam V, and won DreamLeague Season 27 by defeating Team Spirit in the Grand Final.

In 2026, Yandex added victories at PGL Wallachia Season 7 and BLAST Slam VII. The team also finished second at ESL One Birmingham 2026 and third at the Esports World Cup 2026, establishing itself as one of the most consistent rosters of the season.

The International 2026

Team Yandex started TI 2026 with an inconsistent 2-3 group-stage record, losing to Team Liquid, Aurora Gaming, and Iron Wing. The team survived the Elimination Round by defeating LGD Gaming 2-1.

Yandex improved significantly during the playoffs. They defeated Team Liquid 2-0 and Nigma Galaxy 2-1 before losing 1-2 to TEAM VISION in the upper-bracket final. Their tournament ended with a 0-2 defeat against Team Spirit in the lower-bracket final, securing third place.

The result became watson’s best placement at The International and added another major podium finish to Team Yandex’s 2025–2026 campaign.

Playstyle and Reputation

watson is a farm-oriented carry with a strong understanding of map efficiency and item timings. He is particularly effective on heroes that reward rapid resource accumulation and precise late-game execution.

His signature heroes include Terrorblade, Morphling, Templar Assassin, Ursa, Luna, Nature’s Prophet, and Slark. He can remain isolated for extended periods while farming, but generally joins fights once he reaches a clearly defined item timing.

His ability to recover after difficult lanes is one of his main strengths. Even when Team Yandex loses early map control, watson often provides the roster with a reliable late-game win condition.

Fun Facts

watson became one of the first Kazakhstani players to qualify for The International.

He reached 15,000 MMR in September 2024, 16,000 MMR in January 2025, and 17,000 MMR in May 2025.

His nickname is connected to Sherlock Holmes’ companion, Doctor Watson. He has also competed under variations such as DrWatson and 医者watson.