During The International 2023, Alimzhan “Watson” Islambekov has achieved a flex that fans thought would be impossible.
After holding the number one spot on the European ranked ladder, the carry player achieved the same feat with an alternate account in North America to have two accounts that are currently ranked number one in different regions.
Professional Dota 2 players often maintain multiple accounts for ranked matches, enabling them to practice discreetly. se alternative accounts frequently rank high on leaderboards. While there have been instances of professional players having two accounts in the top 10, Watson has set a new standard for this accomplishment.
Despite being the third player to achieve 13,000 MMR, Watson has been the most dominant. In the last nine months, every time Dota 2 players checked the European leaderboard, Watson’s name was consistently at the top.
Repeating his admirable achievement in another region is already a testament to Watson’s skill and determination, but doing so in NA makes it even more impressive. The NA Dota 2 region is currently filled with the top professional players in the world, and other players have been reporting how difficult it has been to retain their MMR as the region’s ranked matches are considered to be highly toxic.
Collapse is already fed up with playing ranked Dota 2 in NA during TI 2023, while Watson hasn’t flinched despite a new pubbing environment. Even before becoming a professional player, Watson was highly regarded for his consistent performance in solo queue games, and that ultimately got him a spot in Entity.
While some players reduce their ranked match exposure upon joining a team due to playing scrims, Watson hasn’t lost his touch. Entity will also need every bit of that touch to stay alive at TI 2023, as they’ll be playing versus TI11 champions Tundra Esports in the first round of the lower bracket on Oct. 22.
