Team Yandex had an impressive performance on Thursday at the $750,000 BLAST Slam VIII event, securing a spot in the upper-bracket final after two hard-fought victories. They began by defeating LGD Gaming 2-1, overcoming a setback in the first game with wins in 37 and 32 minutes. Alimzhan “watson” Islambekov was standout for Yandex, recording 29 kills.
In the semifinals, they faced PARIVISION, rallying from an initial loss to win the next two maps in 52 and 64 minutes. Watson again shone, achieving an impressive 21-2-15 kills-deaths-assists ratio.
The tournament features a total prize pool of $750,000, with the champion taking home $270,000. The competition, featuring 16 teams, continues through Sunday, with Friday’s matches including Team Spirit vs. Aurora Gaming in the upper bracket and PARIVISION vs. 1w Team in the lower bracket.
