In a highly anticipated chess showdown, Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura secured a dramatic victory over World Champion D. Gukesh. This match, part of the Checkmate event, saw the USA triumph over India with a 5-0 scoreline, hosted in Arlington, United States. However, Nakamura’s post-match gesture ignited considerable debate within the chess community.
Hikaru Nakamura’s Controversial Celebration
Following his victory, Nakamura controversially tossed Gukesh’s king into the crowd, a move that quickly went viral across social media platforms. Many users criticized this act as disrespectful and unnecessary. In contrast, Gukesh handled the situation with composure, taking the time to rearrange the chess pieces on the board, which garnered him respect from chess enthusiasts globally.
Match Highlights
- Nakamura played with white pieces, demonstrating exceptional skill to secure the win.
- After the match, Nakamura shared, “I was winning, the crowd knew I was winning, so I was really happy to hear all the noise!”
- The USA team capitalized on several critical moments, leading to their clean sweep in the match.
Other Matches in the Event
The event also featured several notable encounters:
- Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi was defeated by Fabiano Caruana.
- Grandmaster Divya Deshmukh suffered a surprising loss to International Master Carissa Yip.
- International Master Levy Rozman won against Sagar Shah.
- Chess prodigy Ethan Vaz lost to International Master Tani Adewumi.
Future Matches and New Rules
The Indian team will have the advantage of playing with white pieces in the return leg of the event. This second match will take place in India, where they will aim to rebound from their heavy defeat.
Additionally, the Checkmate event introduced new rules that have raised eyebrows among players. According to Chess.com, draw offers are no longer allowed, nor are resignations. Matches must continue until a checkmate occurs or a theoretically drawn position arises.
This unique approach to the competition, combined with Nakamura’s controversial actions, has sparked significant discussion in the chess world and beyond, highlighting the passion and intensity of modern chess tournaments.
