Hikaru Nakamura

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HIKARU NAKAMURA NEWS

Two-time world championship contender Ian Nepomniachtchi at the FIDE World Cup in Goa. (Express Photo by Amit Kamath)

Ian Nepomniachtchi names Praggnanandhaa among two favourites to win Candidates in tier list

January 29, 2026 10:52 am

While Ian Nepomniachtchi said he considered Fabiano Caruana as the top favourite to win Candidates 2026, ranking him slightly ahead of Pragg, he also pointed out that American grandmaster "can burn out" in events.

Anish Giri PBG Alaskan Knights interview

Anish Giri names Hikaru Nakamura, Fabiano Caruana as favorites at Candidates tournament

January 26, 2026 4:27 am

Talking about the rest of the field, Anish Giri said: “There are a bunch of others who have barely played in the Candidates."

Magnus Carlsen takes on Hikaru Nakamura in a blindfold chess game during an exhibition event at International Casinos & Entertainment Expo event in Barcelona. (Photo: ICE via FIDE)

'I was seriously considering it': Magnus Carlsen reveals he almost played in Tata Steel classical chess tournament

January 22, 2026 12:03 pm

Carlsen’s participation at this year’s Norway Chess tournament has already been confirmed. There was also some surprise when it was revealed that Carlsen will play in the TePe Sigeman chess tournament in Sweden’s Malmo

Hikaru Nakamura interview: 'Studying chess 10 hours a day is nonsense... it's outdated'

December 23, 2025 1:55 pm

American Grandmaster Nakamura, who will be a contender at the Candidates next year, talks about how chess has changed and how 'work smarter, not harder' is his mantra

File image of American grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura. (Photo courtesy: GCL)

Hikaru Nakamura gets 6 out of 8 predictions wrong, underlines the unpredictability of the Chess World Cup

November 17, 2025 7:59 pm

The only two predictions which Nakamura got right were the duels between Frederik Svane and Javokhir Sindarov, in which he picked the Uzbek to win — and he won — and expected Nodirbek Yakubboev to ease past Gabriel Sargissian, which is what happened in the match.

Indian Grandmaster Nihal Sarin in action. (FILE IMAGE: Anna Shtourman/Qatar Masters)

After FIDE World Cup heartbreak, Nihal Sarin takes down Magnus Carlsen, Nakamura, Praggnanandhaa to win Bullet Brawl

November 17, 2025 7:43 pm

Nihal defeated the likes of Magnus Carlsen, Hikaru Nakamura and compatriot R. Praggnanandhaa for his third Bullet Brawl.

Hikaru Nakamura breaks down after Daniel Naroditsky passes away: 'There are things that are more important than the game'

October 23, 2025 10:37 pm

The Charlotte Chess Center in North Carolina, where Naroditsky trained and taught, announced his death on social media, calling him “a beloved member of the chess community” who should remembered for his “passion and love for the game of chess, and for the joy and inspiration he brought to us all every day.”

Hikaru Nakamura reacts while talking about the draw with Arjun Erigaisi in the quarter-finals. (Screengrab via Freestyle Chess YouTube)

‘Total fluff... nothing new... will just confuse fans’: Hikaru Nakamura’s ‘brutally honest’ review of Total Chess World Championship

October 16, 2025 6:49 pm

Nakamura was particularly unhappy with the fast classic format, which organisers and FIDE have said will count as classical games in terms of ratings. Nakamura said: "What exactly is going on here? We're now going to count 45-minute chess as classical chess."

D Gukesh resets the chess board after losing to Hikaru Nakamura at Checkmate: USA vs India. (RIGHT) Nakamura throws Gukesh's king into the crowd. (PHOTOS: Screengrabs via Chessbase India and Chess.com)

'I don't really see the big deal': Fabiano Caruana reacts to Hikaru Nakamura throwing D Gukesh’s king into crowd

October 08, 2025 4:46 pm

Caruana also stressed that events like Checkmate and more serious tournaments like the Candidates as well as the World Championships can and should be allowed to co-exist.