Hikaru Nakamura, an American chess grandmaster, caused a big talking point after beating the world champion D Gukesh Dommaraju in the Checkmate: USA vs India match. After winning, Nakamura took Gukesh’s king piece from the board and threw it into the crowd.
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| Image Source: NDTVSports |
He also waved his arms, showing his excitement. This surprised many people because chess players usually keep celebrations calm and respectful.
The game started with a safe draw using bishops. Then, in a fast five-minute game, Nakamura made a bold opening move called 1.b4. He got some space on the board at first, but Gukesh soon took control and was winning for much of the game.
In the last moments, both players had very little time to think. Gukesh made a mistake and lost by checkmate. After the win, Nakamura threw Gukesh's king into the audience. Many people on social media thought this was rude and disrespectful to the world champion.The chief of the International Chess Federation (FIDE), Emil Sutovsky, spoke out against Nakamura’s actions. He said that while the match was a show and players were encouraged to be fun, no top player would normally do what Nakamura did.
The organisers of the event replied to Sutovsky with a joke. They said they forced players to have fun and forget the usual chess manners. They also apologized if the players, audience, or viewers had a good time by accident.Nakamura shared laughing face emojis in reply to the organisers' comment.
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| Image Source: Facebook |
Another chess legend, Vladimir Kramnik, called Nakamura’s act childish and in bad taste. He said using the opponent’s king in that way seemed offensive and insulting, especially since Gukesh is the World Champion.
It was later revealed that throwing the king was part of the entertainment plan made by the event organisers. They wanted to make the event lively and fun for the audience. Nakamura reportedly told Gukesh that the action was not meant to offend him but was just to entertain fans.
The Checkmate event showed a new style of chess. It was not like the usual quiet tournaments. The crowd cheered loudly and players were asked to show more emotion. The event had big screens showing player moves and even heart rates to make it more exciting. While this new style brings more energy to chess, it has also raised questions about respecting traditions and good sportsmanship.
Team USA won the match against India with a perfect score of 5-0. Nakamura was a key player in this big win. Other American players like Fabiano Caruana and Carissa Yip also won their games. Although the victory was impressive, the king-throwing incident became the main topic of discussion.
In short, Nakamura’s celebration of throwing Gukesh’s king into the crowd during the Checkmate: USA vs India match caused a lot of debate.