Hikaru Nakamura Ends D Gukesh's Winning Streak at Norway Chess
Nakamura's Victory Over Gukesh
American Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura halted the impressive winning streak of world champion D Gukesh by decisively defeating him, securing three full points in the process. Meanwhile, Arjun Erigaisi made a strong comeback by triumphing over Fabiano Caruana in the ongoing Norway Chess tournament.
In the eighth round of this prestigious event, India's Erigaisi managed to outsmart Caruana during a tense time scramble.
Nakamura, ranked second globally and a former champion of Norway Chess, capitalized on an early advantage with the white pieces, showcasing a dominant performance against the 19-year-old Gukesh. This victory served as a form of retribution for his earlier defeat to Gukesh in Round 3.
After a rocky start to the tournament, Gukesh had regained his form by defeating world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen and Erigaisi in the sixth and seventh rounds, respectively. However, Nakamura maintained control throughout their nearly four-hour match, leaving Gukesh with little room to maneuver.
With two rounds remaining, both Gukesh and Nakamura are tied for third place, each with 11.5 points. Caruana leads with 12.5 points, despite his loss to Erigaisi, while Carlsen, who faced defeat against China's Wei Yi in the Armageddon tie-break, holds second place with 12 points. Erigaisi is positioned fifth with 10.5 points.
"It was a very smooth game, and I’m quite pleased with my performance," Nakamura remarked post-victory. The 37-year-old, who won the 2023 Norway Chess edition where Gukesh finished third, noted that Gukesh seemed uncomfortable with the pawn structure, which likely contributed to his time pressure and subsequent defeat.
"I’m not entirely sure what went wrong for Gukesh, whether he was unfamiliar with the bishop g6 move or something else, but it was evident from his lengthy deliberation that he was not satisfied with the pawn structure," Nakamura explained, recalling his own experience of becoming the youngest American GM at just 15.
Reflecting on his earlier loss to Gukesh, Nakamura admitted it was due to a moment of complacency. "I relaxed too much when I thought I had equalized, and I ended up in a lot of trouble," he added.
Nakamura Critiques Gukesh's Performance
Nakamura expressed astonishment at Gukesh's overall performance in the tournament, suggesting he was fortunate to have survived against Carlsen and Erigaisi.
"It’s a peculiar situation; his results are impressive, but objectively speaking, I believe he has played poorly. He should have lost to Magnus and was in a losing position against Erigaisi," Nakamura stated.
"Aside from his first game against me and possibly the match against Wei Yi, he was losing at various points, even against Caruana," he continued.
"It’s challenging to assess his play, but one notable strength he possesses, which Arjun and R. Praggnanandhaa lack, is his mental fortitude. He remains less emotional than the others, which has benefited him in this tournament, making it a mixed bag overall."
Nakamura also acknowledged Gukesh's defensive capabilities, noting, "In this game, I felt there were several moments when I was winning, yet I had to find additional moves to secure the win, demonstrating his strong defensive skills."
Nakamura on the Future of Chess in India
Indicating that this might be his final appearance at Norway Chess, Nakamura suggested he may have played his last classical game against Carlsen. He also emphasized that "the future of chess lies in India." He remarked, "India is essentially the new Soviet Union in the chess world. With players like Gukesh, Arjun, and Praggnanandhaa, and Aravindh Chithambaram breaking into the top 10, it’s clear that in the next 5-10 years, Indian players will dominate chess without a doubt."