Hikaru Nakamura makes the candidates tourney for World Chess Championship

[Johnny2X2X]

Hikaru wins his 3rd match in a row in the FIDE Grand Prix Berlin, the 3rd leg today. Absolutely a stunning development in the world of chess.

Hikaru is a Youtube and Twitch streamer, he was once a world class classical player and reached 2nd in the world, but he withdrew somewhat from competitive classical chess and just started earning money by streaming rapid, blitz, and bullet chess games daily. Those are 10/3/1 minute time limits games. He's the world's top speed chess player. But few thought he could have a chance to do much at the FIDE Grand Prix tourneys which decide who gets to compete in the candidate tourney for the right to challenge Magnus Carlsen, the world champion for the last decade. He won the first leg, and now just won his group in the 3rd leg and now he's secured his spot in the 8 person tourney for the right to challenge for the world title.

He was given an exemption to enter, and people said he didn't deserve it, so for him to win the first leg and ultimately make the candidates tourney is really something. Hikaru is extremely personable, he's made high level chess available to the masses as he let's everyone know what he's thinking while he plays online. And he gives great and frank analysis of his classical games afterwards. Just amazing insight that wasn't as available in previous generations.

Really amazing to see, and he's a fun guy to root for. He's going to have his work cut out for him, the other 7 players in the tourney are all beats. But Hikaru is playing very strongly right now and he's playing a care free and risky style because he's not taking it as seriously as he once did. I think 4 players are definitely stronger than him right now, but he could beat the other 3 in that field. And if something totally shocking happened and he won it, I don't see him having a chance to beat Magnus.

Really fun to watch. Also, Hikaru gives the US 2 players in the Candidates Tourney, He and Fabiano Caruana

Carlsen said he'd only play world #2 18 year old Alireza Firouzja from France, and Firouzja is the favorite to win this, Carlsen doesn't think anyone else has a chance to beat him and he's probably right, but he and Hikaru are friends and I bet Hikaru's popularity would precipitate Carlsen plays him.