The USA dominated the opening leg of the Checkmate chess event, defeating India 5-0 in a high-voltage contest, but it was Hikaru Nakamura’s post-match celebration that stole the spotlight and divided opinion on social media.
Facing Indian prodigy D Gukesh in the headline game, Nakamura, World No. 2 with a FIDE rating of 2816, delivered a clinical performance to outplay the 19-year-old. The Americans displayed remarkable composure under pressure to sweep the tie, while India, playing with the black pieces, struggled to find rhythm across all boards.
Alongside Nakamura’s win over Gukesh:
- Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi lost to Fabiano Caruana
- Divya Deshmukh was defeated by Carissa Yip
- International Master Levy Rozman beat Sagar Shah
- Young Ethan Vaz fell to Tani Adewumi
Controversial celebration
Nakamura’s victory drew attention for an unusual reason: he threw Gukesh’s king piece toward the crowd moments after sealing the match. The spontaneous act triggered mixed reactions online, with some fans calling it disrespectful, while others argued it was part of theatrical entertainment approved by event organizers to enhance the live experience.
Despite the setback, Gukesh received strong support from global chess followers, who praised his composure and competitive spirit. The reigning world champion, currently World No. 11, is expected to lead India’s fightback in the second leg of Checkmate, which will be held on home soil.
Nakamura’s fiery display comes months after another viral chess moment, when Gukesh defeated Magnus Carlsen during Norway Chess 2025, prompting a rare visible outburst from the Norwegian star. The return leg in India promises an intense rematch, both on and off the board.