Arlington,Texas: During an exhibition event titled Checkmate: USA vs India, American Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura drew criticism for his post-match antics against Indian World Champion D Gukesh. After sealing victory in a bullet game, Nakamura flung Gukesh’s king piece into the crowd a gesture many fans called “distasteful” and “unsportsmanlike.”
The United States team dominated the event with a 5-0 sweep over India, but it was Nakamura’s celebratory outburst that overshadowed the result. Gukesh, who held his own in the 10-minute and five-minute games with draws, was eventually defeated in the one-minute bullet round. Nakamura delivered checkmate with a queen on the back rank, while a bishop cut off the young Indian’s final escape squares.
At one stage, Gukesh appeared to have the upper hand both on time and position. However, Nakamura’s experience and quick recovery turned the tables, leading to the decisive finish. What followed, though, became the focal point of debate online.
Outraged fans took to social media to condemn Nakamura’s behavior. One user posted, “A grown man tossing his opponent’s King, who’s half his age, into the crowd. Real classy, Hikaru. The hate Magnus and Hikaru have for India’s Gukesh is just unreal.”
Addressing the controversy, FIDE CEO Emil Sutovsky clarified that Nakamura’s actions had no anti-India motive but criticized the gesture’s tone. “Nothing to do with India. In Magnus’s case, it was an organic outburst raw emotion. Appropriate or not is another matter. In Hikaru’s case, it was showmanship rather distasteful, if you ask me. I understand the match was meant for entertainment, but there should be some boundaries,” Sutovsky told media outlets.
Another fan echoed similar frustration, writing, “Hikaru threw @DGukesh’s king into the crowd. Magnus and Hikaru can’t handle India’s rise in chess. Their arrogance exposes their lack of sportsmanship. Go India!”
The incident comes at a challenging time for Gukesh, who recently slipped out of the FIDE top-10 rankings following a disappointing run at the FIDE Grand Swiss.
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