Hikaru Nakamura, the 37-year-old world No. 2 chess player, is competing in low-level tournaments to boost his rating. On recent weekends, he participated in the Louisiana State Championship and Iowa Open.
What is Nakamura's goal?
Nakamura aims to qualify for the 2026 Candidates Tournament by achieving the highest average rating from August to January.
How is he achieving this?
He needs to play 40 FIDE-sanctioned games during this period, preferably without risking his No. 2 ranking. Nakamura plans to "go and find some Mickey Mouse tournaments and get to 40 games," rather than face elite opponents.
Why is this strategy questionable?
The tournaments he is competing in are not big-time events, with first-place prizes in the hundreds of dollars. The highest-ranked players from these events last year didn't even rank in the top 10,000 of the world FIDE rankings.
Nakamura has previously competed in three Candidates Tournaments and came just short last year, finishing a half-point behind Gukesh Dommaraju. He wants to play in the 2026 Candidates Tournament, but does not plan to compete in the required tournaments.
The American chess player is taking a risk by competing in these low-level tournaments, but it may pay off if he can increase his rating and qualify for the Candidates Tournament. Nakamura's strategy is to run the table in these events, winning as many games as possible without facing strong opposition.
The world chess championship is held every two years, and the next one will see Gukesh face a challenger. The challenger is decided by the Candidates Tournament, which features eight of the best non-champion players in the world playing each other in a round robin.
Nakamura's decision to compete in these tournaments has raised eyebrows, but it may be a clever move to increase his chances of qualifying for the Candidates Tournament. Only time will tell if his strategy will pay off.
The Candidates Tournament is a brutal event, with the top player winning a shot at the champion. Nakamura will need to perform well in the upcoming months to achieve his goal and compete in the 2026 Candidates Tournament.
Nakamura's participation in these low-level tournaments is a testament to his determination to succeed. He is willing to take risks and compete in events that may not be as prestigious as others, but can still help him achieve his goal.
The chess world will be watching Nakamura's progress closely, as he attempts to qualify for the 2026 Candidates Tournament. His strategy is unorthodox, but it may just work in his favor.