Fabiano Caruana scores a massive win over Hikaru Nakamura and what a game it was!
The players went for the Sicilian Defense, Alapin Variation, and it quickly turned into a wild opposite-side castling battle. Both creating fireworks on the board right from the opening.
Caruana gained the upper hand in the middlegame, showing accuracy but with the clock ticking down, the tension skyrocketed. The time scramble saw the evaluation bar swing back and forth, both players missing chances in the chaos.
In the end, it was Hikaru who made the final mistake, and Caruana pounced instantly to seal the win, a thrilling finish to an incredible fight!
With this victory, Caruana stays in the race to catch Magnus Carlsen, and the timing couldn’t be better, he faces Carlsen next!
We’re back for Game 2 of the Nakamura vs Caruana mini-match here on the final day of the Champions Showdown 2025 in St. Louis!
In their first game earlier, the two produced a fighting draw, competitive chess from start to finish. Now, Nakamura has the White pieces, and both players will be pushing hard for a win.
With triple points on the line today, every victory matters, and both Hikaru and Fabiano know that a single win could catapult them closer to Magnus Carlsen, who currently leads the standings.
It’s Nakamura vs Caruana, a battle between two American stars, both hungry for a breakthrough on this final day, let’s see who takes the initiative!