Hikaru Nakamura is an American chess player and online streamer. He became a Grandmaster at the age of 15, the youngest American ever to do so. He has won the US Chess Championship five times and the Chess Olympiad gold medal with Team USA in 2016. But Nakamura is best known for his blitz and bullet chess skills, where he is considered one of the best in the world. He is also a popular streamer on Twitch, where he entertains hundreds of thousands of viewers with his chess commentary.
Biography of Hikaru Nakamura
- Full name: Hikaru Nakamura
- Nickname: “The Speed Demon”
- Profession: Chess player
- Famous For- A chess prodigy
- Net Worth: $50 million
- Instagram handle: gmhikaru
Physical Status of Hikaru Nakamura
- Height: 5ft 7in
- Weight: 73kg
- Eye Colour: Dark brown
- Hair Colour: Black
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Personal Life of Hikaru Nakamura
- Date Of Birth: 09 December, 1987
- Place Of Birth: Hirakata, Osaka Prefecture, Japan
- Nationality: American
- Hometown: NA
- School: NA
- College: Dickinson College, Pennsylvania
- Hobbies: Adventure Sports, Running, and maintaining
Family Life of Hikaru Nakamura
- Father: Shuichi Nakmura
- Mother: Carolyn Nakamura
- Brother: Asuka Nakamura
- Sister: None
- Martial Status: Married
- Wife: Atousa Pourshiyan
- Marriage: 2023
- Children: None
Career Statistics of Hikaru Nakamura
- Tournament Debut: 1998 New York Open, at the age of 10.
- Grandmaster Debut: He earned the grandmaster title in 2003, at the age of 15, breaking the record made by Robert Fischer.
Records and Achievements of Hikaru Nakamura
Records:
- 1998: New York Open (U12 section)
- 2001: World Youth Chess Championship (U16) – Champion
- 2002: Pan-American Chess Championship – Champion
- 2003: World Junior Chess Championship – 2nd
- 2004: FIDE World Championship Tournament (youngest participant)
- 2005: US Chess Championship – Champion
- 2006: Chess Olympiad (Team USA Bronze)
- 2007: Dortmund Sparkassen Chess Tournament – Champion
- 2008: Monson Cup (Rapid & Blitz) – Champion
- 2009: US Chess Championship – Champion
- 2010: Tata Steel Chess Tournament – 2nd place
- 2011: Grand Chess Tour – Champion
- 2012: US Chess Championship – Champion
- 2013: Tata Steel Chess Tournament – Champion
- 2014: Sinquefield Cup – 2nd place
- 2015: US Chess Championship – Champion
- 2016: Chess Olympiad (Team USA Gold)
- 2017: Candidates Tournament – Semi-finalist, Sinquefield Cup – Champion, London Chess Classic – Champion
- 2018: Chess Olympiad (Team USA Bronze), Grand Chess Tour (Paris & St. Louis legs) – Champion, Saint Louis Rapid and Blitz Chess – Champion
- 2019: US Chess Championship – Champion
- 2020: FIDE Online Nations Cup (Team USA Champion)
- 2021: FIDE Chess.com Grand Swiss Tournament – 2nd place
- 2022: Candidates Tournament – Quarter-finalist, World Fischer Random Chess Champion
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Achievements:
- 1998: At the tender age of 10, Nakamura makes his tournament debut at the New York Open in the U12 section.
- 2001: Earns the title of National Master at 13, the youngest ever in the United States.
- 2002: Becomes an International Master at 14, showcasing his rapid progress.
- 2003: Achieves the coveted Grandmaster title at 15, breaking Bobby Fischer’s record as the youngest American GM.
- 2004: Makes his debut at the prestigious FIDE World Chess Championship tournament, marking his arrival on the global stage.
- 2005: Claims his first US Chess Champion title, the first of five victories he would achieve throughout his career (2005, 2009, 2012, 2015, 2019).
- 2006: Wins the bronze medal with Team USA at the Chess Olympiad, demonstrating his prowess in team competition.
- 2007: Reaches the quarterfinals of the World Chess Championship and finishes 2nd in the Corus Chess Tournament, solidifying his place among the elite.
- 2008-2012: Continues to dominate the US Chess scene, winning multiple national championships and establishing himself as the nation’s top player.
- 2013: Triumphs at the prestigious Tata Steel Chess Tournament, defeating world champions and reaffirming his elite status.
- 2014: Reaches the Candidates Tournament for the World Chess Championship, vying for the ultimate chess crown.
- 2016: Secures another bronze medal with Team USA at the Chess Olympiad and participates in the World Championship Candidates Tournament once more.
- 2017: Bags victories at the Sinquefield Cup and London Chess Classic, showcasing his dominance in rapid and blitz formats.
- 2018: Earns gold with Team USA at the Chess Olympiad, finally achieving the top podium after multiple bronze medals.
- 2019: Captures his fifth US Chess Champion title, further cementing his legacy as the strongest American player.
- 2020-2021: Focuses on rapid and blitz chess, winning numerous online tournaments and establishing himself as a streaming sensation.
- 2022: Becomes the World Fischer Random Chess Champion, showcasing his versatility across chess variants.
- 2022: Reaches the final of the FIDE Candidates Tournament, narrowly missing another shot at the World Championship.
- 2023: Maintains his top-5 ranking in the world and continues to be a force in rapid and blitz chess, entertaining audiences with his online streams and commentary.
