American grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura sparked controversy after defeating world champion Gukesh Dommaraju in a rapid chess match on Monday by grabbing the Indian player's king piece and throwing it into the crowd. The gesture helped secure a 5-0 victory for Team USA over Team India at the Checkmate exhibition event, but critics condemned the celebration as disrespectful. FIDE CEO Emil Sutovsky questioned whether any top player would behave similarly, while former world champion Vladimir Kramnik called the act childish and potentially humiliating to Gukesh.
The match organizers defended the atmosphere as entertainment-focused and encouraged player engagement with fans. Nakamura responded to criticism with laughing emojis on social media after the organizers issued a sarcastic apology for allowing players to entertain spectators. The decisive game saw both competitors struggle with time pressure before Gukesh blundered into a tactical trap, allowing an immediate checkmate when he could have forced a draw.
The match organizers defended the atmosphere as entertainment-focused and encouraged player engagement with fans. Nakamura responded to criticism with laughing emojis on social media after the organizers issued a sarcastic apology for allowing players to entertain spectators. The decisive game saw both competitors struggle with time pressure before Gukesh blundered into a tactical trap, allowing an immediate checkmate when he could have forced a draw.
