Players
Hikaru Nakamura
Photo: Andreas Kontokanis, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
GM

Hikaru Nakamura

United StatesBorn 1987 (age 39)FIDE ID 2016192

Luft classical

27002800290030002023202420252026
Monthly Luft ratings, now 2767
FIDE

FIDE classical

22002400260028003000200020052010201520202025
Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2792
Luft

Flair

Hikaru Nakamura's classical flairs

1 of 19 earned over the last 12 months

  • PositionalPositional 93, from 16 positional games they steered
  • TitanLuft classical rating averaging 2800+ over the last 4 years
  • Serial WinnerWon 2+ elite events in the last 12 months
  • UnderdogRegularly beats players rated 50+ higher
  • Fortress25+ games in a row without a loss
  • Black BeltDoes better with black than with white
  • IronmanPlayed 50+ games over the last 12 months
  • RisingAged 18 or under, Luft rating up 40+ over the last 12 months
  • Endgame SpecialistEndgame 90+: converting, saving and not throwing endgames
  • TacticianTactics 90+: sharp, tactical games they made sharp
  • LightningTop 20 at speed chess (mostly blitz, some rapid)
  • Hot StreakAt least 6 points from 7 straight games against strong opposition
  • SignatureSticks to one defence with black far more than most
  • ChameleonPlays a wide range of defences with black
  • WildcardBrilliant one event, off the next: hard to predict
  • ReliableConsistent across all top events
  • FighterRarely draws, and wins far more than they lose
  • AdaptableTactics and Positional both 90+
  • PodiumTop 3 in at least half of their elite events
  • Positional

Trophy cabinet

Hikaru Nakamura's classical titles

12 classical titles, 7 medals, newest first

  • Norway Chess 20231st · 2/5 · Perf. 2708
  • U.S. Championship 20191st
  • Chess Olympiad 2018Silver, team · United States
  • Speed Championship 20181st
  • Grand Chess Tour 20181st
  • Gibraltar Chess Festival 20171st
  • Chess Olympiad 2016Gold, team · United States
  • U.S. Championship 20151st
  • London Classic 20131st
  • World Team Championship 2013Silver, board 1 · United States
  • U.S. Championship 20121st
  • Tata Steel 20111st
  • World Team Championship 2010Gold, board 1 · United States
  • World Team Championship 2010Silver, team · United States
  • U.S. Championship 20091st
  • Chess Olympiad 2008Bronze, team · United States
  • Chess Olympiad 2006Bronze, team · United States
  • U.S. Championship 20051st
  • U.S. Championship 20041st

Attributes

Tactics 89Positional 93Endgame 89Openings 87Composure 95Defence 86Speed 94Consistency 99

Luft classical rating

2767No. 8

From 14 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2730 level, with 1 win against the top 10.

ResultsPlayed at a 2730 level, blended with their FIDE rating−20
Tournament winsNone in the last year0
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year0
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event0
Activity14 classical games in top events−5

Openings

Their most-played, from 80 classical games in top events over the last 4 years

OpeningGamesScore
Ruy Lopez658%
Nimzo-Indian Defense650%
Queen's Gambit Declined463%
Italian Game383%
English Opening367%

Ruy Lopez

With White: 6 games, won 2, drew 3, lost 1 · 58%

VariationGamesScore
Morphy Defense463%
Closed1100%
Berlin Defense10%

Nimzo-Indian Defense

With White: 6 games, won 1, drew 4, lost 1 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
St. Petersburg Variation333%
Normal Variation275%
Sämisch Variation150%

Queen's Gambit Declined

With White: 4 games, won 1, drew 3, lost 0 · 63%

VariationGamesScore
Exchange Variation1100%
Semi-Tarrasch Defense150%
Modern Variation150%
Main line150%

Italian Game

With White: 3 games, won 2, drew 1, lost 0 · 83%

VariationGamesScore
Classical Variation383%

English Opening

With White: 3 games, won 1, drew 2, lost 0 · 67%

VariationGamesScore
Symmetrical Variation275%
King's English Variation150%

Italian Game

With Black: 8 games, won 1, drew 3, lost 4 · 31%

VariationGamesScore
Two Knights Defense520%
Classical Variation350%

Queen's Gambit Declined

With Black: 7 games, won 2, drew 5, lost 0 · 64%

VariationGamesScore
Three Knights Variation350%
Main line275%
Austrian Defense1100%
Queen's Knight Variation150%

Sicilian Defense

With Black: 7 games, won 1, drew 6, lost 0 · 57%

VariationGamesScore
Venice Attack275%
Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack250%
Accelerated Dragon150%
Hyperaccelerated Dragon150%
Najdorf Variation150%

Ruy Lopez

With Black: 5 games, won 0, drew 4, lost 1 · 40%

VariationGamesScore
Morphy Defense438%
Berlin Defense150%

Slav Defense

With Black: 3 games, won 1, drew 2, lost 0 · 67%

VariationGamesScore
Exchange Variation275%
Czech Variation150%

Recent events

See all
EventPlace+/−+/−
FIDE Candidates 202615 Apr 20265th−19−9
Norway Chess 20256 Jun 20254th+3+5
Norway Chess 20247 Jun 20249/18−4−16
FIDE Candidates 202421 Apr 2024=2nd+5+10
Bundesliga 2023/2425 Feb 20242/3+1+2

Best wins

OpponentRating
GMM. Carlsen3 Jun 2024 · Norway Chess 20242830
GMF. Caruana27 May 2024 · Norway Chess 20242805
GMGukesh D.3 Jun 2025 · Norway Chess 20252776
GMDing Liren1 Jun 2024 · Norway Chess 20242762
GMA. Firouzja18 Apr 2024 · FIDE Candidates 20242760

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
GMF. CaruanaLast 7 Apr 2026 · FIDE Candidates 202610442
GMPraggnanandhaa R.Last 15 Apr 2026 · FIDE Candidates 20269261
GMM. CarlsenLast 2 Jun 2025 · Norway Chess 20257142
GMA. FirouzjaLast 4 Jun 2024 · Norway Chess 20247331
GMGukesh D.Last 3 Jun 2025 · Norway Chess 20255221

Compare Luft

GMHikaru NakamuraUnited States

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How attributes are calculated

From their games in top events over the last 12 months, each judged against the opponent's rating

  • TacticsHow well they score in sharp games they chose to make sharp.
  • PositionalHow well they score in quiet, manoeuvring games they steered.
  • EndgameHow they do in endgames against what the position promised when it began: converting a winning one earns a little, saving a losing one earns a lot, and throwing a winning one costs a lot.
  • OpeningsThe engine's verdict on their position around moves 15 to 20, against what's normal for that colour, as the score it points to. Over the last 4 years, with older games counting less.
  • ComposureHow well they score under pressure: the game straight after a loss, and the last 3 games of an event while they can still win it. Over the last 4 years.
  • DefenceHow they do in games where they were 0.8 pawns or more worse after move 18, against what that position usually scores: holding the draw earns, turning it around earns more, and losing costs a little.
  • SpeedTheir Luft rapid and blitz ratings. With neither, an estimate a little below their classical level.
  • ConsistencyTheir Luft rating, less their off days: tournaments (5+ games each) over the last 4 years where they played 50+ below it. Anything better never counts against them.

  • "How well they score" is a performance rating: the opponent's rating, plus 400 for a win and minus 400 for a loss, averaged. So it's always judged against who they played.

    The score out of 100: 80 is a 2600 level, and each 13 rating points adds one, so 2860 and up is 100.

    Fair to everyone: with only a few games of a kind, the result leans towards their overall Luft rating. Strengths and weaknesses are measured against their overall level and compared with the top 100, so a specialist's best side stands out. A little recent form is added to all but Speed.