It finally happened! That rivalry everyone had been waiting for finally became a reality in Arlington, Texas. The Checkmate: USA vs India event was not a normal contest, but a complete rivalry with shouting fans, flashing lights, and out-of-control celebrations, Team USA defeated India 5-0 in one of the most thrilling chess events ever.
This was not a typical quiet chess room. This was almost like a basketball game. Players came in through a throng, high-fiving spectators, music blaring, lights flashing, and spectators yelling. The spectators were even permitted to cheer, provided they didn’t shout out real moves.
The time control was also very different. Each player had 10 minutes, and they only got a one-second bonus when they were down to under a minute. And the best part? No resignations. Every game had to end in checkmate, a flag, or a draw with bare kings.
The lineup:
- Hikaru Nakamura vs Gukesh Dommaraju
- Fabiano Caruana vs Arjun Erigaisi
- Carissa Yip vs Divya Deshmukh
- Levy Rozman vs Sagar Shah
- Tani Adewumi vs Ethan Vaz
Caruana Starts the Party
The first game set the tone. Caruana surprised Arjun with the move 1.c3, a move rarely seen at top level. He built up a strong attack, and as his advantage grew, so did the crowd’s cheers. “I was winning, the crowd knew I was winning, so I was really happy to hear all the noise,” Caruana said later. That made it 1-0 for Team USA.
Tani’s Big Moment
Next was the 15-year-old Tani Adewumi against India’s young star Ethan Vaz. Both are teenage sensations. Tani, who once lived in a homeless shelter, has become a symbol of hope in the chess world. Ethan, from Goa, is also a huge talent and became an IM at just 12.
Their game was a rollercoaster. Ethan fought hard and even sacrificed material for an attack, but two consecutive blunders on move 36 and 39 changed everything. Tani launched a strong counterattack and finished beautifully. USA went up 2-0, and the fans went crazy.
Yip Seals the Win
Then came the women’s match. Carissa Yip faced Divya Deshmukh, India’s Women’s World Cup winner. Both were confident, but Yip quickly took control. After 14 moves, she was already better and kept the pressure until Divya ran out of time. “It’s for the fans,” Yip smiled after her win. With that, Team USA had already secured victory with 3-0.
The Streamer Show
Then it was Levy Rozman (GothamChess) vs Sagar Shah. This was pure entertainment. Rozman even let the crowd pick his first move. The first game was a draw after some fun back-and-forth moments, but the second one was total chaos. Pieces were falling, both clocks were near zero, and the tension was high. Shah blundered in time trouble, and Rozman grabbed the win.
Nakamura vs Gukesh: The Main Event
And now the big one. Hikaru Nakamura vs Gukesh Dommaraju. The first game was calm that ended in a draw, but the second game was a thriller. Hikaru started with the move 1.b4 to please the crowd, and everyone loved it. Gukesh played great and was clearly winning at one point.
But in the final seconds, everything changed. Both players had less than 10 seconds. Gukesh missed a simple repetition starting with Qc8+, instead he blundered his king with Kf8. Hikaru jumped on the chance and delivered a brilliant checkmate. The crowd exploded.
And then came the moment that went viral. Hikaru grabbed Gukesh’s king and threw it into the cheering audience. The crowd roared like it was a rock concert. Some people thought it was too much, but most fans loved it. It showed how fun and exciting chess can be.
Final Thoughts
This event sure provided the proof that chess can be exciting, loud, and full of energy. Whether or not you loved Hikaru’s king throw, this sure is a celebration of the talent from both countries and is a giant leap toward making chess a true spectator sport.
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