Why Hikaru Nakamura threw D Gukesh's king into crowd after US beats India at Checkmate showdown?
Nakamura's act divides fans; Kramnik labels the move as 'vulgar'
A controversy erupted at the Checkmate: USA vs India chess exhibition held in Arlington, Texas, after American Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura threw Indian Grandmaster D Gukesh’s king piece into the crowd following his victory.
Nakamura stunned world champion Gukesh as India were whitewashed 0-5 by USA in the first Checkmate, an evening of chess presented as a live arena spectacle in Arlington, USA.
The dramatic gesture, captured on video, sparked outrage on social media, with many fans and chess personalities condemning it as disrespectful and out of place in the traditionally reserved world of chess.
That moment when @GMHikaru Nakamura turned around a lost position and checkmated World Champion Gukesh - picking up and throwing Gukesh's king to the crowd, celebrating the 5-0 win of Team USA over Team India!
Video: @adityasurroy21 pic.twitter.com/GuIlkm0GIe
— ChessBase India (@ChessbaseIndia) October 5, 2025
Critics, including former World Champion Vladimir Kramnik, were quick to condemn the act. Kramnik labeled the move as “vulgar” and symbolic of what he sees as the “degradation of modern chess.”
Это не просто пошлость, а уже диагноз, современным шахматам
This is not just vulgarity, but already a diagnosis of degradation of the modern chess pic.twitter.com/e4uvENP86K
— Vladimir Kramnik (@VBkramnik) October 5, 2025
He also criticised the chess world for promoting what he described as inappropriate behaviour.
“There are players who show respect and mature gentlemanly behaviour—Wesley So, Gukesh himself, and many others. Promoting, instead, a player known for theatrics is damaging our game,” Kramnik wrote on social media.
However, it has since emerged that the act was not spontaneous but part of a pre-planned entertainment segment organised by the event’s hosts.
Chess commentator and International Master Levy Rozman (a.k.a. GothamChess) offered clarification in a YouTube video, saying, “The organisers encouraged us to do this as part of the show. I forgot that during my own match with Sagar Shah, the winner was also supposed to do something dramatic, like breaking the king piece. The idea was to bring an entertainment angle to the event. The winner of the Nakamura-Gukesh game was supposed to toss the king to the fans.”
Rozman added that Nakamura later spoke to Gukesh to ensure there were no misunderstandings and that the gesture was not intended as a sign of disrespect.
Nakamura also addressed the incident on his YouTube channel, reflecting positively on the experience. “This was one of the best in-person experiences I’ve had in chess. We’re so used to celebrating alone; chess can be such a solitary pursuit. This event brought energy and excitement—something the game often lacks. Even the Indian players, despite the loss, had a great time.”
While many fans appreciated the effort to make chess more accessible and entertaining, others feel such theatrics cross a line, especially when involving symbolic pieces like the king, and particularly when directed at reigning champions.
In the end, the act appears to have been a deliberate attempt by players and organisers to inject showmanship into the game and appeal to a broader audience, a move that has sparked both excitement and debate within the chess community.
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