Hikaru Nakamura took the king from Gukesh’s pieces and threw it to the crowd after defeating him (Screengrabs)

The USA dominated the opening leg of the ‘Checkmate’ event, defeating India 5-0 in a high-voltage chess spectacle held in Arlington, but it was Hikaru Nakamura’s post-match gesture that stole the spotlight and divided opinion on social media. Facing world champion D Gukesh in the headline game, Nakamura, ranked World No. 2 with a FIDE rating of 2816, produced a clinical performance to outplay the 19-year-old Indian prodigy. The Americans displayed composure under pressure to sweep the tie, while India, playing with black pieces, struggled to find rhythm across the boards. Alongside Nakamura’s win over Gukesh, Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi went down to Fabiano Caruana, Divya Deshmukh was upset by Carissa Yip, International Master Levy Rozman defeated Sagar Shah, and young Ethan Vaz lost to Tani Adewumi. However, Nakamura’s celebration drew widespread attention when he threw Gukesh’s king piece toward the crowd moments after sealing victory. The act, which appeared spontaneous, triggered sharp reactions online, with many fans calling it unnecessary and disrespectful.Watch the controversial moment here However, some argued that event organisers must have told both teams that light theatrics such as toppling or tossing pieces were permitted to enhance the live experience. Despite the controversy, Gukesh received strong support from global chess followers, who praised his composure and competitive spirit. The reigning world champion, currently ranked World No. 11, is expected to lead India’s fightback when the second leg of Checkmate takes place on home soil.

Nakamura’s fiery display came months after another viral chess flashpoint, when Gukesh defeated Magnus Carlsen during Norway Chess 2025, prompting a rare visible outburst from the Norwegian star. The return leg in India now promises an intense rematch, both on and off the board.