Hikaru Nakamura

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Title: 
Grandmaster
Rating: 
2848
Federation: 
Saint Louis, MO
Age: 
24
Status: 
Accepted
Chess Highlights: 
2012 U.S. Champion, Tata Steel Chess 2011, 2009 World Team Championship: Silver (Individual Gold), 2009 U.S. Champion, 2005 U.S. Champion, 2007 North American Open Champion, 2007 National Open Champion
Synopsis: 
Once recognized as a record-breaking prodigy, GM Hikaru Nakamura has now emerged as a dominant force on the world chess scene. Currently ranked No. 1 in the U.S. and 6th in the world, Nakamura's constant presence at the world's most competitive tournaments has finally demonstrated to the rest of the world what his American fans have known for years. Nakamura won the 2009 U.S. Championship in Saint Louis and decided to move there just prior to the 2010 U.S. Championship. His most recent crowning achievement was his victory at the 2011 Tata Steel Chess tournament, which featured one of the strongest fields in the history of the event.
Bio: 

Hikaru Nakamura became the youngest master in American history at 10, and the youngest American GM at 15 (breaking Bobby Fischer's record). As a kid, Hikaru was extremely emotionally involved in his results. When he lost, his opponent was very aware that Hikaru was unhappy. This hyper-competitive streak was also a key to Hikaru's success. Hikaru's style is aggressive, tricky and relentless. His first major international breakthrough was at the 2004 World Championship in Libya. Hikaru advanced through the brutal knockout tournament three rounds, into the sweet sixteen. This was further than anyone could have imagined. Soon after his amazing result in Libya, Hikaru became the 2005 U.S Champion. He was only 16 years old at the time.

He's racked up numerous championships over the past decade, and despite his aggressive, individualistic style, Nakamura has proven to be a great team player: He was a two-time bronze medallist in the 2006 and 2008 Olympiad, playing for the U.S. team. His gold-medal-winning performance on board one at the 2009 World Team Championship helped the U.S. team earn silver medals.

Nakamura also won the 2009 U.S. Championship in Saint Louis, and the following year, he relocated to Saint Louis citing the significant accomplishments of the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis. Nakamura's first major victory came in 2011 at the Tata Steel tournament in Wijk aan Zee. He finished clear first ahead of the four top-rated players in the world in a performance former World Champion Garry Kasparov said was as the best by an American in more than 100 years. Hikaru is easily the best blitz player in America and one of the best on the world. Outside of chess, he enjoys playing poker and tennis and is an avid sports fan.