Gukesh, who started as the leader, suffered two defeats to Carlsen. Later, he drew both games with Hikaru Nakamura, missing a chance in a balanced rook endgame. He also lost to Fabiano Caruana, ending the day with a draw. The Indian star admitted he was “not happy” with his performance and aimed to bounce back stronger.

Carlsen, despite two losses to Caruana, now leads with 11.5 points, followed by Caruana with 10.5. Nakamura and Gukesh both trail behind with 7 points each. The event’s scoring system allows for strong comebacks, keeping the competition intense.

The Clutch Chess format, created by Maurice Ashley, rewards increasing points and cash prizes daily. The 18-game rapid event (10 minutes plus 5-second increment) concludes on Day 3, where victories carry triple rewards.

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FIDE CEO Emil Sutovsky criticised Nakamura on X, calling the move disrespectful and unusual for a top player. Checkmate organisers responded sarcastically, claiming players were encouraged to entertain the crowd. Nakamura reacted to the post with laughing emojis. Former world champion Vladimir Kramnik labelled the act as “childish and tasteless.”

The match itself began with a balanced draw in a bishop endgame. In the five-minute game, Nakamura played aggressively with 1.b4, gaining early advantage but later falling behind. Both players faced severe time pressure, and Gukesh blundered into a mate-in-one, handing Team USA the decisive victory.

The incident reignited discussions on sportsmanship and player conduct in public events. While some defended Nakamura’s crowd engagement, many argued that gestures involving an opponent’s king were inappropriate. Chess fans worldwide debated the balance between entertainment and respect.

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