Hikaru Nakamura is an American chess grandmaster. Born on December 9, 1987, in Hirakata, Japan, he is a five-time United States champion. He won the U.S. Championship in 2005, 2009, 2012, 2015, and 2019. Nakamura qualified for the Candidates Tournament in 2016, but did not win.
Known for his creative and aggressive style of play, he has achieved significant success in both over-the-board and online chess. Nakamura has been ranked as high as No. 2 in the world by the FIDE world rankings, a position he attained in October 2015.
Nakamura is particularly known for his skills in rapid and blitz chess. He is a four-time winner of the Tata Steel Chess rapid and blitz tournament and a five-time winner of the Gibraltar Chess Festival, among other titles. He also stands out in online chess tournaments, especially in bullet and blitz formats.
Nakamura was mentored by his stepfather Sunil Weeramantry, an internationally renowned chess teacher. He gained significant national attention in November 2003 when he earned the chess grandmaster title at the age of 15 years and 79 days, at the time the youngest-ever in American history. His older brother, Asuka, is also a talented chess player. Nakamura has expressed pride in his Japanese heritage, noting it as an influence on his approach to chess.
Nakamura's chess achievements also include gold and bronze team medals in the Chess Olympiad, silver and bronze individual medals at the World Blitz Championship, and numerous victories in elite tournaments worldwide. He has also written a book titled "Bullet Chess: One Minute to Mate," sharing his insights into one of the fastest versions of chess.