Candidate Master Artem S. Lebedev, a 14-year-old from Russia, stunned the chess world by defeating Super Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura in Round 4 of the Titled Tuesday Grand Prix on September 2, 2025. In a format change from the usual 3+2 to a sharper 5+0 blitz, Lebedev showed no fear, taking down one of the most dominant online blitz players of all time.
The game began with pawn to e4, and Nakamura replied with pawn to g6, steering into the Modern Defense, a line he often employs to dodge preparation. But Lebedev had a clear plan: queen to d2, castle long, and push pawns down the kingside. The young Candidate Master, with a blitz rating barely above 2200, launched straight into battle.
After pawn to h5 and pawn to e5, Nakamura slipped with pawn to f5, overlooking a chance to grab material. That miss was all Lebedev needed. He opened the f-file, swung his pieces into the attack, and suddenly Black’s king looked boxed in.
The turning point came with rook takes f6, a fearless sacrifice ripping apart Nakamura’s defenses. With White’s pawn storm rolling and the deadly e7 pawn ready to queen, Hikaru threw in the towel. Resignation after just 26 moves.
For Hikaru Nakamura, this was just a bump in the road. He still finished near the top of the leaderboard with 8 points. But for Lebedev, who ended the tournament in 126th place with 5.5 points, this was more than just a win. It was a career-defining moment. A reminder that even giants can fall when the 64 squares catch fire.
In the chaotic, zero-increment storm of Titled Tuesday, the young Candidate Master seized his chance and made headlines. A future star in the making? The answer may be years away, but one thing is already certain: on September 2, 2025, Artem Lebedev etched his name into the story of Titled Tuesday by taking down Hikaru Nakamura.
I’m a passionate board game enthusiast and a skilled player in chess, xiangqi and Go. Words for Attacking Chess since 2023. Ping me at Lichess for a game or chat.
