Magnus Carlsen has weighed in on the controversy surrounding Hikaru Nakamura’s participation in small state-level tournaments to secure eligibility for the 2026 Candidates Tournament, calling the American’s approach “absolutely shameless, but pragmatic.”
The debate stems from FIDE’s requirement that players must complete at least 40 classical games in 2025 to qualify for the Candidates through the rating path. Nakamura, one of the world’s top players, had played only 18 games by the end of August, forcing him to seek tournaments with guaranteed rounds. That included the Louisiana State Championship and the 70th Iowa Open, where he swept through 11 opponents rated around 1900–2200, gaining the maximum possible 0.8 Elo per win.
Carlsen: “It’s Shameless, But the Right Thing to Do”
Speaking candidly, Carlsen admitted that while he doesn’t fear Nakamura closing the gap in the ratings race, he was struck by the boldness of the American’s choices.
“I’m not really nervous if Hikaru [is] getting closer to my rating. But I kind of admire the way he’s going about it. Because it’s so shameless. And the thing is, I think a lot of players would have picked tournaments where there’s maybe a couple of IMs or something like that. But he just wants to make sure that he’s going to get his 0.8 points from every single game, which is pragmatic. It’s absolutely shameless, but it’s the pragmatic and probably the right thing to do.”
Carlsen contrasted Nakamura’s approach with his own attempt to gain games in the Norwegian League, where he faced “two GMs and one IM” — a much riskier way of trying to farm rating.
“So it looks like it’s a system that could do with some fixing. But I’m not part of that [anymore]. You know I’m farming points myself in the Norwegian League this year… which is an incredibly dumb way to do it. So I’m learning now.”
Hikaru Fires Back: “People Will Complain No Matter What”
Nakamura, meanwhile, pushed back against the criticism in a video response, stressing that his decisions were not just about chess but also about his personal life.
“There’s a lot of nonsense about it now. People seem to forget that I have a wife and she’s actually pregnant and I’m gonna have a child pretty soon. So I don’t wanna be traveling all the time either. So playing a bunch of games and getting out of the way quickly is very much conducive to me.”
For Nakamura, the outrage from fellow grandmasters and fans online is misplaced.
“People would find a reason to be outraged and complaining about something no matter what. That’s how the chess world works. I don’t really put too much stock into it. All the people that I have met in person at these tournaments, they’re all overjoyed and thrilled. And frankly, I care a lot more about those people than the toxic elitist grandmasters of the world chess.”
He also dismissed the romanticized image of grandmasters as noble sportsmen.
“You gotta be very selfish, very egotistical to reach the upper level. So it’s not shocking people are like that. Anybody who thinks chess grandmasters are gentlemen and super friendly, or they don’t get angry, they don’t do this, they don’t do that. That’s all rubbish. It’s just that simple.”
The Bigger Picture: Rating Path Under Fire
This latest clash adds to the ongoing criticism of FIDE’s rating qualification path for the Candidates. The rule was designed to ensure the most consistent, active elite players could enter the tournament. Instead, it has encouraged workarounds:
- Ding Liren (2022) had to play 28 games in just one month to meet the 30-game minimum after Sergey Karjakin’s ban.
- Alireza Firouzja (2023) organized last-minute mini-matches in France against lower-rated opponents in what became known as the “Race to Candidates.”
- Hikaru Nakamura (2025) is now sweeping through local Opens against semi-professional players, raising eyebrows across the chess world.
Carlsen’s comment that “it looks like it’s a system that could do with some fixing” reflects a growing sentiment: the rating path may be producing unintended incentives that undermine the spirit of qualification.
A Polarizing Figure
For Nakamura, however, the controversy may not matter. His YouTube and Twitch fanbase supports his every move, while his opponents’ complaints only add to the drama. With 29 games already completed in 2025, he needs just 11 more before December 31 to meet FIDE’s requirement. Another small state championship or two could easily get him across the finish line.
If he qualifies through the rating path, history will likely remember less how he got there and more how he performs in the Candidates. But for now, the chess world is left divided: is Nakamura gaming the system, or is he simply playing by the rules as written?
I’m Xuan Binh, the founder of Attacking Chess, and the Deputy Head of Communications at the Vietnam Chess Federation (VCF). My chess.com and lichess rating is above 2300, in both blitz and bullet. Follow me on Twitter (X).
