Hikaru Nakamura Crushes the Field at the 70th Iowa Open Championship

Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura has done it again. Just a week after sweeping the Louisiana State Championship, the American star claimed a perfect 5/5 score at the 70th Iowa Open Championship, held September 6–7 in Iowa City. The victory not only gave local players the rare chance to face one of the best in the world but also moved Nakamura another step closer to qualifying for the 2026 Candidates Tournament.

Five Games, Five Wins

Nakamura entered the Iowa Open as the overwhelming favorite with a FIDE rating of 2807, nearly 660 points higher than the second seed. True to expectations, he finished with a flawless 5/5 score. His path to the title included wins against:

• Round 1: Benjamin Darr (1915)
• Round 2: Matthew Pikus (1919)
• Round 3: Dane Zagar (1950)
• Round 4: Candidate Master Anjaneya Rao (2147)
• Round 5: Artemiy Khanbutaev (2100)

While the outcomes may have seemed inevitable, the games weren’t without pressure. Nakamura explained in his recap video:

“Even though people might look at this and think it’s really easy and I’m farming or something along those lines, these games are very tough. I actually don’t like being in the situation where you’re playing someone much lower rated and you’re sort of waiting for a blunder. The more moves that go by and there is no blunder, the more frustrated you become.”

Still, the world No. 3 managed to control every encounter, at times even finishing with more time on his clock than he started with thanks to the 30-second increment.

A Memorable Experience for Local Players

For the Iowa chess community, Nakamura’s appearance was historic. The Open usually draws around 50–60 participants, many of them local experts, ambitious juniors, and enthusiastic amateurs. Facing Nakamura was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

“He’s someone I’ve only watched online. To actually sit across the board from him was unreal,” said one player. “I didn’t expect to win. I just wanted to last 20 moves.”

Nakamura acknowledged how much these games meant to his opponents, especially the juniors. He singled out his last-round opponent, 12-year-old Artemiy Khanbutaev, as an example:

“This final opponent I played, this 12-year-old kid, he’s working with a very strong grandmaster and a former U.S. champion. I’m sure he and his coach will go over this game. He’ll learn from it, and I have no doubt he’ll probably go on to become at least an international master down the road. It’s an experience he’ll cherish for a very long time.”

Building Toward the Candidates

Behind the scenes, the Iowa Open wasn’t about prize money. The winner’s check was $750, a symbolic sum for a player who earns far more from streaming and elite competitions. The real prize for Nakamura was five more classical games added to his 2025 total.

To qualify for the 2026 Candidates Tournament via the rating path, FIDE requires that players complete at least 40 classical games within the year. Nakamura had played only 18 before September. Louisiana gave him six more, Iowa gave him five, bringing his total to 29.

That leaves 11 games to go before the December 31 deadline. With three months left in the calendar year, the number is well within reach.

“We’ve got 29 games down. There are 11 more games that I need to play between now and December 31,” Nakamura said. “If I don’t play 40 games, I won’t qualify for the Candidates. But with three months to go, I should get the games. The rating spot should also be all but guaranteed since it’s an average rating, and I’ve gained quite a few points in these two tournaments.”

Nakamura has yet to announce where those final games will come from. He hinted that more state championships — possibly in the Midwest — could be on his radar.

Critics and Supporters

Nakamura’s decision to enter local tournaments has drawn mixed reactions online. Some critics accuse him of “rating farming” by playing against much weaker opponents. Others, including International Master Levy Rozman, argue the issue lies in FIDE’s system, not Nakamura’s choices.

Nakamura himself pushed back strongly:

“Even if people think, oh, you’re winning all these games, you’re winning rating points, it’s so easy — I actually don’t enjoy the actual games against lower-rated players. It’s more about hoping and waiting for the opponent to make a mistake. The more they don’t, the more afraid you become that maybe they’re underrated and will actually make a draw.”

For the Iowa chess community, however, his presence was overwhelmingly positive. Tournament staff reported increased attendance, buzzing crowds, and even autograph requests in the hotel lobby.

Looking Ahead

With back-to-back sweeps in Louisiana and Iowa, Nakamura’s record in September now stands at 11/11. His live rating has ticked upward, and his goal of reaching the Candidates through the rating qualification path is firmly on track.

The 70th Iowa Open will be remembered less for the modest prize fund and more for the weekend when one of the greatest players of his generation played in Iowa City, giving local competitors the games of their lives.

Nakamura closed his recap with a message to fans:

“It’s really nice to play in front of my fellow Americans. This is my home country. I’m very thankful for all the opportunities I’ve had over the years in chess, and really, it’s an opportunity to give back.”

For now, the countdown continues: 11 games left, three months to play them, and a clear path to the 2026 Candidates Tournament.

Rewatch the tournament here