Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura began his final Road to the Candidates 2026 tournament with a clean, technical victory over Tanush Dokka in the first round of the 1st Annual Washington Dulles Open.
The event, organized by DMV Chess, marks the debut of a new open tournament in the Washington area, featuring a $3,500 guaranteed prize fund and FIDE-rated play in the Premier Section. For most players, it’s a local weekend open. For Nakamura, it’s a critical checkpoint on his path to the 2026 Candidates.
A Calm Start to His Final Stretch
“Today I begin playing my last Road to the Candidates 2026 tournament. I need five games,” Hikaru posted earlier on X (formerly Twitter), announcing his participation in the Dulles Open. “Thanks to the club for arranging a DGT for me!”
His games are being broadcast live and co-streamed on Kick by Norwegian GM Jon Ludvig Hammer (@gmjlh), offering fans real-time insight into Nakamura’s classical form.
A Positional Masterclass
The opening round paired Nakamura (2813) against 10-year-old Tanush Dokka (1788), a local expert thrilled to face one of the world’s elite. Playing White, Hikaru opted for a flexible English setup — 1.Nf3 followed by g3 and Bg2 — and gradually built space on both flanks.
It wasn’t a tactical slugfest. Instead, it was a model positional game, the kind that top grandmasters win without visible effort. Move by move, Hikaru improved his position — expanding with f4 and b4, restricting counterplay, and eventually converting a queenside majority into an unstoppable passed pawn.
After 57 moves, Dokka’s defenses finally collapsed as Hikaru delivered checkmate with 57.Bf7#, sealing a smooth 1–0 victory.
The Dulles Open: A New Stage, A Familiar Mission
Held November 7–9 at the Hampton Inn & Suites Dulles in Sterling, Virginia, the Dulles Open is a five-round Swiss featuring three sections — Premier, Under 1800, and Under 1400. The top section, where Hikaru competes, is both FIDE and USCF-rated.
For most players, the tournament represents a regional milestone. For Hikaru, it’s his final event before completing the 40 classical games required for FIDE’s 2026 Candidates qualification via the rating path.
After dominating the Louisiana, Iowa, and Maritime Open championships — all with perfect scores — Hikaru entered Washington needing just five more games to meet the requirement.
From “Rating Farming” to Record Efficiency
In recent months, Nakamura’s choice of tournaments has sparked heated debate online. Critics accuse him of “rating farming” by entering small regional events where opponents are hundreds of Elo points below him.
Supporters counter that he’s simply playing within the rules — accumulating classical games in the most practical way possible while staying close to home.
Even Magnus Carlsen weighed in last month, calling the approach “absolutely shameless, but pragmatic.” Hikaru, unfazed, responded that he values balance and accessibility:
“I don’t want to be traveling all the time. Playing a bunch of games and getting it out of the way quickly makes sense for me,” he said. “People will always find something to complain about. I care a lot more about the people I meet at these events than the toxic elitism of the professional scene.”
On Track for the Candidates
With this win, Hikaru begins his Dulles campaign 1–0, with four games to go before reaching the required 40. If he completes the event as planned, his Road to the Candidates journey — spanning Louisiana, Iowa, Maritime, and now Washington — will officially be complete.
Given his perfect 18/18 record across these open events, few doubt that he’ll finish strong.
A Win for Fans and the Local Scene
For Virginia’s chess community, Hikaru’s presence adds prestige to a first-time event. Dozens of local players have gathered not just to compete but to watch one of the best in history play up close.
Whether viewed as “farming” or simply fulfilling a rule, Hikaru’s campaign has undeniably brought world-class chess to unexpected corners of North America — and inspired hundreds of local amateurs along the way.
I’m the senior editor of Attacking Chess, a keen chess player, rated above 2300 in chess.com. You can challenge me or asking questions at Chess.com.
