New Delhi, Oct 6 (NationPress) The chess community found itself embroiled in controversy when American GM Hikaru Nakamura, born in Japan, triumphed over the reigning world champion Gukesh Dommaraju, leading Team USA to a dominant 5-0 victory against Team India at the Checkmate: USA vs India. In a moment of exuberance, he seized Gukesh's king and hurled it into a jubilant crowd while celebrating energetically.

This act ignited a flurry of responses on social media, with many deeming his celebration as disrespectful. A clip of Nakamura's actions quickly gained traction online.

FIDE CEO Emil Sutovsky expressed his disapproval of Nakamura's conduct by stating on X, "The event was a spectacle. Fans were thrilled. Players were encouraged to act accordingly. All true. Now, for better or worse, name me one top player who would do what Hikaru did."

In response, the Checkmate organisers took a jibe at Sutovsky, saying, "On behalf of the organisers, we confess to having compelled the players to entertain, to delight the audience, and to disregard FIDE Etiquette. We genuinely apologize if the players, the live audience, and the overwhelming majority of online viewers enjoyed themselves."

Nakamura reacted to the organisers' comment by posting a series of laughing emojis.

Looking back at the match, Nakamura and Gukesh began with a solid draw that featured a bishop endgame. In the subsequent five-minute game, Nakamura engaged the crowd with his opening move 1.b4. While initially securing a favorable position on the queenside, he found himself gradually outplayed, and Gukesh appeared to be in a winning position for a considerable duration.

The game was ultimately decided under intense time pressure for both competitors. With limited time to think clearly, the world champion made a significant blunder related to his vulnerable dark squares.

Gukesh eventually allowed a checkmate in one when he could have opted for a repetition of moves to secure another draw, which would have led to a bullet game. Instead, Team USA celebrated a remarkable 5-0 victory over Team India. After clinching the win, Nakamura again made headlines by tossing Gukesh's king into the crowd.

Former world champion and Russian Grandmaster Vladimir Kramnik launched a sharp critique of world no. 2 Nakamura, labeling his actions as a "childish, tasteless act."

"I don’t know who devised this childish, tasteless act. Likely this 'thinker' had no intention to humiliate Gukesh, but he should have realized that this public gesture (using opponent’s KING) appears offensive and provocative, especially against the World Champion," he stated on X.