Vidit Gujrathi beats Hikaru Nakamura in 29 moves with Black
Vidit Gujrathi orchestrated a remarkable victory over Hikaru Nakamura, shattering Nakamura’s 47-game undefeated streak in the FIDE Candidates 2024 held in Toronto, Canada. Playing with the black pieces, Vidit started with a novelty and followed three sacrifices to leave Nakamura reeling and ultimately losing in just 29 moves.
The turning point of the match came early on as the Indian GM Vidit Gujrathi introduced a novel approach, meticulously crafted with his team GMs Surya Ganguly and Daniele Vocaturo, which caught Nakamura off-guard. This strategic innovation paved the way for Vidit to unleash a sequence of three sacrifices, each one strategically placed to destabilize Nakamura’s position.
As the game unfolded, Nakamura found himself grappling with the unfamiliar territory, spending an unprecedented amount of time contemplating his moves. Grandmaster David Howell remarked on the rarity of Nakamura’s predicament, noting that it was perhaps the first time in the tournament that Nakamura had been at such a significant time disadvantage so early in the game.
Undeterred by Nakamura’s attempts to regain footing, Vidit pressed forward with relentless precision, sacrificing his pieces to launch a decisive assault on Nakamura’s king. Despite Nakamura’s efforts to defend, Vidit’s aggressive play left him visibly unsettled as the game reached its climax.
In a desperate bid to salvage the situation, Nakamura made a bold move, bringing his king into the fray while leaving his queenside pieces underdeveloped and ineffective. However, Vidit capitalized on Nakamura’s vulnerabilities, sacrificing yet another piece to relentlessly pursue Nakamura’s exposed king.
In a dramatic finale, Vidit delivered the decisive blow, forcing Nakamura to concede defeat after just 29 moves. The loss marked Nakamura’s first since the 2022 Candidates, ending his impressive 47-game unbeaten streak in classical chess.
