At the Checkmate: USA vs India exhibition on October 4, 2025, at Esports Stadium Arlington, Texas, Hikaru Nakamura sparked a storm by tossing D Gukesh’s king into the crowd after delivering a checkmate. The act, which sealed Team USA’s 5-0 victory, shocked chess purists but was a calculated move by organizers to inject spectacle into the game. This unconventional celebration, far from the staid traditions of chess, has divided fans and players alike.
The event, designed to appeal to casual audiences, broke from chess norms. Players donned team jerseys—orange for India, blue for the USA—and entered to WWE-style announcements. Organizers encouraged extravagant celebrations, including tossing or breaking the opponent’s king, to amplify entertainment. Levy Rozman, aka Gotham Chess, explained, “The winner of Gukesh and Hikaru’s game was supposed to toss the king into the fans. It was for the entertainment angle.” Nakamura, world No. 2, embraced the directive, while Gukesh, the world champion, smiled sheepishly as his king soared.
Despite Nakamura’s later clarification to Gukesh that no disrespect was intended, Indian fans on social media decried the act as unsportsmanlike. Co-host Jules Gambit defended the gesture, likening the event to WWE rather than Olympic wrestling, emphasizing its entertainment-driven nature. The exhibition featured innovative rules—no resignations, no draw offers, and haptic sensors replacing traditional clocks—to maintain high energy. Over 1,000 fans, many Indian-origin, fueled a vibrant atmosphere Gukesh called unprecedented.
Nakamura, a vocal advocate for modernizing chess’s appeal, relished the event’s energy. “This was one of the best in-person experiences I’ve had,” he said on YouTube, highlighting the validation from the roaring crowd. Gukesh, despite the loss in a one-minute bullet game, held his own in earlier 10- and 5-minute rounds, showcasing his skill under pressure.
The king toss, though controversial, achieved its goal: it got people talking. As chess seeks to broaden its audience, such bold moves may redefine the game’s future, with Gukesh set for a rematch in India.
