Team USA secured a 5-0 victory over India in the first leg of the "Checkmate: USA vs India" event, a "unique live-arena chess spectacle" held in Arlington, Texas. In the headline matchup, American Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura defeated World Champion D Gukesh in a decisive bullet game. The event, played in front of a vocal live audience, saw the host nation take a commanding lead in the two-leg series.
The clash between Gukesh and Nakamura provided the evening's climax. Playing with the black pieces, Gukesh managed to hold the World No. 2 to draws in both the 10-minute and 5-minute rapid games. However, the match was ultimately decided in a one-minute bullet game, where Nakamura's speed and precision prevailed, ending with him checkmating the Indian World Champion.
The American dominance was evident across all boards. World No. 3 Fabiano Caruana defeated India’s Arjun Erigaisi, while International Master Carissa Yip secured a victory over newly-minted Grandmaster Divya Deshmukh. The rout was completed with wins for popular streamer Levy Rozman, GothamChess, over Sagar Shah, and 14-year-old Tanitoluwa Adewumi over 13-year-old Ethan Vaz.
A major factor in the one-sided result was the event's format, which granted the home team a considerable advantage. Per the rules for the first leg, all players from Team USA played with the white pieces, allowing them to control the opening phase of each game. The format also broke from tradition by allowing the live audience to cheer and shout during play, creating a high-energy sporting atmosphere.
Despite the 5-0 scoreline, the contest is not over. The Indian team will have the opportunity for redemption in a return match scheduled to be held in India. In this second leg, the tables will be turned, with D Gukesh and his teammates having the advantage of playing with the white pieces in front of their home crowd.
