Recap: GM Hikaru Nakamura Dominates 2025 American Cup Blitz, Takes Home $5,000
Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura continues to dominate the chess world as he clinched another victory in the 2025 American Cup Blitz, just a day after winning the American Cup. With this win, Nakamura adds another $5,000 to his total earnings, bringing it to an impressive $95,000 for the two-week event in St. Louis.
Nakamura’s stellar performance in the blitz tournament solidified his world number-two spot, with a +2 classical rating gain. The event, hosted by the Saint Louis Chess Club, saw Nakamura face off against the best players in the U.S., including GM Levon Aronian and GM Fabiano Caruana, who finished in second and third place respectively.
The tournament, which invited 100 titled players to compete in nine rounds of 3+2 chess, also featured exciting crossovers between the Open and Women’s tournaments. Fans were treated to thrilling matchups like IM Carissa Yip against Nakamura and IM Alice Lee facing GM Wesley So.
One of the standout moments of the event was when IM Anna Sargsyan upset GM Leinier Dominguez Perez in round one. Sargsyan, a Webster student, expressed her joy at the unexpected victory, showcasing the competitive spirit of the tournament.
Despite Nakamura’s dominant performance throughout the event, there were moments of tension, especially in the final rounds. In a nail-biting last round, GM Mikhail Antipov had Nakamura on the ropes but ultimately fell short after declining a threefold repetition.
Reflecting on his performance, Nakamura acknowledged the challenges he faced in the final rounds but expressed satisfaction with his overall results. He highlighted the importance of playing well when it mattered most and credited his wake-up call in the first match against GM Abhimanyu Mishra for his strong finish.
The 2025 American Cup Blitz was a thrilling conclusion to the two-week event, showcasing the talent and competitive spirit of the top chess players in the U.S. With Nakamura’s impressive victory, all eyes are now on the upcoming Grand Chess Tour Superbet Rapid & Blitz Poland event in Warsaw, set to take place on April 24-May 1.