Breaking Back

[@Frez__]

Hikaru plays a 6 hour marathon and somehow has more energy than before the game 💯

[@byufan4ever013]

The benefit of winning

[@nymbusDeveloper86]

He is totally hyper here, his brain is all drained out, you can tell. But it's still amazing how resilient and mentally strong this guy is. He was a bit caustic when talking about Alireza, but you gotta give him some slack, I watched the whole match, it was absolutely brutal. Hikaru is a fighter, that's for sure.

[@iota8732]

I think this might be a common phenomenon. Sometimes, after an extenuating, long task, I actually feel quite energetic despite knowing I'm drained deep inside. It's also possible that he's making a big mental effort to record there.

[@flytoheights1]

Haha. Yes, true. Crazy!

[@albasuna]

Making content is how he decompresses

[@themodernTAL]

Tomorrow's match against Gukesh seems very crucial. Good luck Hikaru.

[@milesreynolds4943]

If naka wins, fabi wins and other 2 games are draws it will really shake things up a bit going into the last day of the first Robin, especially if naka pulls out a win against Nepo too

[@lamontviolante]

​@@milesreynolds4943 Nepo will play the most drawish line of them all. Even today he managed to escape the loss. He's too good at being solid.

[@Deerjason]

@@lamontviolanteFabi or Hikaru will need to use their best preparation against Nepo

[@seinundzeiten]

@@Deerjason yes I hope either Fabi or Nakamura wins the candidates

[@TomYnaa]

​@@seinundzeitensame it's late but it's so fascinating to analyse these games, I'm also competing in a tournament sometime soon and these games are very helpful

[@AnishGiriOfficial]

Congrats Hikaru, great game! Nf4 was OP!

[@GeometricStalemate]

Nobody in this comment section even knows who Anish is 😢

[@moj6939]

I know him 😀 he is a chess player ​@@GeometricStalemate

[@Alain9-1]

Anish Giriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

[@KianOntong13]

Goatnish Giri

[@The-wu6uo]

Yo.. How's the stolen pawns doing?

[@supesulgi]

"Praggnanandhahahahaha" caught me off guard lmao

[@Unknown-jt1jo]

Hikaru likes to make fun of foreign names. I wonder how he'd feel if people made fun of his Japanese name?

[@supesulgi]

@@Unknown-jt1jo It's all fun though. Fun fact: his surname "Nakamura" in Filipino means "bought something cheap".

[@black_squall]

@@Unknown-jt1jo Most people are insanely sensitive about trivial stuff believe it or not.

[@DylanZanatta]

@@Unknown-jt1jo Pragg would've laughed at that.. his whole family! Its a joke, and its not that deep. Go live a little, stop caring about insignificant things.

[@nymbusDeveloper86]

@@SomeMind English speakers butcher my last name all the time and not once did they make jokes with others present about how bizarre my name sounds to them. I always take it lightly and chuckle about it myself, quite sincerely, because I also find it funny. Only the overly hypersensitive politically-correct individuals educated in the liberal West find offense and pass judgment all the time regarding what they were taught is supposed to be offensive. Ask us if we're actually offended or not, because in most cases we aren't. Relax. Race and ethnicity is supposed to be invisible -- that is what true tolerance and equality really means (that's what it meant for M.L. King if you read his speeches), not what you made it to be -- reverse-racism and revenge.

[@bluishweeg]

I really appreciate that Hikaru doesn't hide his calculation errors in recaps. You can tell he hasn't looked at the engine lines yet, and he doesn't try to cover up his mistakes. If the haters were right about his huge and fragile ego, this wouldn't happen.

[@william14able]

Hikaru has matured a LOT in the last two years.

[@MulchMulcher]

Matured a L.O.T. my god was he insufferable pre covid

[@Juan-tn1dl]

​​@@MulchMulcherWhy?

[@SergioAbarca9]

@@MulchMulcheryes please elaborate

[@nimbus9228]

Hikaru brilliantly applied time pressure and technique to cause a decisive blunder from Alireza

[@CanariasCanariass]

Guccireza

[@MatsMatsuo]

To be honest Alireza kinda self imploded there, he made way too risky choices after entering the endgame, he had a very hard to play position and instead of liquidating he was trying to keep the game going and to win no matter what. Classic insanereza crazyrouzja

[@tommygarcia3469]

Just play chess Hikaru,you’re a beast JUST PLAY CHESS, LETS GO 💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽

[@MrSeppei]

That's what I am saying. Just do not care and enjoy the game.

[@769_tYu]

Bro just finished the 5 hours+ game and immediately post a video for content. That's why this guy is one of the best if not the best chess streamer. What a guy, best of luck Hikaru.

[@javierzegarra1933]

Dear Hikaru: I love chess since the Fisher vs Spasski match. 2nd time I hear your funny mention of the "Gucci Piano" opening. It reminds me that the "Giuoco Piano" -italian for "slow" or "soft" game opening, was my favorite when I was a kid!

[@TheRip72]

I was watching on a stream & there was no show of delight or relief after the win. Both players looked totally exhausted, so seeing a recap so quickly is awesome.

[@jessicalivingstone5684]

Whole family was dancing in our living room cheering you on.

[@B-fq7ff]

wtf

[@jdogsteel007]

Wholesome :')

[@varun8762]

No other work?

[@oussamaelbaz5932]

he doesn't read the comments

[@stormage6619]

Lmao that's weird

[@tomatyto1274]

11:46 hikaru's just like us preferring to play royal fork over mate in 1

[@fk5400]

yeah i spotted it too. hes just a mere 2800, keep that in mind

[@andrewernst5593]

that was just a sample line to prove his point

[@deveshgarg7974]

​@@andrewernst5593Ya bro getting a family fork is certainly a more proving line than a checkmate

[@vitaliimakarov6181]

Omg, I didn’t see it either 😂

[@TheRealChiults]

Ha i didnt see it, but I noticed he prefered a queen instead of mate in 5 in hypothetical position at 20:33

[@JB-zm5uw]

Tomorrow’s pairings are brutal. A four-way tie for 2nd place is very much possible. Godspeed, streamer!

[@vincelopez756]

Ian vs Fabi is gonna be nuts.

[@imgnryvansh]

Gukesh hasn't lost yet a single game, hikaru vs gukesh gonna be nuts

[@adg9042]

@@imgnryvanshhikaru once said gukeshs style of play could allow him to play an extremely hot streak and possibly break 2800, he might’ve been right

[@francescosi7556]

​@@adg9042I don't think this is the time he will have the streak and reach 2800, but I am positive he will considering how he is doing in the candidates. Btw talking about Indians reaching 2800 I would keep my eyes on Prag as well, he has managed to have quite good results playing almost every game like if there were only 2 results. He is starting to remind me of tal

[@y2kc0wb0y]

Congratulations

[@moonboi3948]

gotta respect the grind, play's a 5 hour game and still fresh and ready for a recap

[@dannyb763]

Great rebound win. Unfortunate for Alireza to blunder but c'est la vie. Keep it going now.

[@christosmous3140]

Dear KZbin today was a great day

[@Crazyparadox22]

Agreed ❤️

[@plet774]

I woke my baby up screaming Naka!!!! With my fists in the air. Wife was pissed

[@Alex7.0.]

Love that😂😂

[@paularized1]

Worth it

[@EvansChikasa]

We are glad you are still alive 😂😂, you were flirting with danger ‼️

[@varun8762]

😂 next time scream "the Roook"!!!!!

[@plet774]

“But it was with black pieces” Her: 😖

[@IvanPovshednyi1712]

Nice! Showing experience by not over risking after the loss, waiting patiently, and here comes the win! Good luck :)

[@jordan-matthewdavis]

Not ashamed to say I was running throughout my living room when Hikaru won🎉

[@e_brangelical]

Same

[@xenofonkarykis8417]

Well done for today. Like I said yesterday enjoy the tournament and see where you re at in the last round. Anything goes no need for undue stress and overthinking results here and there yet. Good luck in the rest of the candidates tournament

[@loganstevens1142]

I checked this game until about move 20, thought it was a draw, then come back to see a win. Good job Hikaru! Good luck tomorrow!

[@_Dark_hallow_]

2:55 Ah yes, the classic bbc(big black center) 🤣

[@kekmitkeks9328]

All chess GMs love themselves the bbc

[@fujiapple9675]

1:26 Praggnanandhaahahaha 😂

[@Yosef433]

Hikaru, everyone of your fans believe in you, it is just the beginning, just play normal and let us see you against ding for the world champion

[@TrashTaster]

THE COMEBACK BEGINSSS‼️‼️🍍🍍

[@aaronchan1088]

That would be epic if he wins this event... overcoming a blown draw and earning the right to face ding for the title.

[@st3v3nyun]

5:26 “..this is 3500 level chess and we’re mere 2800.” 😂😂

[@FedUPwithPPL]

Hikarus psychotic greetings at the beginning of these recaps is truly unsettling.

[@924Greg]

Alireza's heart sunk (and you can see the look on his face) when Alireza saw the knight fork tactic Hikaru describes here at 21:28

[@kylecoventry]

i don't think it was the knight fork that he was reacting to... lol, likely just the entire hopelessness of the position

[@924Greg]

@kylecoventry maybe. But with that short on time he could have been thinking the rook could stop the pawn from moving forward until he saw the knight fork.

[@c2c001]

Very happy for you. Looking at this game again and again made me realise a few things: When Alireza invited you to play g5 and you didn't (you're very good at not falling for these) I knew it will affect him. Much like Anand, he's starting to lose faith whenever someone seems "too Volkan" and keeps composure. Many of his seemingly minor mistakes stem not from his respected calculating abilities but rather from his reluctence to play simplified endgames against you. It's quite shocking how often uneven pawn endgames that are otherwise a draw, end in a decisive resault and you play them better than anyone not named Magnus. Alireza is showing his cards. Everyone knows he doesn't like to be attacked but we now know he will, when faced with a few options, go for the more active line and shy away from uneven simplified endgames where you may be dealing with one of a thousand exceptions that requires specific knowledge.

[@sebastiansocianu5441]

" and Alireza plays the classic "Gucci" piano?" 1:09 I'm dead hahahaha

[@beatsev1]

sì, si chiama giuoco 🎹

[@viperhd70]

He always mispronounces it like that. Not sure if it's intentional or not.

[@redfoxvoice]

Very intentional

[@WrangleRz]

he mock alireza for being fashion

[@viperhd70]

@@WrangleRz No he doesn't, he has always pronounced it 'Gucci'. Nothing to do with Alireza.

[@AbirZenith]

Hikaru is going to pull off the greatest comeback in Chess, I FEEL IT

[@zaaya7719]

"the Big Black Center" 💀💀💀 lmfaoooooo

[@A20489]

1:28 🤫🧏

[@infiniteconsciousness896]

😂🤣 it gets me everytime

[@ReverseFlash23]

4:36 “so white is pushing all this P here” this took me out 😂😂😂😂

[@prabalsingh8820]

22:30 - hikaru goggins

[@aaronz1326]

I miss most of the games live, but I was very grateful to see this still going on when I woke up. Especially with such a spectacular finish. Glad to see you're filtering out the noise, you know how to best navigate this, and I am looking forward to seeing the future rounds.

[@mariaanmo]

thank you for that ending, I really needed to hear it right now. I'm starting my own company and sometimes it feels like I have to suffer a lot and overwork myself without any joy to be able to make it happen...

[@vegeta4693214]

"I'm a professional, don't try this at home" should've been the title lol

[@kirkmason7079]

I enjoyed your recap on round 5. When your knight was on c3 I kept thinking why doesn’t he take a4. Your explanation for why you shouldn’t have moved the knight to c3 helped. Good game. Congratulations on 1st win.

[@ashayaswale]

I wonder if Hikaru feels more comfortable when the clock is running low

[@XCSme]

He definitely feels more comfortable when his opponent's clock is running low.

[@ilikebeingsmart]

I could only watch the moves on the official website since I was at work, and when I saw the time get low after time control, I thought he was intentionally creating a blitz-like situation hoping Alireza would blunder. Essentially that’s what happened, but it’s cool to see that he turned down the first draw and stuck it out for the win.

[@emanuellucin]

Of course because alireza makes a blunder in final

[@FahimHoq]

Hikaru is one of the best player in faster time control, so its no surprise.

[@ImBarryScottCSS]

Hikaru: Undevelops knight, puts other knight on rim. We the plebs: I don't even know what that means?!.. Hikaru: No-one knows what it means but it's provocative, it gets the pawns going.

[@Irfanhill]

As a Frenchman, I was really sad for Alireza who did not deserve to lose. Hikaru played quite poorly for his standards, but lucked into a win. As a chess player who likes to watch Hikaru's videos and who would like to see a Candidates tournament where he has chances until the last round, his victory is still kind of good! Thanks once again for putting out a video so fast after a long and important game.

[@DeadSezSo]

This was huge, I was pulling hard for you in round 4, if you could have won then you'd have been right in the mix headed into the rest day. Unfortunately it wasn't to be but this was definitely a huge win coming out of the break. Hope you carry this moment on!

[@thebirdcatcher1]

Watching this I fully realized Naka's point about how the other players should make these type of videos. Would love to see Alireza review of this game and compare

[@goyf9095]

Congrats on this game changing win! You will do well tomorrow, go get em.

[@somerandomdudefes31]

When he messes with Prag's name but I've already liked the video... that's just overkill. I can't hit like again.

[@williamwen5629]

Insane final minutes, congrats for keeping cool for the entire game

[@anirudhgovada2753]

In November 2021, Hikaru predicted defeating Firouzja in the candidates. Now he's done it twice in a row. Just two days ago in the R4 recap, he said how chances are going to come and he knows that, and here is his big comeback win.

[@scarletbullet7945]

1:25 I've been historically laughing for 3 minutes

[@themodernTAL]

WAS WAITING FOR THIS

[@Veptis]

Crazy how many matches have been flipped during time trouble. Is this no increment classical a good change?

[@50_shades_of_Jay_]

Hikaru’s the ultimate back breaker😫

[@timothywong5570]

Bro does not miss a beat on his youtube uploads

[@MatthieuSCHREK]

Impressive game. I love it when top players play the italian game. So simple, so pure. The same as beginners, but very refined. I just love it. This thumbnail too though... it cracked me up !

[@milesreynolds4943]

They hardly show your games on the livestream, god bless you for these recaps ❤

[@dayvharris]

Congratulations on the win with the black pieces today. Also got to give you respect for still putting out a video after that 6 hour game today - you have got to be ready to get some sleep. Good luck tomorrow!

[@vladislavchessmate1567]

Congratulations Hikaru with serious win, good luck in next round.

[@wortex6371]

Hikaru:Im not a computer Kramnik:AI also says that its not a computer . Interesting

[@chan7an]

" I'm not a computer" -Pineapple Man 2024

[@extreame7304]

Fucking finally Hikaru, you are not just a streamer, you prepared so much, everyone wants for you to win. LOCK IN

[@adriancalimarea9038]

Good job ! You moved your oponent into a blitz, your strong quality in chess in my opinion! Very well done! Maybe this tactic is a winning one în the fluture games too: blitz ending.

[@matthewgardner6453]

That was way too quickly after the game hahahaha. Let's go hikaru keep going 💪

[@Bleepins]

Hearing one of the best players to ever play the game call it the Gucci piano will never get old to me.

[@ЛеонидПак-о9ф]

11:47, who needs family forks, when it is checkmate in one. Congrats on your win, I still believe you can win it. For content, of course😊

[@paurastarle4807]

01:27 "Pragnanandha hahahaha" was brutal. Didn't see this one coming

[@kumarhrservices7542]

No matter who Magnus thinks as favourite, Gukesh and Pragg can test any top player and are definitely the favourites for top spot.

[@Theall-lightning-ni6xf]

The blitz was clutch, amazing ! Hope you do as well tomorrow, good luck

[@johnk5001]

Enjoy yourself, man. You're there because you deserve to be there. The heart rate difference in the second half of the tourny will help whoever can chill.

[@Wagefreedom]

"Success without enjoyment is the ultimate failure." Great quote Hikaru, thanks.

[@Drumaier]

Great win today Naka, I was trying to guess the best moves and the eval kept me saying "what a f noob bro"...then you always played the best ones, some of them I didn't even imagined. And this is why you are the GOAT.

[@Triggerboy78]

"Pragnanand..hahahahaha" i had to rewind to check if I was tripping... XD

[@Iunchb0xx]

Intro as predicted. Gr8 ❤

[@dklee123]

Awesome to see Hikaru waiting for the right moment to press for a long game pay off.

[@DemoniqueLewis]

Mike Jackson said it best: “It doesn’t matter if you’re black or white!” Awesome win and reminder that you are playing an opponent not just pieces.

[@vexnightmare6364]

11:45 When you have mate in 1, look for better

[@onmyojifan]

?

[@abuzaynab9363]

After hikaru goes nc5 there is Qg2#​@@onmyojifan

[@mariuszpudzianowski8400]

Alireza looked completely exhasted by the end, puting pressure on his clock paid off.

[@lazizasamov440]

I kinda got used to admiring your blitz skills, but when I see you winning complicated classical games like this i am just speechless. Good luck on the candidates! Give a good fight!

[@derghalmohamed5234]

Thank you for this amazing analysis....I just realized that im watching the analysis of a super grandmaster .explaining with simple language ..man you are amazing 🫡

[@lerdi]

He never misses an opportunity to say "deez knights" 😂

[@dVTHoR]

This was the most exciting experience I’ve had as a chess fan watching you win this. Just because I’m a new(er) fan of the game, and the context of winning a grind with Black with what feels like the whole tourney on the line, and a win with black the kickstart to make a comeback. Maybe that’s dramatic, but from my view it just felt that way and was an EPIC win. A championship Dub.

[@ansheg]

What a win!! Congrats!!

[@johnkom2339]

Did Hikaru pin the tail on the donkey today? Yes he did!

[@krismg_21]

1:12 Oh yeahh my favourite opening Gucci Piano 🤑

[@Pokerfarhang]

"I'm a MERE 2800 player" that killed me 😅

[@aaronquadd3019]

Stay positive, I needed to hear that ending. Thanks Hikaru

[@priapushk996]

23:00 "Success without enjoyment is the ultimate failure." Failure without enjoyment seems worse.

[@AbelCala]

What an exciting first victory. Go for it Naka

[@Samps76]

"The widepeepos". Ya learn something new everyday.

[@RedDefender77]

Chill for 6 hours and then blitz your way to victory.. The Hikaru method.

[@barthouweling4787]

11:46 Also.. mate in one?

[@nicolas286]

THAT's what I call a game! Great recap - as always!

[@Imrandela1920]

Hikaru and the Knight --- Love story continues 💞

[@yurisun8500]

The knight on h3 blockeding castle looks great,first time i watched the idea was in Netmetdinov vs Tal game

[@johnwest7993]

Everything happens for a reason, except to me. Random, meaningless crap happens to me.

[@jimwilcken7168]

I'm gaining a lot of respect for this man. Obviously wants to win what would be a huge tournament for his career and yet has a fantastic attitude doing it. You have gained a fan here.

[@phoenixinthetrees1446]

Yes, Hikaru! Lesssssgggooooooo!!! And it's fitting that Guccireza played the Gucci piano...

[@tonygreco9135]

Mad respect uploading this fast after a crazy match! Rooting for you!

[@lahlouamine]

Content creation is more important than the candidates haha. Amazing that after 6 hours game you still can do a recap in a short time, truly amazing :) hope you'll win the tournament, you deserve it ;)

[@ncld1581]

"Gucci piano" some stylish opening

[@EL-vw4lw]

Firouzja found F4 was actually insane... mad respect to both of you

[@afzalansari4244]

Yoo Hikaru You Have to Win the candidates and become the world championship For Us ❤❤❤

[@CocaLives]

Let’s fucking gooo, comeback is real

[@houdheoa]

I was looking at the live game and hikaru at the end had a "imma definitely win this" face