Magnus Carlsen vs. Hikaru Nakamura's EPIC Armageddon Chess Battle

After two drawn games, @themagnuscarlsen and @GMHikaru went to armageddon in their mini-match in the Champion's Chess Tour round robin! Don't miss this incredible match with commentary from @DanielNaroditskyGM and featuring a shocking bid from Magnus!
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#chess #CCT #magnusvshikaru

[@chess]

Don't miss the Champion's Chess Tour action live with Magnus, Hikaru, and the rest of the CCT Finalists Dec. 9-16 at noon ET every day! www.chess.com/events/info/2023-champions-chess-tour-finals

[@amit3157]

​@@bashdamonkey1❤ pn

[@putraoi532]

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[@putraoi532]

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[@AnkhArcRod]

That commentary was FIRE! Danya really makes these games come to life!

[@lucaanzalone9775]

Love him

[@masudshah7405]

Magnus has ensconced the Knight on e5... Absolutel fire

[@mangualc]

Is danya commentating live?

[@jrs63]

I'm pretty sure he's not live commentating, and this commentary always feels fake to me as he tries to make it come off as if he is.

[@DanielNaroditskyGM]

I am in fact commentating it as I'm watching the game in real time.

[@sergiudinu952]

clicking on a video titled "Magnus Carlsen vs Hikaru Nakamura" and actually seeing them play, and not some other two players, is a luxury these days.

[@CeRz]

Yes, indeed. They got thousands of complaints not showing magnus vs hikaru on the livestream and then it said in the title "Come watch Magnus and hikaru play" and never once showed their armaggedon until it was almost over. This is why Danya made his commentary in this video on this game - because of thousands of complaints.

[@Oji-7869]

Magnoose vs Dikaru Fakamura

[@weakw1ll]

Riiiiight

[@CeRz]

@@weakw1ll I literally gave you community notes of context and still you wrote this.

[@obsidian9595]

Magnus never fails to troll Hikaru 💀

[@HajanyzHwbqba]

that is a birthday gift😅

[@mralias225]

what? hikaru playing black is his gift? xd@@HajanyzHwbqba

[@Earthian765]

Karma* Hikaru trolls us☺️☺️

[@shreyaskrishna6038]

This is no troll...Magnus had to grind through the middle game

[@aRandomGuy924]

​@@shreyaskrishna6038he is talking about the bids

[@Ali_15976]

Danya is a treasure. It was his commentary that marginally increased my interest in chess alongside Gotham.

[@ABKUMAR-ei7cc]

😏😏

[@MrLeagueCommissioner]

Always nice to see two insane chess players go in a good ol battle of chess

[@Oji-7869]

Dikaru Fakamura vs Magnoose

[@himanshudubey5265]

@@Oji-7869 and the third one spicing it up with brilliant analysis and commentary

[@raphaelkyembe4407]

A real insane player vs an overrated one

[@MrLeagueCommissioner]

@@raphaelkyembe4407 i am assuming that you are calling Hilary overrated which he is by far NOT overrated he was just unlucky enough to go against the 🐐

[@raphaelkyembe4407]

@@MrLeagueCommissioner bro, Hikaru has never been at the same level with Magnes. So definitely it has to be one sided match

[@shiveshyadav69]

I swear this was the one of the best commentary I heard in a long lime, loved the way you narrated the whole match, It was literally AWESOME.

[@jakab174]

i know the feeling, its when your opponent messed up and you want to act like a goodboy to thank the universe :D

[@weakw1ll]

Commentary was great

[@luchomuchooo]

I like how Magnus, after the game, still takes the time bring the pieces back! God-like yet very humble. Big respect to this man!

[@cryptonite8495]

Not only his own pieces but Hikaru's as well. He does that when a defeated opponent quickly walks away.

[@explicitreverberation9826]

I love that​@@cryptonite8495

[@alancosta4760]

You just understand how good is Hikaru when you see he playing against Magnus seriously in those tournaments not on the internet because he suffers so much that also means Carlsen is almost an alien.

[@Flyhr]

You understand how good Hikaru is just by looking at the FIDE Chess ELO ratings. Hikaru is #3 in the World in Classical Rating and #2 in the World in Blitz Rating over the board (not online).

[@andriannn1]

Magnus nomber one​@@Flyhr

[@Krsna_9]

Yet no champion never wil be...​@@Flyhr

[@guitarcovers5437]

Danya is incredible at commentary. What a game.

[@shubhamgoyal1547]

Danya always with a perfect commentary :)

[@thepoofication]

Great game, great commentary, Danya always crushes these tense endings

[@dixonnormous]

Glad they posted this cause production missed the entire game to show an entirely winning position in another match

[@Tronny]

It's astonishing how Magnus is able to turn the screw in real time, you can see it with the eval bar how it just slowly but surely turns to whites favour, as he plays perfect moves to create weaknesses in this game which he HAD to win, against somebody like Hikaru who has insane defensive skills as well, truly displays why he is the GOAT

[@indianfan1029]

Insane defensive skills? Putting his last pawn on the light g6 square, and giving total access to Magnus's bishop. I guess you can call that insane, but in the opposite sense

[@Tronny]

@@indianfan1029 You're probably a 300 elo who doesn't understand chess, hikaru is a great defensive player, he uses tactics you probably don't even realise

[@moviegamer5497]

Imagine Hikaru had bid 14:59💀

[@mr_amirr]

Why Magnus had 15:00 minutes?

[@moviegamer5497]

@@mr_amirr I don't know what u asking so here's whole thing. In armegadon,player bid time. The lower bider gets Black and he only have to draw in order to win. Magnus put 15:00 to ensure he will get white( by biding higher) becoz he likes win. But if Hikaru had bid 14:59, Magnus would be given white and he would be in must win situation being up just a second.

[@BryanJorden]

Danya is a blessing to the chess community.

[@jonathanpratama611]

it feels like that i am watching a football match. Nice work Danya 👍🏼

[@strykah41]

Once the queenside and center was clarified/locked, Carlsen's positional and time pressure led to Hikaru to commit his g-pawn which spelled the game since it weakened his kingside dark squares. Brilliant patience, poise, and vision, by the GOAT.

[@indianfan1029]

But what was the need to do that. At worst he was going to lose his h pawn, and still continued playing. Knight and queen would have offered some sort of a minor compensation vs queen + bishop.

[@le_gus001]

Hikaru: no problem beating 50 people in a row. Also Hikaru: Loses catastrophically to Magnus. Interesting... :D

[@netecrivernetecassassins2945]

Best commentary I've heard in chess

[@drdickinson5910]

Danya commenting so fast he says the move before they're even on the board

[@Jotaro-o]

Hope Hikaru will somehow manage to make an epic comeback and give us a rematch of Magnus vs Hikaru in the finale. Small chance of it right now but that makes it so much more awesome if it were to actually happen.

[@Oji-7869]

Not gonna happen in this tournament. But wesley So is leading so we might see Wesley vs Magnus again

[@renukakumari3740]

hikaru eleminated

[@Oji-7869]

@@renukakumari3740 Dikaru Fakamura

[@stowlicters8362]

Nah Magnus must win

[@CorrectionUnknown]

Dude how is Danya so good at commentary? He's so smooth, engaging, and charasmatic

[@dilipdas7273]

Legends say Magnus is still trolling Hikaru...

[@guillaumelacroix8730]

question, at 7.21 isn't Nxc3 instead of Pxc7 a better play? i am new to chess and maybe am not seeing something here?

[@chessnerd20]

There is so much you can learn about chess from just watching grandmasters play alone, it’s so cool

[@mewtwo3439]

Resets the board aswell, what a humble guy

[@DarkoVlajkovic]

Great match, great commentary, i enjoyed every minute :)

[@peterviglietta4207]

Two absolute legends

[@himanshudubey5265]

3

[@yaminabrar2253]

king to h2 was definitely a MAGNUS MOVE

[@user-ee1lo1il3f]

thank u danya

[@kieran941]

Hikaru has one kryptonite, and its Magnus. As joyful as Hikaru seems at times he always looks annoyed with Magnus and his body language towards him is always almost uncomfortable for even me to see. It comical at this point to have Magnus troll the way he does. This commentary is GREAT as well! I need more chess in my life

[@melzz]

Magnus is everyone’s kryptonite

[@_RDMPTN]

There's only 1 Magnus, sorry Hikaru...

[@mpa1931]

I have no idea whats going on but its still a joy to watch the best of the best compete with one another

[@massimogordillo9340]

Killer commentary and editing

[@cryptesthetic]

Magnus is playing very very very solid that can not be breaked. He's out of this world.

[@user-um6yx7si5f]

watch his game with wesley

[@denostar]

@@user-um6yx7si5f wesley had one chance and he used it in the group stage:) Magnus' revenge will be so sweet

[@mintchevvv1834]

@@user-um6yx7si5fand still who will win the tournament? 😂😂

[@ramanahveljeyaseelan5406]

Not really Magnus, has been tilting ever since he quit the world championship , tho he's doing good in the event so far.

[@000todd000]

Why does Nakamura not take the white queen on C3 at 4:48 into this video (3:33 left on Nakamura's clock)? Seems that this will win a knight.

[@damgaard9881]

Because of the deadly fork at knight e7

[@Navin4061]

I don't if it's psychological or something but Magnus always gets to Hikaru in OTB.

[@astrogersunited5389]

he had time to calculate

[@shubomb]

​@@astrogersunited5389He had more time but he also had to win with white whereas Hikaru could've won just by drawing with black pieces as it's Armageddon

[@jxsxft]

Danya is a true legend. English is my second language and felt that commentary incredibly clear

[@valiantwarrior1988]

Hikaru was just completely out of time, tho Magnus put great pressure on Hikaru to make it happen. Great game by both

[@MrOpen2012]

Hikaru was up on time when he blundered.

[@valiantwarrior1988]

@@MrOpen2012 he started with a lower time so he was trying to play fast, Magnus thought and planned his move which Hikaru fast played to, Magnus won't let that slide

[@MrOpen2012]

@@valiantwarrior1988 yes, but time had nothing to do with his loss, since he was super solid until his blunder and he only needed a draw. And the blunder happened when he had more time than Magnus.

[@somangshuchakraborty1334]

I mean like this style of play is soooooo satisfyingly goodddd

[@YandhiYesuke]

This was the best commentary I've heard on a chess game. My man made me feel like I was watching UFC nights with Joe Rogan, he is good.

[@therealshivam27]

Magnus andr hikaru both are brilliant player

[@yashh4427]

Can someone explain the time bet? Why they started with different time?

[@Cyclically]

chess ona gaming chair actually evolving into an esport that can be played physically irl

[@AD34534]

Magnus is just too good.

[@CsComputerscience-kz9rn]

Look at hikaru in starting.......I just love his face..reaction....❤

[@PradeepKumar-xp2xo]

No one in this world other than Magnus can do like this on Time.

[@raoul-thomascampian1726]

why didn't Hikaru take the Queen (C3) with the Knight from E4 instead of taking the knight on C6 with the rook (min 7:20) and why didn't Magnus try to run with the Queen instead of going for the knight?

[@naglerjac]

Magnus could have forked Hikaru’s king and queen with the knight.

[@mralias225]

i can feel their Egos fighting when they both stare at the board

[@paulpena5040]

people don't understand how hard it is to win on demand with the white pieces against someone like Nakamura. Naka wins with a draw so he just needs to lock it down which, against a normal human, would be super easy for him but here Magnus, in a very dry position manages to squeeze the pressure win a pawn and convert the endgame just amazing.

[@alecdonnell7616]

Can someone explain why at 7;25 min why Hukaru took the pawn instead of the taking the queen with knight e4 to c3? Sorry if dumb question

[@egoz]

Why Hikaru took the knight instead of Queen... Edit : get it, there was a check talking his Queen on next move

[@TheGeneral..]

Why am I always with Magnus on this rivalry?😂 Sorry Hikaru there can only be one King

[@nirbhaykumarchaubey8777]

Bcs. Magnus is the best

[@MemeD.Pikachu]

The 2 legends of the world. It’s Ronaldo and Messi but chess. A battle of the lifetime Edit: I started a war…feeling good

[@ChocolateMilk..]

It's not. Hikaru is nowhere near Magnus' level. Never been, never will be.

[@ayewserious9350]

@@ChocolateMilk..Im sure with same time the game would have been way harder for Magnus. Hikaru might not be as good in endgames as Magnus but in terms of defence hes even better

[@ALIENGOATMESSI]

​@@ChocolateMilk.. like ronaldo will never be on messi s level😂

[@shubomb]

Messi and Ronaldo are the undisputed top-2 of their generation and while Magnus is the undisputed no. 1 payer of his generation, Hikaru isn't clear 2nd. Players like Caruana, Ding, Ian and Aronian are fighting for 2nd spot along with Hikaru

[@Ervi2]

@@ALIENGOATMESSI2-8😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

[@annamalayadevi]

Magnus played like a beast in the end

[@restrayudha7109]

Pretty much asking why hikaru didnt take the queen, magnus also had horse that can check the queen and king in the centre, and with arrow and castle its really possible to end the game, so hikaru dont want to be in those situation

[@mariekuijkenhistoricallyaw2598]

Yes was asking that too, how come N didn't take M's queen

[@chalapathilatha2726]

Kramnik: Now who should I call " "INTERSTING"

[@minophilic6577]

Dayuuuum Girl. My heart beat was quite high, just because Danya made some wooden toys seem like real fight.

[@ComputerChessWorld]

This is better than Messi vs Ronaldo

[@GrinReaper804]

Can anyone tell me why at 7:20 black takes the Knight instead of the queen?

[@ompatel4297]

Because If Hikaru takes queen then magnus move his knight to e7 and take magnus queen.....

[@erwinrommel6481]

Can someone explain me why they look so similar on the cover, they’ re literally lost brothers

[@yusufwibisono919]

These guys are best friends in secret

[@user-mk1vm5di4l]

Danya is the GOAT of chess commentary and videos overall

[@m0t0meth]

WTF magnus just showed there ? Magnus's plans and tactics 🧠

[@user-ji9wr1ky6c]

What a BRILLIANT game!

[@natureiscool4364]

Hikarlsen Nakamagnus is a great chess player!

[@jorgegelvez2126]

6:40 looking at magnus's face to decipher the play jeje

[@kalorakalora]

Magnus went back to his boyhood haircut and it looks a million times better than that Einstein hair he had going on before

[@claytonpeltier1622]

Hikaru is such a baby shaking his head that much Lmfao

[@MrEvol94]

"The king is getting harassed" 🤣🤣🤣

[@finmat95]

That's why the decent player is just, you know, decent.

[@afixithei.V]

If Hikaru kept his emotions more controlled, he would have had more time on the clock

[@lynnsky2137]

"I Don't need to be a champion , I want to be a champion" . Magnus Carlson

[@rionelbenitez2766]

He will bid 16 mins. next armagedon

[@driziiD]

such an interesting game...was soooo boring for the first 10mins...then became crazy interesting

[@samcoleman7325]

Naroditsky Immortal

[@ThaiSmartMoney]

Daneil has transcend to god of chess caster.

[@feuilledarbre8002]

Why does Magnus have more time than Hikaru ?

[@thomasmullee3049]

How can I learn to play like these 2 men ?

[@vikinginger1889]

Hikaru's face is soooooo expressive! Hahahah

[@curtissleypen9395]

Magnus putting back Hikaru pieces..troll continues

[@kevin_lin]

Pretty new to chess but anyone know why Hikaru took the knight over the queen at @7:25?

[@kevin_lin]

Nvm I see the fork now

[@apeudabembung2669]

Chess for Magnus is not if he wins or loses, it's about if he decides to win or lose😂

[@houssem_elfhaiel]

Attacking without sacrificing

[@indianfan1029]

I am no grand master, but that move by Nakamura, g6 felt so wrong. Like it was an instant loss.

[@MehdiMezghiche]

Hikaru is so emotional

[@hardhitter009]

How many hands coming does magnus sees when watching the board?

[@eddyaugustin1565]

There is a moment i think hikaru should capture magnus's queen instead of taking the knight with his pawn even if magnus would have given a royal fork with his knight but after hikaru would moving the king and loose his queen he could recapture the knight with his rook and he would have win a knight😢.

[@kellerpeti]

The line you mentioned started by Magnus taking Hikarus knight. So if u calculate up until the end, the material would've been equal. However, that way Hikaru would have lost his monster knight on e4, so thats why he wasn't hesitant chosing to simply retake Magnus' knight on c6.

[@chiryalways3546]

Magnus will fork Hikaru's Queen too with Knight on e7+ capturing the Black Queen & leaving white with better position /pawn structure! Btw I'm around 2400 (2436 on blitz section 3+0/3+2/5+0) 😁🤗 you welcome😇

[@eddyaugustin1565]

@@kellerpeti i saw the queen had no defender

[@AllAroundAthletic]

Why didn’t he take magnus queen time stamp 7:24. Can someone explain please

[@thePot_]

No Stockfish projection on the wall - no winnings

[@julianhodgson1961]

Thanks Danya:))

[@ohavi69]

" Hikaru has put his tower on A6. What will will magnus do here......MAGNUS SACRIFICED THE PLANEEEEEEEEEE " -Levy

[@RedDefender77]

Hikaru still hasn't learned how to lose. Stop shaking your head, lol.

[@TeejayBoy-dn7no]

Yes agreed

[@Markitos20promax]

7:19 im 300 elo can someone explain me why he takes the knight and not the queen?

[@chiryalways3546]

Magnus will fork Hikaru's Queen too with Knight on e7+ capturing the Black Queen & leaving white with better position /pawn structure! Btw I'm around 2400 (2436 on blitz section 3+0/3+2/5+0) 😁🤗 you welcome😇

[@underratedcritic1983]

I had no idea Magnus is taller than Hikaru. I always assumed it's the other way around.

[@swedishshortsnout5610]

Yep. Magnus is 5 feet, 11 inches. Hikaru is 5 feet, 7 inches.

[@itz-gaurav-jain]

Why did hikaru not take the queen at c3 at 7:21 ...plzz explain ....

[@kikones34]

Magnus had a fork with Ne7 and Hikaru didn't want a queen exchange.

[@vinozarazzi5633]

Board is too small for android and me

[@gelo7955]

may i know why Hikaru didn't took Magnus' queen at 7:20?

[@aqualitz2797]

magnus can use knight to fork both king and queen

[@chiryalways3546]

Magnus will fork Hikaru's Queen too with Knight on e7+ capturing the Black Queen & leaving white with better position /pawn structure! Btw I'm around 2400 (2436 on blitz section 3+0/3+2/5+0) 😁🤗 you welcome😇

[@carlosfernandez3646]

Min 7:20 Nakamura could've taken Maguns queen, unbelievable