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

[@amit_x23]

​@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.

[@weakw1ll]

Riiiiight

[@CeRz]

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

[@Ali_15976]

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

[@ABKUMAR-ei7cc]

😏😏

[@JanDarkyy]

Exactly , for 90% of us chess normies we cant grasp what this geniuses have in mind , and Danya is such a great translator to simplify the positions and make it enjoyable

[@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

[@TheeldenLord924]

​@@shreyaskrishna6038he is talking about the bids

[@no2ticonderogatri-writepencil]

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

[@himanshudubey5265]

@OptionTrading-rl1ss and the third one spicing it up with brilliant analysis and commentary

[@raphaelkyembe4407]

A real insane player vs an overrated one

[@no2ticonderogatri-writepencil]

@@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]

@@no2ticonderogatri-writepencil bro, Hikaru has never been at the same level with Magnes. So definitely it has to be one sided match

[@no2ticonderogatri-writepencil]

@@raphaelkyembe4407 so you are saying the Hikaru is not insane at chess

[@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

[@dixonnormous]

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

[@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

[@BryanJorden]

Danya is a blessing to the chess community.

[@shubhamgoyal1547]

Danya always with a perfect commentary :)

[@guitarcovers5437]

Danya is incredible at commentary. What a game.

[@IsmailNyule]

Harga Ps Lasusua Adalah 56 Triliun Rupiah Dalam 79 Tahun.

[@thepoofication]

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

[@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.

[@walkingtree2486]

​@@moviegamer5497 I'm new to chess, like started a week ago and I'm confused. Isn't white a better starting side? Statistically white side has a higher win rate than black side. So why did hikaru bid lower time to get black?

[@moviegamer5497]

@@walkingtree2486 Yes, Generally players prefer white. But here, it's different. It's a new way of tiebreak called Armageddon. Hikaru magnus draw so they have to play Armageddon to decide who wins. In Armageddon, White has more time than Black, But Black has draw odds. That is black would be considered winner even when he draw in Armageddon. That's why.

[@walkingtree2486]

@@moviegamer5497 oh that makes sense, thank you.

[@mewtwo3439]

Resets the board aswell, what a humble guy

[@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.

[@CorrectionUnknown]

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

[@peterviglietta4207]

Two absolute legends

[@himanshudubey5265]

3

[@netecrivernetecassassins2945]

Best commentary I've heard in chess

[@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.

[@renukakumari3740]

hikaru eleminated

[@stowlicters8362]

Nah Magnus must win

[@dilipdas7273]

Legends say Magnus is still trolling Hikaru...

[@jonathanpratama611]

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

[@_RDMPTN]

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

[@chessnerd20]

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

[@user-ee1lo1il3f]

thank u danya

[@yaminabrar2253]

king to h2 was definitely a MAGNUS MOVE

[@cryptesthetic]

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

[@MoraMorsi]

watch his game with wesley

[@denostar]

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

[@mintchevvv1834]

@@MoraMorsiand 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.

[@drdickinson5910]

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

[@chessten]

Probably because Danya was on the scene while live feed was at least couple of seconds slower.

[@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

[@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

[@AD34534]

Magnus is just too good.

[@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.

[@mpa1931]

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

[@PradeepKumar-xp2xo]

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

[@dinoziii]

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.

[@massimogordillo9340]

Killer commentary and editing

[@therealshivam27]

Magnus andr hikaru both are brilliant player

[@paulxy952]

Why do they start with different time on the clock? I would have given my self 3 hours and chill

[@somangshuchakraborty1334]

I mean like this style of play is soooooo satisfyingly goodddd

[@ComputerChessWorld]

This is better than Messi vs Ronaldo

[@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

[@riorinaldi4378]

No, Hikaru didn't take a pawn but a knight. Had he take that queen, Magnus would have simply fork black queen and their king with his knight in e7. So Hikaru's queen would gone too but with worse position

[@Cyclically]

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

[@le_gus001]

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

[@lynnsky2137]

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

[@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.

[@jdubs604]

Magnus is Hikaru’s kryptonite. 😆

[@DarkoVlajkovic]

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

[@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

[@Buck101]

Rook takes the knight after and it ends as a draw for Hikaru, missed win for him

[@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.

[@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?

[@chessten]

@@prakashsonare4161 but Black follows up with Rxc8 taking the Knight ... so material is still equal.

[@jordangordon2350]

They got em in gaming chairs now 💀

[@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.

[@petrowolke]

Why would you choose 15:00? Makes a lot more sense to pick 14:59, in case the other picks 15:00. Risk 1 second but a realistic chance for a huge advantage

[@egoz]

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

[@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.....

[@natureiscool4364]

Hikarlsen Nakamagnus is a great chess player!

[@CsComputerscience-kz9rn]

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

[@tristanlesaffre512]

7:27 why nakamura is not taking white queen ?

[@ompatel4297]

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

[@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

[@THEoneandonlystika]

​@@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]

@@THEoneandonlystika2-8😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

[@sandeepshetty1589]

10 minutes of calmness and 4 minutes of torture, for Hikaru

[@Hopemwazozo]

Danya is the GOAT of chess commentary and videos overall

[@TehKaiRuiAlvernAhs]

What a BRILLIANT game!

[@minophilic6577]

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

[@kalorakalora]

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

[@sahit9357]

why did Hikaru took the Night on 7:21 instead of the Queen? Can s1 explain pls?

[@nebulaayt]

cus then magnus would have forked the queen n king,

[@TruthSurge]

can someone tell that person to stop walking in front of the camera? It's giving me a headache.

[@erwinrommel6481]

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

[@chalapathilatha2726]

Kramnik: Now who should I call " "INTERSTING"

[@afixithei.V]

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

[@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.

[@annamalayadevi]

Magnus played like a beast in the end

[@m0t0meth]

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

[@jorgegelvez2126]

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

[@feuilledarbre8002]

Why does Magnus have more time than Hikaru ?

[@VinnyPatel-u4g]

It’s cause he chose more time

[@RedDefender77]

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

[@TeejayBoy-dn7no]

Yes agreed

[@apeudabembung2669]

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

[@finmat95]

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

[@AiBelicious]

noob question here, at 7:21 would taking the queen of magnus with Hikarus knight be considered a bad move since it opens the line for magnus' rook?

[@samcoleman7325]

Naroditsky Immortal

[@roverdover4449]

Those chairs look horrible for chess. They are built for laying back and watching a computer screen.

[@mralias225]

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

[@ThaiSmartMoney]

Daneil has transcend to god of chess caster.

[@julianhodgson1961]

Thanks Danya:))

[@indianfan1029]

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

[@yusufwibisono919]

These guys are best friends in secret

[@rasyanx]

Can someone tell me at 7:21 why Hikaru didn't capture Queen on c3 with the Knight on e4?

[@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

[@lightafterdark5343]

Hikaru speaks very highly of magnus that might be part of his downfall

[@carlosfranciscocardoso]

In a alternate universe Hikaru bet 14mins 59 secs

[@johnr3682]

Sorry, I'm new to this, what's the whole picking their time thing?

[@themomorain]

Would love a game where hikaru trolls and just mirrors magnus moves xD

[@pedrotu333]

11:35 what is the problem? i didn't get... someone could explain? just king g7 and black get better position, isn't?

[@bw126]

Funny because when Hikaru went pawn to G6 I was like "Hey thats what i would have done!" I was proud for a second until they started talking about how bad of a move it was :(

[@mrbesinadventures1909]

Nakamura waste a lot of his time for his dissapointed reaction.

[@christianstrunk4888]

Can someone explain why Hikaru didn't take the queen with the knight?

[@ompatel4297]

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

[@imran_rasoli]

Magnus is a beast! These top players if they do one thing wrong it could be over for them. As it happened to Hikaru doing one thing wrong with that pawn

[@githmamadhukalpa]

But if Hikaru also bid like 14m or something it will be bad for Magnus

[@TeejayBoy-dn7no]

Naah