Daijiworld Media Network – Arlington

Arlington, Oct 5: In a thrilling night of high-intensity chess action, world champion D Gukesh was stunned by American Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura as Team India suffered a 0-5 whitewash against the United States in Checkmate, a first-of-its-kind live chess arena spectacle held in Arlington, USA.

Despite several tense moments and close contests, Team USA held their nerves to secure crucial victories across the board. Playing with black pieces, the Indian contingent struggled to convert their positions and will now look to make a strong comeback in the second leg of the event, to be held in India.

India’s Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi went down to Fabiano Caruana, while Grandmaster Divya Deshmukh suffered a surprise defeat against International Master Carissa Yip. International Master Levy Rozman outplayed Sagar Shah, and young chess prodigy Ethan Vaz was edged out by IM Tani Adewumi, sealing a clean sweep for the Americans.

The unique Checkmate series blends competitive chess with live audience engagement and theatrical presentation, marking a new era in how chess is showcased to global spectators.