Hikaru Nakamura Qualifies for 2026 Candidates Tournament: The Unconventional Road to Cyprus

The world #2 has officially met the 40-game requirement for his rating spot, securing his place in the 2026 FIDE Candidates Tournament in Cyprus. Here's how the American superstar took chess's most controversial qualification path, and why it worked.

Mission Accomplished: Hikaru Hits 40 Games

FIDE announced today that the 2026 Candidates Tournament will be held at the luxury Cap St Georges Hotel & Resort near Paphos, Cyprus, from March 28 to April 16, 2026. And Hikaru Nakamura has officially punched his ticket.

With yesterday's game at the 1st Annual Washington Dulles Open, Hikaru completed the 40 classical games required for the rating spot to the 2026 FIDE Candidates Tournament.

The requirements?

A player must have "played at least 40 games rated for the February 2025 through January 2026 standard rating lists, including at least 15 in any of the six consecutive lists from August 2025 to January 2026," and achieve the highest six-month average rating during that period.

1. At least 40 classical games between Feb 2025 and Jan 2026
2. Be the #2 in the world by 6-month rating average (Aug 2025 - Jan 2026)

With Magnus Carlsen out of the cycle, Hikaru currently leads the rating standings by a wide margin. His position is so strong that no realistic rating scenario could change the outcome, making his qualification through the rating path guaranteed.

The "Road to Candidates": An Unprecedented Campaign

The Problem

By mid-2025, Nakamura had only completed 18 classical encounters — 10 from Norway Chess and 8 from the American Cup. With 22 games still needed before the end of the year, Nakamura decided to participate in much smaller events in the United States.

The Solution

Rather than wait for elite tournaments, Hikaru did something no world #2 has ever done: he entered state-level chess tournaments across America.

The Tournament Trail: Where Hikaru Played

September: Louisiana & Iowa

Nakamura won all seven games at the Louisiana State Championship in New Orleans, before adding five more victories at the Iowa Chess Open in Iowa City, bringing his total to 29 classical games.

October: Maritime Open (Canada)

Nakamura scored 5½/6 at the Maritime Open Chess Championship in Summerside, Prince Edward Island, bringing him closer to fulfilling the 40-game requiremen.

November: Washington Dulles Open

The final tournament, the 1st Annual Washington Dulles Open, where Hikaru officially crossed the 40-game threshold.

The Controversy: "Mickey Mouse Tournaments"?

The Criticism

Nakamura's participation in what he's called "Mickey Mouse tournaments", tournaments far below his level has elicited controversy. Critics condemned him for playing games he has a low chance of losing.

GM Hans Niemann jokingly suggested assigning 10 grandmasters to be ready on-call all over the country, waiting for Nakamura to register, with a $10,000 bonus offered to anyone who can beat him.

GM Levon Aronian commented that consistently playing against opponents of a lower level will lower your level of play.

The Defense

GM Susan Polgar argued: "Hikaru did not do this in secrets. He openly tweeted and streamed about the event. There was no rule broken".

Magnus Carlsen also defended Nakamura, and Susan Polgar highlighted the openness that Nakamura showed by "discussing it publicly in advance and streaming his games".

Hikaru's Perspective

Nakamura commented that the benefit isn't only for him: "It is an opportunity to give back," providing a rare opportunity for many players to face a world-class player, an experience that just isn't possible for most people.

After winning Louisiana, Nakamura tweeted: "Tournaments with players of all ages and backgrounds, 2-3 games a day and the typical rush to get food between games really reminds me of why I fell in love with chess all those decades ago".

FIDE's Response: Rule Changes Mid-Campaign

The Rating Exploit

Previously, when calculating Elo ratings for players with 2650+ points, a maximum difference of 400 points from the opponent's rating was assumed. For example, for a player with 2750 points, all opponents, regardless of their actual strength, were assumed to have a minimum rating of 2350. This meant Hikaru was gaining 0.8 Elo points per win against much weaker opponents.

The October 1st Change

Starting on October 1, 2025, FIDE announced partial changes to the rating system in response to Nakamura's rating gain from playing lower-level opponents. For players rated above 2650, winning against opponents with a 400 point difference no longer gained 0.8 Elo points, instead only gaining 0.1 Elo points for a win.

Expert Criticism

Grandmaster David Howell called the reform "short-sighted and flawed," arguing for the minimum average of opponents' rating to be used for qualification to the Candidates, noting the change "will least impact the top players" and "negatively affect those who are dependent on open tournaments to make a living".

The Numbers: Hikaru's Statistical Dominance

Peak Rating Restored:

By live rating, Nakamura sits at 2815.8, which is rounded to 2816, his peak rating, which he achieved 10 years ago and has hit once again.

Rating Lead:

Hikaru holds a comfortable 20+ point lead on all of his pursuers, noting that Fabiano Caruana has already qualified for the Candidates by winning the 2024 FIDE Circuit, so will not be relevant to the rating spot.

The Math:

With Magnus out and Fabiano already qualified through another path, Hikaru's rating lead is insurmountable. His qualification is mathematically secure.

2026 Candidates Tournament: What's Next

The Venue

The 2026 Candidates Tournament will be held at the luxury Cap St Georges Hotel & Resort near Paphos, on the south-western coast of Cyprus, from March 28 to April 16, 2026.

Currently Qualified Players

As of November 10, 2025:

1. 🇳🇱 Anish Giri
2. 🇺🇸 Fabiano Caruana (2024 FIDE Circuit winner)
3. 🇺🇸 Hikaru Nakamura (Rating spot)
4. 🇩🇪 Matthias Bluebaum

Still to be decided:

1. FIDE World Cup 2025 winner (currently ongoing in Goa, India)
2. Top two finishers from FIDE Grand Swiss 2025
3. FIDE Circuit 2025 winner

The Format

The eight qualified players will compete in a double round-robin tournament, consisting of 14 rounds, with a time control of 120 minutes for the first 40 moves, followed by 30 minutes for the rest of the game, with an increment of 30 seconds per move starting from move 41.

The Stakes

The minimum prize fund for the event stands at a record one million euros.

The winner earns the right to challenge Gukesh Dommaraju for the World Chess Championship in late 2026.

Why This Matters: Hikaru's Candidates History

This isn't Hikaru's first time at the Candidates — but it could be his most realistic chance yet.

Previous Appearances:

1. Lost in the 2014 Candidates
2. Hasn't qualified since, despite being a perennial top-10 player

Why 2026 is Different:

1. Magnus Carlsen is out of the cycle
2. Hikaru is at peak form (2816 rating)
3. At 37, he has the experience and maturity
4. The competition is younger but less proven

The Debate: Was This Good for Chess?

Arguments For:

1. He followed the rules - FIDE created the qualification path, Hikaru used it
2. Transparency - He streamed games, tweeted openly, donated prize money
3. Accessibility - Gave hundreds of players the chance to face a super-GM
4. Nostalgia - Reminded people of chess's grassroots appeal

Arguments Against:

1. Spirit vs. Letter - Legal but against competitive spirit?
2. Rating inflation - Exploited a loophole (now closed)
3. Competitive integrity - Should world #2 play 1600-rated players?
4. Precedent - What if more elite players do this?

The Bottom Line

Love it or hate it, Hikaru Nakamura has secured his spot in the 2026 Candidates Tournament through the most unconventional path in modern chess history.

He played state championships. He faced 12-year-olds. He drove to Iowa and Louisiana and Canada. He streamed every game. He donated prize money. He talked openly about the strategy.

And now? He's going to Cyprus with a legitimate shot at becoming World Champion.

The "Road to Candidates" worked.

Whether it should have is a question for FIDE, historians, and the chess community to debate for years to come.

But one thing is certain: Hikaru Nakamura will be at the 2026 Candidates Tournament, and he earned his spot exactly the way the rules allowed.

What's Next for Hikaru?

With qualification secured, Hikaru can now focus on:

1. Preparation for the Candidates (March-April 2026)
2. Elite tournaments to maintain sharp form
3. Opening preparation against likely opponents
4. Potentially competing in the World Cup (still ongoing)

The chess world will be watching. After years of being the "best player never to win the Candidates," Hikaru has another shot at chess's ultimate prize.

And this time, he's coming in with momentum, confidence, and a story unlike any other.

Stay tuned to ChessTV.com for complete coverage of the 2026 Candidates Tournament and Hikaru's journey toward the World Championship.

More to explore:

1. Why Chess Favours the Young
2. World Cup 2025 Delivers Wild Round 2
3. Why the World Cup Feels Like the Most Democratic Event in Chess