Latest news with #Nakamura
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
a day ago
- Sport
- First Post
‘FIDE can't accept Magnus has moved on': Nakamura explains how FIDE is still trying to lure Carlsen back to World Chess Championship
If Hikaru Nakamura is to be believed, FIDE is still hoping that Magnus Carlsen will make a U-turn and compete in the World Chess Championship. According to Nakamura, that's the only reason the rating spot in the Candidates Tournament still exists. read more Magnus Carlsen returning to the World Chess Championship cycle will be a mega boost to the classical format. Image: Freestyle Chess American Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura has criticised the FIDE rating spot qualifying route for the Candidates and feels that the rating spot method has been kept alive by the International Chess Federation to lure Magnus Carlsen back to compete in the World Chess Championship. The FIDE rating spot is one of the many ways to qualify for the FIDE Candidates chess tournament. The winner of the Candidates goes on to compete against the world champion in the World Chess Championship. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The FIDE rating spot will be awarded to the highest-rated player according to the six-month average rating based on FIDE Standard Rating Lists from 1 August 2025 to 1 January 2026. The player would also have to fulfill other criteria like playing at least 40 games calculated for FIDE Standard Rating Lists from 1 February 2025 to 1 January 2026 (including at least 15 games in any of the 6 consecutive rating lists). FIDE wants Carlsen to fight for world title? Nakamura, who is close friends with world No.1 Carlsen, feels the only reason FIDE is still pursuing the rating spot qualification method is that they want to keep an option for the five-time world champion in case he decides to make a U-turn. Carlsen has in the past announced that he is not interested in taking part in the World Chess Championship. 'I've said that there are many things over the last couple of years that FIDE has gotten wrong and one of the big things is there should not be a rating spot. I think having a rating spot is a huge mistake,' Nakamura told Chessbase India. Also Read | Magnus's menace: How young Indian Grandmasters are proving to be his toughest challengers 'It maybe is not politically correct to say this, but my view about the rating spot, it's simply, you know, 'we're sorry, Magnus. Here's here's your chance to play the Candidates and become world champion again if you're really interested'. And I don't think there's any other reason that FIDE have the rating spot. I think it's literally on the off chance that Magnus wakes up tomorrow and suddenly he decides that he wants to play classical seriously again,' Nakamura said. 'FIDE, for whatever reason, can't get over the fact that Magnus has moved on from classical chess and he has no interest in the world championship.' Carlsen relinquished the world title in 2022 after holding the crown from 2013. He was succeeded by Ding Liren, who lost to India's D Gukesh in December 2024. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The other qualifying routes for the FIDE Candidates tournament are finishing in the top three in the World Cup, finishing in the top two in the Grand Swiss tournament and finishing at the top of FIDE Circuit points standings.
Metropolis Japan
2 days ago
- Metropolis Japan
Ama: Women of the Sea
Mie's Legendary Sea Women Keep Tradition Alive Despite Setbacks By Gendel Gento Chizuko Nakamura (Funado) Pre Dive Credit: Christopher Douglas Nowhere is Japan's deep connection to the sea more apparent than in the Ise-Shima region of Mie Prefecture. While most visitors are drawn inland to the Ise Grand Shrine, Shinto's holiest place of worship, a trip to the coast is well worth it to meet the ama. Written with the characters 海女 (ama) meaning 'sea woman,' these fearless female divers still live and work as they have for thousands of years. They refuse to use modern equipment such as scuba gear or oxygen tanks, relying solely on holding their breath. Most famous for historically harvesting pearls, most of the ama's actual catch today is the seafood the region is famed for, such as abalone. Toba and Shima together are home to nearly half of Japan's remaining 2,000 ama—a number that is rapidly dwindling. The average age of these divers is around 70 and climbing, with some ama continuing to dive well into their 80s. A Life Beneath the Waves: Nakamura Chizuko of Osatsu Nakamura Chizuko, 72, was born and raised in the Osatsu area of Toba, a region that claims to have the highest concentration of active ama in Japan. 'Since around fifth grade, I spent my summer vacations diving for abalone,' she reminisces. 'My mother was also an ama, so as a child, I would add my catch to the seafood the sea women had gathered.' Nakamura became a professional diver at 20 and now has over five decades of experience. 'Being an ama is part of my life—a source of income and energy. For me, it has been something natural, ever since childhood.' As her family also works in fishing, her day begins at 3 am, hauling up nets and sorting the fish by type. Then she heads out for diving. 'My day usually ends around 3 pm,' she says. 'If there's no work at the ama hut, I might spend the whole day farming.' The hut that Nakamura refers to is part of the Osatsu-kamado Ama Hut Experience, where guests savor succulent meals of freshly caught seafood grilled over charcoal—often prepared by the very ama who harvested it. This project helps divers supplement their income while preserving and sharing their culture with visitors. Climate Change and the Future of Ama Diving Nakamura says that there are both joys and challenges to being an ama. 'The most enjoyable part is talking with my fellow divers after we come up from the sea. However, the schedule is tight and there are so many things to do. I'm always racing against the clock.' She's also concerned about the future—not just the lack of new divers, but increasingly, the effects of climate change. 'Due to global warming, sea temperatures are rising, and the marine life we harvest is decreasing in number.' From California to Shima: The Story of Hayashi Kimiyo Hayashi Kimiyo, 71, was born in Shima but, curiously, got started as an ama in America. 'After graduating from junior high school, I went to the U.S. and worked in San Diego and Los Angeles for two years doing ama diving shows for tourists,' she recalls. After returning to Japan and continuing to dive in Nanki Shirahama for 12 years, she eventually returned to Shima at age 29 and became 'a real ama.' More than 40 years later, she's still going. 'Being an ama is my life, it's a job I love—both my mother and grandmother were sea women.' Her typical day starts with a trip to the beach at 8 am, where she builds a fire in the ama hut to warm up. At 10 am, she changes and heads out to sea to dive for an hour. After a lunch break, she heads back for a second dive at 1 pm, spending another hour harvesting. The Changing Sea and a Vanishing Profession Until recently, divers used to go out to sea about 100 days a year, but Hayashi says she has been out to sea far less lately. 'The marine environment has deteriorated, and there are fewer abalone, the main catch for ama. The sea is in a state known as isoyake, where seaweed on which abalone feeds is rapidly declining.' As a result, abalone populations have declined, along with the income of ama divers themselves—making the profession even less appealing to younger generations. In order to fight isoyake, the city hall is leading efforts to eradicate gangaze, a sea urchin-like pest that eats seaweed, while also working on seeding and cross-breeding to increase the amount of seaweed. 'If the sea conditions improve, perhaps more people will become ama again,' Hayashi hopes. 'Similar things happened in my mother's time as a sea woman, so maybe it's cyclical?' However, her own daughter is not an ama. 'When she was a child, a swimming pool was built here so the ocean no longer felt familiar to her. Lifestyle changes may have altered how younger generations relate to nature. ' Tourism as a Lifeline for the Ama Sea Women For her part, Hayashi has found a new passion teaching visitors about her way of life through the travel agency MIEscape. 'I'm enjoying working in the tourism industry now. Tourists ask me a lot of questions about the work of ama divers, our history and culture. Foreign visitors, in particular, are very interested in us.' She is eager for the trend to continue. 'I would be very happy if more tourists continue to come.'
Indian Express
2 days ago
- Sport
- Indian Express
Hikaru Nakamura says FIDE has only kept rating spot to Candidates for Magnus Carlsen
Hikaru Nakamura is one of the prime contenders to qualify for next year's Candidates tournament via the ratings spot route, but that doesn't mean he likes the concept of a ratings spot. The ratings spot is one of the many pathways to qualify for the eight-player Candidates tournament, which is the final step to challenging for the World Chess Championship title. The FIDE rating spot will be given to the highest-rated player according to the 6-month average rating based on FIDE Standard Rating Lists from August 1st 2025 till January 1st 2026 provided the respective player has played at least 40 games calculated for FIDE Standard Rating Lists from February 1st 2025 till January 1st 2026 (including at least 15 games in any of the 6 consecutive rating lists). Nakamura has said that the only reason FIDE, the global governing body of chess, still is giving away a ratings spot is to keep the door open to former world champion Magnus Carlsen, who has repeatedly said that he's not interested in playing either the Candidates or the World Championship. 'I've said that there are many things over the last couple of years that FIDE has has gotten wrong and one of the big things is there should not be a rating spot. I think having a rating spot is a huge mistake. 'It maybe is not politically correct to say this, but my view about the rating spot, it's simply, you know, 'we're sorry, Magnus. Here's here's your chance to play the Candidates and become world champion again if you're really interested'. And I don't think there's any other reason that FIDE have the rating spot. I think it's literally on the off chance that Magnus wakes up tomorrow and suddenly he decides that he wants to play classical seriously again,' Nakamura told Chessbase India in an interview during the ongoing Las Vegas leg of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour. 'FIDE, for whatever reason, can't get over the fact that Magnus has moved on from classical chess and he has no interest in the world championship.' Nakamura pointed out how players like Ding Liren and Alireza Firoujza had gamed their way to securing a rating spot in the past. Players can also qualify for the Candidates via the 2024 FIDE Circuit (Fabiano Caruana has secured this spot), finishing in the top 3 at the 2025 FIDE World Cup, finishing in the top 2 at the Grand Swiss tournament or by rating. Nakamura said that for him, the only plan to qualify for the Candidates was via the ratings spot whose existence he was criticising. 'That is the only plan. I've already made it very clear that I'm not playing the Grand Swiss or the World Cup. So it's either that or nothing. Yeah, my plan is is pretty simple,' Nakamura said.
United News of India
2 days ago
- Sport
- United News of India
Carlsen crushes Arjun, avenges loss to Praggnanandhaa
Las Vegas, July 20 (UNI) World number one Magnus Carlsen and number two Hikaru Nakamura will face off on Sunday in a high-voltage showdown for the third-place prize of $100,000 at the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam in Las Vegas, after both carved their way through the lower bracket with gritty and dramatic victories. The penultimate day of the tournament saw Carlsen mount a stunning comeback after an early loss, while Nakamura edged past two of his American compatriots to set up what many fans are calling the real final of the event. Carlsen began his day on the back foot, losing his opening match to India's GM R Praggnanandhaa. It was a continuation of his earlier struggles, having lost to the young Indian on the first day of the tournament as well. However, the Norwegian maestro bounced back in characteristic fashion, winning the next three games with precision and flair to take the match 3-1. His clinical execution of strategic themes and a sharp eye for tactics saw him dominate the rest of the encounter, culminating in a must-win game that was later named 'Game of the Day' for its instructive brilliance. Rejuvenated, Carlsen went on to sweep Indian prodigy GM Arjun Erigaisi 2-0 in the next round. The first game saw Carlsen dismantle Arjun's position with a timely exchange sacrifice, while the second game witnessed the Indian falling into an inferior position early on, eventually succumbing to a tactical blow that ended the match. With this, Carlsen secured his place in the third-place clash, collecting four straight wins across two must-win matches. Meanwhile, Nakamura navigated a tough path of his own. He opened with a convincing 1.5-0.5 victory over GM Wesley So. After a quiet draw in the first game, So blundered in the opening of the second, walking into a tactical net that saw his queen trapped and the game lost in just 17 moves. The critical test came in Nakamura's next match against GM Fabiano Caruana, which went all the way to tiebreaks. Caruana missed several winning chances, including a key moment in the first game where he settled for a draw despite having a significant edge. Nakamura, under heavy time pressure, survived multiple scares and capitalized on Caruana's missed opportunities in the blitz segment. In the final game, Nakamura took control early and converted his advantage smoothly, winning the match 3-1 and advancing to the third-place playoff. The much-anticipated Carlsen-Nakamura clash will headline Sunday's final day of the $750,000 tournament, with the winner walking away with $100,000 and the loser receiving $60,000. In the title match, GM Levon Aronian will face GM Hans Niemann, with $200,000 on the line for the champion and $140,000 for the runner-up. Matches for fifth and seventh place will also be held, featuring the remaining four players: Caruana, Praggnanandhaa, Arjun, and So. All games in the tournament are being played in the freestyle (Chess960) format. UNI BDN GNK
News18
2 days ago
- Sport
- News18
Carlsen to fight for third place after wins over Arjun and Praggnanandhaa
Last Updated: Las Vegas (USA), Jul 20 (PTI) World number one Magnus Carlsen found his rhythm back, defeating Arjun Erigaisi 2-0 and R Praggnanandhaa 3-1 in the Freestyle chess Grand Slam, which is drawing to a close here. With Hans Moke Niemann taking on his American counterpart Levon Aronian in the finals, Carlsen set up a clash with world number two American Hikaru Nakamura for the third place in the USD 750,000 prize money event. It turned out to be an eventful two matches for Carlsen who was earlier denied the chance to win the event by Praggnanadhaa. The Indian started off with another victory against the world's best in the first game of their mini-match. The Norwegian struck back in the return game and won the next set of games to find himself back in the event. In his next match, Arjun enjoyed some opening advantage in the first game but could not hold it together while in the second Carlsen proved superior again. In the other matches slated on the final day, Arjun will meet Fabiano Caruana of United States for the fifth-place play-off while Praggnanandhaa will have to fight for the seventh place against another American Wesley So. By his own admission, Nakamura said he was lucky. Winning 1.5-0.5 against Wesley So, Nakamura defeated Fabiano Caruana 3-1 in a match that saw fortunes fluctuating more than a few times. On the final day, all eyes will be Niemann who is the lowest ranked player in the last-8 stage and is fighting for the prize purse of USD 200,000 against comeback king Aronian. Match 2: Arjun Erigaisi (Ind) lost to Carlsen; Nakamura beat Fabiano Caruana (Usa) 3-1. Line ups for the finale: Final: Hans Moke Niemann (USA) vs Levon Aronian (USA) 3-4 place: Carlsen vs Nakamura 5-6 place: Arjun vs Caruana 7-8 place: Praggnanandhaa vs Wesley. PTI VS AT AT AT view comments First Published: July 20, 2025, 14:45 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
