Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura claimed victory in the 2nd Millionaire Chess Open in Las Vegas, defeating Le Quang Liem 1.5-0.5 in the Millionaire Monday final.
The 27-year-old American had to work harder than many of his fellow Grandmasters to secure his spot in Millionaire Monday. Only the top four players in each section automatically qualified, and Nakamura’s quick draw with Luke McShane in the final round of the Open left him tied for 4th with several others. He earned 5.5 points from the first 7 rounds, placing him among nine players competing for the final spot in Millionaire Monday. Nakamura triumphed in a playoff against GM Wesley So, securing his place in the prestigious event.
Nakamura’s first opponent in Millionaire Monday was GM Yu Yangyi, whom he defeated with a 2.5 score in their four-game match. Meanwhile, GM Le Quang Liem won his match against GM Lenderman, setting up a showdown for the $100,000 prize between Le Quang and Nakamura.
In the opening game of their two-game match, Nakamura played white and won convincingly, putting him in a strong position for the final round. After 30 moves, with a clearly advantageous position, Nakamura agreed to a draw, securing his victory early. This win makes Nakamura the new champion, succeeding GM Wesley So, the winner of the first Millionaire Chess Open.