Magnus Carlsen VS Hikaru Nakamura

Magnus Carlsen and Hikaru Nakamura are two of the top chess players, with a long-standing rivalry. While Carlsen has a historical lead, particularly in classical chess, Nakamura has been increasingly competitive, especially in faster time controls. Their specific head-to-head results vary depending on the format (classical, blitz, rapid), and recent encounters have shown them to be closely matched in many recent tournaments.  

Head-to-head statistics (on chess.com) 

• Total matches: 180 played across all formats.
• Magnus Carlsen wins: 67.
• Hikaru Nakamura wins: 46.

Draws: 67.

Wins by format (on chess.com)

• Blitz: Magnus Carlsen has 29 wins to Nakamura's 20 (35 draws).
• Bullet: Magnus Carlsen has 35 wins to Nakamura's 25 (21 draws).
• Rapid: Magnus Carlsen has 3 wins to Nakamura's 1 (11 draws).

Recent rivalry

• Magnus Carlsen held a significant advantage in classical chess earlier in their careers, but Nakamura has become a much stronger contender in recent years. 
• Nakamura has recently defeated Carlsen in some significant matches, including a notable victory at Norway Chess 2025, according to this Reddit thread. 
• Their matches are often highly anticipated and feature intense battles, as seen in recent tournaments like the 2025 Esports World Cup.