Nakamura's Knockout!
I'm excited to announce officially via my blog that Super Grandmaster and U.S. Ranked #1 - Hikaru Nakamura - will be joining me, and all of you, on Chess.com/TV - March 5th at 7pm Eastern, 4pm Pacific (GMT -8).
We're calling the first (and hopefully not the last) event of its kind "Nakamura's Knockout". The format will feature Nakamura taking on all challengers for two straight hours of blitz and bullet, while I attempt to keep up, providing educational / entertaining commentary about his play along the way.
Hikaru will then join me for a few minutes at the end of the show, highlighting his favorite moments and picking a few member games to win prizes. Premium memberships and Chess.com Gear will be given away to Hikaru's top choices!
On a personal note, having known Hikaru my entire "chess life" (even stayed with his family for a couple summers back when we were kids... playing baseball and chess), I can say it's been a pleasure to see him become "a regular" in the Live Chess Arena here on Chess.com!
I'd like to pretend that he and I we were rivals at one point, but we all know he's been better than me since birth 
(maybe earlier) so I am being completely honest when I say I will "attempt" to explain how and why he wins so easily against everyone on Wednesday. Considering he's likely the best online blitz and bullet player in the world, I'm sure we're all in for a real show!
The event has been posted to the Chess.com/TV Schedule, and will likely feature a post event News Recap by FM Mike Klein. As I write this Blog, Hikaru has also just announced that he will be doing his first Reddit "Ask Me Anything" tomorrow at 1pm Eastern!
Fans can go to www.reddit.com/r/chess for now, and look for an official link once the AMA is live and running! Hikaru will pick his favorite question from the AMA and play this person a blitz game on Chess.com afterward.
I'll be sure to have all the "hard hitting" questions Hikaru doesn't get asked during the AMA ready for him in my interview with him after the show 
, including his confirmation or denial that he really is Hiro Nakamura from the show Heroes!
Who knows, I may even jump into the challengers ring against Hikaru during the show...
Have fun at the AMA and I will see everyone on March 5th!
Danny Rensch is an international master and Chief Chess Officer at Chess.com. After a successful scholastic chess career, Danny joined Chess.com as a co-founder in 2009. He directs the company's content, media partnerships, and professional chess events. Danny is an accomplished commentator and broadcaster, which he used to establish Chess.com's streaming and creator programs. He has channeled his lifelong passion for playing and teaching chess to advance Chess.com's mission of growing the game and helping people enjoy their lives through chess. With over 200 million registered users, Chess.com is the leading platform for playing and learning chess.
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Read “Dark Squares,” Danny’s Highly Anticipated Memoir
Danny Rensch has released his highly anticipated memoir on September 16, 2025. Described as Educated meets The Queen’s Gambit, this powerful and deeply personal book dives into his upbringing in an abusive cult and how chess ended up saving his life.
