Nakamura Sets New Bullet Brawl Record With 83 Wins

Eighty-three wins, five draws, and three losses was the astounding scorecard posted by GM Hikaru Nakamura in August's third Bullet Brawl, resulting in a record-breaking 313 score. The rampage, which saw him finish 73 points ahead of the second-placed GM Nihal Sarin and 86 points ahead of third-placed GM Daniel Naroditsky, earned him $400.

IM Meri Arabidze was the convincing winner of the $100 best female prize, while Kazakhstani Begman Agmanov topped the community brawl with a score of 267.

The next edition of Bullet Brawl will take place next week on Saturday, August 26, 2023, at 1 p.m. ET/19:00 CEST.

WHAAAT @GMHIKARU?!! 🤩

Hikaru sets a #BulletBrawl record with a score of 313 after finishing with 83 wins, 5 draws and just 3 losses! pic.twitter.com/WMLsUIn0zQ

— Chess.com (@chesscom) August 19, 2023

With 116 titled players in the field and the likes of Naroditsky, Nihal, GM Oleksandr Bortnyk, and GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave trying their luck in the arena, a victory by a margin of 76 points in Saturday's event would have seemed like a stretch even for Nakamura himself.

A 15-game winning streak was the perfect start for the American GM, and a trio of wins against the previous edition's victor, Naroditsky, drove home the fact that Nakamura was in dangerous form. See if you can find the tactical shot that allowed him to confirm his third win over the three-time winner.

Naturally, incisive tactics were the theme of the day for Nakamura, and needless to say, to win 83 games in two hours, many were decided in the middlegame. No one was spared. GMs, IMs, and FMs alike fell victim to intermezzos, Greek gift sacrifices, and discovered checks as Nakamura built unbeaten streaks of 15, 14, 23, and a record-setting 37 en route to victory (draws have been included in these streaks).

One of Nakamura's standout victories came against WFM Anna Cramling, who was stunned by her opponent's attack. While live streaming on Twitch, she exclaimed: "He's playing moves I don't even see."

Sporting her self-dubbed "Cow Opening", Cramling found herself unable to castle and with a distinct lack of space, become the victim of a ferocious kingside attack that began with a brilliant knight sacrifice.

In second place was the Indian prodigy Nihal, who impressively conceded only three draws and five losses, which rivaled Nakamura's results. However, there was no competition in the win department. Nihal's 66 wins, which would typically be worthy of a first-place finish, left him 17 wins short of Nakamura's score.

Boasting a live classical FIDE rating of 2694 following a successful world cup campaign, Nihal's online escapades have started to translate to over-the-board chess. Now firmly inside the world's elite, Nihal will undoubtedly be invited to some of the most exclusive tournaments over the next 12 months.

The community event was also a hit on Saturday, and 285 players showed up to contest the untitled event. In a stark reminder that brilliancies aren't just limited to titled players, the Chess.com Community Club posted a move played by user Weddg from last week's event.

Check out this brilliant move from last weekend’s Community Bullet Brawl! Join the official Community Club at https://t.co/QmU4EHOw0y for Bullet Brawl and other weekly tournaments🎯 pic.twitter.com/1U0LQJPHLF

— Chess.com Community (@GreenPawns) August 16, 2023

If you would like to get involved in the action, make sure you sign up to play Bullet Brawl on Saturday, August 26 at 1 p.m. ET for your chance to be recognized for your speed and tactics!

Standings

Bullet Brawl is an exciting new titled arena that features Chess.com's top bullet specialists and now takes place weekly on Saturdays. The format is a two-hour arena with a 1+0 time control; the prize fund is $2,500.

Much like Titled Tuesday and Arena Kings, Bullet Brawl often features top GMs, including Hikaru Nakamura, Daniel Naroditsky, Andrew Tang, Tuan Minh Le, and many more!

Previous coverage:

• Naroditsky Doubles Down On Bullet Brawl Crown
• Naroditsky Runs Riot In Bullet Brawl
• Bortnyk Blazes Bullet Brawl Field
• Death, Taxes, And Nakamura's Bullet Brawl Victories
• Nakamura Breaks Bullet Brawl Record With 75 Wins
• Naroditsky Collects First Bullet Brawl Title Ahead Of Nakamura, Carlsen
• Nakamura, The King Of Bullet Brawl, Strikes Again
• Bullet Brawl Is Going Weekly
• Martinez Slam-Dunks Second Bullet Brawl Title
• Announcing Chess.com Community Bullet Brawl Tournaments
• Nakamura Wins Bullet Brawl In Final 10 Seconds
• Martinez Scorches 59 Opponents In 2 Hours
• Nakamura Wins Second Bullet Brawl
• Introducing Bullet Brawls And New Arena Options