Nakamura v. Liang - Live!

by ChessBase
3/14/2026 – Hikaru Nakamura is playing a training match against Awonder Liang in Saint Louis as he fine-tunes his form ahead of the Candidates Tournament, which begins in two weeks' time. The three-day encounter, running from 13 to 15 March, combines classical, rapid and blitz games. Liang, ranked 25th in the world, provides strong opposition in a match broadcast live on Nakamura's Kick channel. | Follow the games live starting at 18.00 CET (13.00 ET, 22.30 IST)
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Classical game #2

Hikaru Nakamura is facing Awonder Liang in a training match in Saint Louis as part of his preparations for the Candidates Tournament, which begins in two weeks' time. The encounter offers Nakamura valuable competitive practice against a fellow US grandmaster. Liang, currently ranked 25th in the world and 7th in the United States with an official rating of 2714, is 22 years old and a former two-time world youth champion.

The match is taking place on 13–15 March and features a mixed format. Two classical games are played on Friday and Saturday, followed by a faster programme on Sunday consisting of four rapid games and four blitz games. The following time controls are in place:

  • Classical: 120 min / 40 moves + 30 min / game, + 30 sec / move from move 41
  • Rapid: 15 + 10
  • Blitz: 3 + 2

All games are being broadcast live on Nakamura's Kick channel, allowing fans to follow the training contest with expert commentary.

Live games and commentary

Hikaru Nakamura's Kick channel

All games

In this course, you will learn the foundations and key ideas of the Vienna Game and discover a variety of systems that make you extremely difficult to prepare for.
The Vienna Game is one of the most underrated openings in modern chess. While the Ruy Lopez and Italian dominate elite practice, the Vienna offers rich, creative play with far less theoretical burden and enormous practical value.
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