Hikaru Nakamura spoke about his current activity in professional chess. Nakamura says he has not considered himself a professional player since 2019. Hikaru cites this as the reason he didn’t play in the 2026 Chess Olympiad.

Hikaru Nakamura

Hikaru Nakamura

World's No. 2

“[Question: Do you feel more comfortable as a player now that you do not rely on it financially?]

I don’t consider myself even a chess player really. I’m not really trolling. Everybody thinks that I just say that, but I’m not saying that just for the sake of it. I haven’t been a professional chess player since 2019. I’m not a professional chess player.

I basically stopped playing professional chess and I started making content in 2018. This is the year when I first started doing it. But in 2019 and then during the pandemic, specifically in 2020, is when I basically moved on.

That’s also why I find it funny when people are getting mad about me not playing at the Olympiad or something. I’m not a pro player. Going two weeks to play some tournament that we already got a gold medal at? The motivation isn’t there.

It is what it is.”

Hikaru Nakamura has played Classical chess professionally for more than 30 years. Hikaru is a five-time U.S. Champion and the 2022 World Fischer Random Champion. Nakamura last competed in the Chess Olympiad in 2018. He is currently World’s No. 2 with a Classical rating of 2792 points.

Credit: Lennart Ootes