Hikaru Nakamura

World No.2, streamer

“I find it hilarious how he thinks that he deserves a response to everything. I do find it funny. It’s like: “They didn’t respond to this — they didn’t respond to that”. Like, dude, they don’t have to respond to you. You’re nobody. I mean, you’re nobody outside actual chess. You aren’t that’s the reality.

Yes, you’re portraying yourself as a victim when you’re the one who started all this by going after everybody in the first place. None of this would have happened if you hadn’t started this whole thing. And frankly, I would argue this it would never have even gotten to the stage if he had stopped. But instead of basically admitting that he was wrong, he decided to double down, go after everybody. And this is why he finds himself in the position he is today with no credibility left in the world of chess.

It’s a shame really because when you look at legacy and history, we live in a world where digital media and the modern-day players are probably going to be more well-known. But the reality is that there is a certain place for former world champions who will always have a lot of respect. And he just chose to blow up his entire reputation by doing this. He blew it all up. And for what, Ego? For trying to be relevant? You getting mad that people don’t want to hear this nonsense? It’s just baffling.

I can’t even think of a good explanation for it. Because I actually refuse to believe that he’s completely crazy to the point where he doesn’t know what he’s doing is wrong.”