Hikaru Nakamura commented on the game between Magnus Carlsen and Viswanathan Anand at the FIDE World Blitz Team Championship 2026. Nakamura calls Vishy a strong player, and believes Anand should have won the game.

Hikaru Nakamura

Hikaru Nakamura

American GM, streamer

“Even if Vishy is not someone who’s studying chess all the time, he still remains an incredibly strong player. And if he gets his position, he knows the ideas.

I would also add that this is one of the things that is really underestimated about Vishy — how strong he is. He gets overlooked because of players like Garry Kasparov and Magnus Carlsen. But he is in that elite level.

Vishy should have won this game. Again, this is Vishy Anand. He’s not super young anymore. If Vishy were 20 years old, I think that Magnus would be ‘chop suey’ here.”

The 2026 FIDE World Blitz Team Championship takes place from June 20 to 21, in Wan Chai, Hong Kong. Magnus Carlsen defeated Viswanathan Anand in the Round-Robin stage of the tournament. Carlsen’s team, WR Chess, advanced to the Quarterfinals, and Anand’s team, Chess United, was eliminated in the first round of the Knockout.

Credit: Lennart Ootes