Vladimir Kramnik discussed whether Hikaru Nakamura’s qualification for the Candidates is legitimate. Kramnik explains that one of the qualifying tournaments played by Hikaru does not meet the 30-day registration rule. Vladimir notes that Nakamura lacks enough games to qualify for the Candidates, and the spot should go to Nodirbek Abdusattorov.

Vladimir Kramnik

Vladimir Kramnik

14th World Champion

“I suddenly realised, there is an issue with forthcoming Candidates. According to FIDE regulations, seemingly Abdusattorov must replace Nakamura, based on articles of FIDE official regulations:

Qualification place by rating goes to a player with highest average rating from February 2025 to January 2026, but if he performed 40 rated games minimum. In case he didn’t, the next by rating substitutes him — Caruana. But Fabiano qualified through a different route. In such case this rating spot belongs to 2nd place from FIDE tour — Nodirbek Abdusattorov.

Any tournament with players 2700+ must be registered at least 30 days before start to be rated by FIDE. Based on open-source information, Maritime open wasn’t. That means the tournament shouldn’t be counted for rating, unless, in accordance with FIDE regulations, it wasn’t decided otherwise by FIDE President.

In such case farmer Nakamura lacks enough games to qualify for the Candidates, and can go farm further in US fields, while Abdusattorov, who deserves ten times more anyways, must be in, based on FIDE Regulations.”

The FIDE Candidates Tournament 2026 will take place from March 28 to April 16, at the Cap St Georges Hotel and Resort in Pegeia, Cyprus. Magnus Carlsen voluntarily declined participation in the Candidates, which allowed Hikaru Nakamura (2810) to qualify for the event via second-place position on the FIDE rating list. The 2025 Maritime Open Chess Championship, a major over-the-board tournament held in Canada, was won by Hikaru.

Credit: Lennart Ootes