'Lightning God' Nakamura reveals surprising good news before the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam

Recently, world number 2 chess player Hikaru Nakamura and his wife - Grandmaster Atousa Pourkashiyan happily announced that they are expecting their first child.

The two often appear together at major chess events - Photo: chess.com

The good news was shared during Nakamura's livestream on the Kick platform, where the five-time US Chess champion appeared alongside Atousa Pourkashiyan.

With a bright smile, Nakamura appeared with his wife and announced: "It's time to announce! We, are expecting a baby! Mini Hikarus, yes."

He then responded to the outpouring of congratulations from fans in the comments section.

Both announced the good news on the Kick platform - Photo: Screenshot

The announcement marks a joyous milestone for the couple. Hikaru and Atousa Pourkashiyan tied the knot in 2023 after a long history of appearing together at major chess events such as the 2022 FIDE Candidates tournament in Madrid.

Chess players Atousa Pourkashiyan and Nakamura started the game with the French opening - Photo: screenshot

Pourkashiyan, 37, is a talented player who has won the Iranian Women's Championship seven times and the Asian Women's Championship in 2019. After emigrating from Iran, she switched to the US Chess Federation in 2022 and has maintained her high level of performance, as evidenced by her victory at the 2024 Americas Women's Continental Championship, which qualified her for the ongoing 2025 FIDE Women's World Cup.

Despite withdrawing from this tournament, Pourkashiyan still asserts her position in the top 10 highest-ranked female players in the United States, currently ranked 9th with an ELO of 2291 and having peaked at 2374 in May 2011.

In addition to the good news from his small family, recently the "lightning god" set an all-time high record in blitz chess with ELO 3408, breaking his own record.

Despite hinting at retirement several times over the past year, Nakamura remains a force to be reckoned with in standard chess. With an ELO rating of 2807, he is currently a strong contender for a spot in the Candidates Tournament, which could give him one last shot at the world championship.

Outside of competition, Nakamura has played a key role in the chess boom of recent years, with his content streaming on livestreaming platforms like Twitch, Kick, and YouTube helping to bring chess to a wide audience.

Nakamura's good news comes just months after Grandmaster Magnus Carlsen (world number 1 player) and his wife Ella Victoria also revealed that they are expecting their first child this year.

Nakamura will continue to compete at the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Las Vegas, taking place from July 16 to 20.

TUAN LONG

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/than-chop-nakamura-tiet-lo-tin-vui-bat-ngo-truoc-giai-freestyle-chess-grand-slam-20250715100920891.htm