Hikaru Nakamura Continues Candidates Quest at 70th Iowa Open Championship
Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura, world no. 2, is continuing his pursuit of a Candidates 2026 rating spot by competing in yet another “Mickey Mouse tournament”, or relatively weak Open tournament, the 70th Iowa Open Championship on September 6-7, 2025, in Iowa City.
Fresh off a perfect 6/6 score at the Louisiana State Championship, Nakamura, at a rating of 2812*, towers over the field as the top seed, with the second seed being rated only 2276. The five-round Swiss tournament, held at The Graduate Hotel, features a classical time control of 90 minutes with a 30-second increment, attracting 55 players vying for a $2,200 prize fund.
Hikaru is going old-school for this tournament, as he plays 3 classical games on the first day of this 2-day tournament. When was the last time you heard of a super GM doing that?
Nakamura’s strategy of dominating smaller events, which he playfully calls “Mickey Mouse Tournaments”, aims to not boost but maintain his FIDE rating whilst getting the required minimum number of games for Candidates qualification. Facing significantly lower-rated opponents, including local players and ambitious juniors, he’s expected to sweep the event. Despite the modest $750 first prize, Nakamura’s focus is on getting the required number of games. The chess world watches as he navigates this unconventional path of qualification.
