Overview

• The ChessBase India video shows organisers instructing players to topple or even throw pieces to energise the crowd, with Nakamura stating before play that he would throw the king if he won.
• The clips include a post-game handshake and accounts that Nakamura spoke to Gukesh afterward to frame the moment as entertainment, while Gukesh has not issued a substantive public response.
• Nakamura defended the stunt on his stream as appropriate for an exhibition, explained his underhand toss to avoid injury, and suggested Gukesh celebrate a future win by dancing to Bollywood music.
• Reaction across the chess world remains split: Vladimir Kramnik criticised the gesture as childish, while Levy Rozman, Anish Giri and Fabiano Caruana said it fit the event’s brief.
• The two are scheduled to meet again at the Clutch Chess: Champions Showdown in St. Louis on October 27–29, with another matchup later in the Global Chess League.