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Hikaru Nakamura, 16, will be the focus of attention for the next couple of weeks as he competes in the 2005 U.S. Chess Championship. The intriguing young man has continued to improve and has started as a 788-rated U.S. player to one soon to be rated over 2700. He also stands at the #3 position on the FIDE list for U.S. players at 2620.
Howard Goldowsky has recently conducted a very interesting interview with the teenage phenom on ChessCafé.com detailing a number of issues. The line of questioning was interesting and stands as perhaps the most candid interview of Nakamura. Certain topics are covered such as his interests, chess beginnings, his ascent to masterdom, his literary influences and the role his father (FM Sunil Weeramantry) has had in his development.
Other interesting issues were his performance in the FIDE Knockout tournament, his Olympiad exclusion as well as why he prefers to study alone. After the U.S. Championship, he will play a match with Sergey Karjakin in Mexico which will be highly anticipated. Goldowsky asked the question everyone wants to know… "Will you continue to play chess professionally, or do you want to focus more on your studies, like Kamsky did, and come back to chess later?"
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