EP 164 | Hikaru Goes To The Farm

The Dojo (GM Jesse Kraai, IM David Pruess, IM Kostya Kavutskiy) discuss Hikaru Nakamura's path to the candidates, along with who they'd like to see qualify for the 2026 FIDE Candidates tournament.

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00:00 – Intro & Setup

01:31 – Is Hikaru the Exception?

08:36 – Balancing Streaming, Training, and Competition

09:23 – The Busy Chess Calendar

10:55 – Strength of the Tournament

14:39 – Ethics of Rating Manipulation

17:39 – Die-Hard Rules vs. Fair Play

22:27 – Mathematical Loopholes in Ratings

27:15 – Impact on Future Candidates

31:20 – Who Deserves to Be in the Candidates?

55:00 – Alternative Qualification Systems

58:33 – Broader Trends in Chess Ratings

1:00:12 – Closing Thoughts & Wrap-Up