IMAGE: USA rose up to the occasion and scored several clutch wins. Photograph: FIDE/X
Hikaru Nakamura stunned world champion D Gukesh as India were whitewashed 0-5 by USA in the first Checkmate, an evening of chess presented as a live arena spectacle in Arlington, USA.
While the match had many tense moments and players from both teams created winning chances, USA rose up to the occasion and scored several clutch wins.
Playing with black pieces, the Indians suffered a rough loss and would look to bounce back with white pieces in the return match in the second leg in India.
While Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi lost to Fabiano Caruana, Grandmaster Divya Deshmukh suffered shock defeat at the hands of International Master Carissa Yip.
International master Levy Rozman then defeated Sagar Shah before chess prodigy Ethan Vaz lost to International master Tani Adewumi.
