Hikaru Nakamura takes on Toronto and visits ACC!

[Hans Jung]

I showed up at the Annex Club 15 minutes early. There was a long line up and I didnt recognize anybody so I walked up to the front door and there was Mike M, a long time fan of big Toronto events and who I hadnt seen in at least ten years. We chatted briefly and then a nice young man who I didnt know came up to me and said are you Mister Jung? I came with my two friends Alex and Josef. Do I know them? - lets go and meet them. Turns out they were Alex - whos face I remembered (I have a great memory for faces but not names) I asked Did you used to hang with Nick (Nickoloff) and he said in the later years yes. and then I turned to Josef and it was Josef Polacek. He greeted me with Servuz and grasped my hand with one hand and put his other hand on top and it brought tears to my eyes because that was the greeting from the days of the old Austrian Hungarian empire and that my grandfather and my father's comrades used. Josef's chess mind is as brilliant as ever. He had remembered my favorite opening in those days 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.h3 Nf6 and then I would go into the Kopec System with Bd3 and c3 and Bc2. Josef said when the bishop gets to c2 then I will play g5! I laughed and said exactly! I gave it up after someone played that against me. We chatted and waited at the door and Erik came out and said - fide masters dont have to wait they can go right in. First time in a while that my fide master title got me anything. Well we went in and the setup was impressive. Lots of cameras, the central table of action, a large screen to show moves and side tables with tablecloths and placards where the strong Canadian players like GM Bareev, IM Shawn Rodrigue-Lemieux, and IM Mark Plotkin were playing all comers speed chess. For me initially it was a reunion of fide masters, first Josef and then Stephen Boyd and Michael Humphreys. I hadnt seen Stephen in a long time and we had a good chat. He said he couldnt play speed chess anymore and was too slow and I agreed - not with the masters. Then I asked do you remember the McCaul street Bombers. and of course he laughed.

[Hans Jung]

Because I had an invite to play with Nakamura blindfolded the organizers scheduled me last (because of special set up and videos) and so I had five hours to wait. It gave me a chance to revisit the neighbourhood. The Annex club is at Bathurst and Barton and I used to live on Barton Street in the 90's. I got free parking in the same spot for seven hours! (where else could you find free parking in downtown Toronto?) and I walked back to the house where I used to live near Clinton. I will spare you the rest of the sights but on Clinton 5 doors north of Barton is this house entirely covered with little wooden figures hand carved by an old man and sea shells. Back in the day I used to grab a coffee in the morning and wander over and chat to the old man who would sit on his front porch and do the carving. He would use twigs and small branches that had been swept into the gutter and glue his carvings to the walls of his house. Recycling with art and a purpose and made for a lot of interesting mornings. Well on my current visit he had obviously passed on and the next generation had taken to gluing seashells to the house. The whole house was covered and the van sitting out front as well. Quite the sight to see. and on my walks (and my talks in the club) my afternoon passed enjoyably.

[Hans Jung]

Finally I got to play Hikaru. (I should also mention earlier in an autograph session Hikaru was very warm and friendly, put his arm around me for pictures, and was very interested in the book I brought - Blindfold Chess - a comprehensive history of blindfold chess - and autographed both the fly leaf and the section where he was described and my jacket as well. I apologized that my jacket said 2016 US Championships and that I wished I had the one where he won the brilliant Kings Indian Defence. Hikaru said that was 2015 against Kayden Troff)
Hikaru asked what time I wanted and I thought about it and said - you decide. How about you get five minutes and I get two. Ok. Hikaru played the whole game in one minute. I think he is the only one in the world that can do that. Bullet chess and blindfold - think about it. (maybe someone else will take up the challenge when they find out about it but not many are capable). I went into the zone and didnt know how much time had passed but when I asked Erik (my move messenger) he said I used two minutes. Now thats the fastest I have ever played blindfold but it didnt matter - Hikaru was unbelievable - opening knowledge, building the position, finding tactics, pressure moves. finishing. I didnt stand a chance. But a thrill nonetheless. However I wont be doing it again. I got so pumped and wired I couldnt sleep that night and Im still groggy.
I want to thank Salim for the invite and all the directors of the Annex club, especially Melanie, George, and Michael.The move messengers, especially Erik. Also John Upper and Omar on the technical end. It was an event that will not be forgotten - totally memorable.

[Aris Marghetis]

Superb posts Hans, thank you!!

[Salim Belcadi]

Congrats Salim et al, sounds awesome!!

And 120 games without a loss, WOW, Hikaru is a veritable beast at blitz!
Same thing at the St.Louis Rapid & Blitz this summer, so so good at blitz!

Thank you very much Aris! It was a superb weekend for the Toronto chess community, and I am convinced that the reception Hikary received will build the reputation of the city as a great chess scene. I hope the CGC in November will cement that reputation event further.

[Salim Belcadi]

Finally I got to play Hikaru. (I should also mention earlier in an autograph session Hikaru was very warm and friendly, put his arm around me for pictures, and was very interested in the book I brought - Blindfold Chess - a comprehensive history of blindfold chess - and autographed both the fly leaf and the section where he was described and my jacket as well. I apologized that my jacket said 2016 US Championships and that I wished I had the one where he won the brilliant Kings Indian Defence. Hikaru said that was 2015 against Kayden Troff)
Hikaru asked what time I wanted and I thought about it and said - you decide. How about you get five minutes and I get two. Ok. Hikaru played the whole game in one minute. I think he is the only one in the world that can do that. Bullet chess and blindfold - think about it. (maybe someone else will take up the challenge when they find out about it but not many are capable). I went into the zone and didnt know how much time had passed but when I asked Erik (my move messenger) he said I used two minutes. Now thats the fastest I have ever played blindfold but it didnt matter - Hikaru was unbelievable - opening knowledge, building the position, finding tactics, pressure moves. finishing. I didnt stand a chance. But a thrill nonetheless. However I wont be doing it again. I got so pumped and wired I couldnt sleep that night and Im still groggy.
I want to thank Salim for the invite and all the directors of the Annex club, especially Melanie, George, and Michael.The move messengers, especially Erik. Also John Upper and Omar on the technical end. It was an event that will not be forgotten - totally memorable.

Thank you very much Hans for sharing your experience. It was incredible to see both of you playing blindfold, so fast, in a complicated position!! I myself will remember the game for a very long time.