Nakamura wins Cap d'Agde

As a young prodigy, Hikaru Nakamura was pointed to by many as a potential World Championship candidate. While he hasn't quite made it to that level yet, and is rarely seen in "super-GM" events, he has won a number of very strong tournaments over the last few years. He's also known -- at least to those who play online -- as one of the world's strongest blitz players.

With those two facts in mind, it shouldn't come as a shock that in an rapid chess tournament that featured names like Carlsen, Karpov, Ivanchuk and Radjabov, it was Nakamura who emerged as the winner. Nakamura defeated Vassily Ivanchuk in the final 1.5-0.5, capping off match victories over former World Champion Anatoly Karpov and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave.

This victory is another line in Hikaru's increasingly impressive resume. In the last two years, he has won events in Barcelona, Corsica, and Gibraltar, while also pushing his rating over the 2700 barrier. Considering his great popularity and his improving credentials, it may only be a matter of time before we see Nakamura invited to some of the world's elite events. In the meantime, those looking for more Nakamura action can look forward to his games for the USA's Chess Olympiad team later this month.