Naroditsky Outscores Nakamura, Carlsen, Erigaisi, Praggnanandhaa

The latest edition of Bullet Brawl, which was one of the strongest in the event's history, was won by GM Daniel Naroditsky, who outscored GMs Hikaru Nakamura, Magnus Carlsen, Arjun Erigaisi, Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa, and 125 other titled players to claim the $400 first prize and his 20th title.

A week after IM Yagiz Erdogmus claimed his first title, fellow Turkish prodigy GM Ediz Gurel finished in second place with a score of 224 while Nakamura settled for third. Finishing in 27th, WGM Aleksandra Maltsevskaya was the winner of the $100 best women's prize, while Cesar Frank Talledo Lagos returned to win another community brawl.

The next Bullet Brawl will commence on Saturday, July 13, 2024, at noon ET/18:00 CEST.

Standings

Four super-GMs and a pack of prodigies stood between Naroditsky and his 20th Bullet Brawl title on Saturday, but the American content creator proved too quick, rising above them all to clear the field by a resounding 33 points. 

The beginning of the event saw several upsets: Nakamura lost to 15-year-old Gurel, Carlsen to GM Pranav Venkatesh, and Naroditsky to IM Emin Ohanyan; however, Naroditsky's 17.5/20 follow-up propelled him into pole position.

One of the most impressive feats notched by the eventual winner is his 4.5/7 score against super-GMs. An opportunistic approach earned him wins over five-time world champion Carlsen and Arjun.

It's no secret that Naroditsky's lightning pace is one of the qualities that makes him a top contender in arena tournaments, and his ability to convert winning positions in the quickest way possible is what allowed him to win this event by such a healthy margin. See if you can find Naroditsky's coups de grace below.

Gurel is a player who has been creeping up the Bullet Brawl standings. Now that he boasts the fourth-highest rating on the site, it is no surprise that he finished in second. A 22-game unbeaten streak and 2/2 score against Nakamura were the highlights for the Turkish representative who is closing in on his first Bullet Brawl crown.

The rivalry at the top of the all-time leaderboard is heating up after a spate of victories by Naroditsky in the last month. Just five wins separate the leaders, and Naroditsky will no doubt look to close the gap even further.

All-Time Standings

Bullet Brawl is an exciting titled arena that features Chess.com's top bullet specialists and takes place weekly on Saturdays. The format is a two-hour arena with a 1+0 time control; the prize fund is $1,000.

Much like Titled Tuesday and Arena Kings, Bullet Brawl often features top GMs, including Hikaru Nakamura, Daniel Naroditsky, Andrew Tang, Tuan Minh Le, and many more!

Previous coverage:

• • Announcing Chess.com Community Bullet Brawl Tournaments
  • Introducing Bullet Brawls And New Arena Options