Summary of this article
Nakamura slammed FIDE's excessive anti-cheating measures, comparing the scanning setup to Mossad operations and calling it disproportionate for elite chess
He argued that arbiters and cameras make cheating virtually impossible, dismissing players' security concerns as overblown
Nakamura opened his fourth Candidates campaign with a loss to compatriot Fabiano Caruana
World No. 2 American grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura has expressed his displeasure with FIDE, the world chess governing body, over what he calls excessive anti-cheating measures at the 2026 Candidates Tournament in Cyprus.
Speaking on his YouTube channel alongside Norwegian Grandmaster (GM) Jon Ludvig Hammer and Luxembourg's Woman International Master (WIM) Fiona Steil-Antoni, Nakamura didn't hold back on his criticism of the stringent security protocols now in place at the elite tournament to determine the challenger for D Gukesh's world championship title.
The American grandmaster took particular issue with the scanning equipment, metal detectors, and continuous surveillance that have become standard procedure at the event.
"My general view about the whole topic of delay, cheating over the board, all that stuff is that I frankly think it's nonsense. I do think it really is, considering the amount of machines they have to scan the players in the room," Nakamura said on his YouTube channel.
Nakamura's criticism extends to the frequency and intensity of the screening process. Players face scanning before and after every game, alongside the already strict metal detector checks and additional specialized scanners.
He drew a comparison, jokingly, to high-level intelligence operations, highlighting what he views as the absurdity of the situation.
"They scan us before the game. They scan us after the game. They have the metal detector. They have a variety of other separate scanners. I mean, who are we? Are we like Mossad agents inside Iran or something? Come on, we're chess players! Let's be real," he said.
The security measures came into focus after several players expressed concerns about the tournament's location.
India's two-time rapid world champion Koneru Humpy withdrew from the women's section over proximity to regional tensions in the Gulf, while American grandmaster Fabiano Caruana raised reservations about Cyprus before the competition began.
Yet Nakamura maintains that such worries are unfounded. He argues that the conditions at an elite tournament like the Candidates, with multiple arbiters, cameras monitoring play, and the presence of the world's best players, make cheating virtually impossible without assistance from inside the organization.
"At a smaller open tournament where you don't have all these scanners and equipment, I can understand the concerns. But at an event like this, where everybody is in a room, there are arbiters watching everyone, and cameras on everyone... I mean, without inside help, nothing can happen. I just think it's all nonsense," Nakamura explained.
When asked whether he had raised his concerns directly with FIDE, Nakamura made clear he saw little point in doing so.
"FIDE? No, of course, I haven't voiced this opinion to FIDE. I don't really see a reason to. When I look at FIDE or the things being done, I really have no point in arguing with them or saying anything," he remarked.
"My general view is that it's all overblown," he stated.
On the tournament front, Nakamura has made a modest start in Cyprus. After an opening-round loss to fellow American Caruana, the world No. 2 has collected 1.5 points from four rounds, including a draw with Wei Yi. He currently shares the standings with Anish Giri, Andrey Esipenko, and others.
Uzbekistan's Javokhir Sindarov leads the tournament with three wins from four games, positioning himself as the frontrunner for a shot at the world championship.
