Firouzja Posts 42-Game Streak, Outpaces Nakamura

GM Alireza Firouzja won his first Bullet Brawl title and $400 on Saturday after posting a 42-game winning streak that saw him skyrocket to 254 points and eclipse 33-time winner GM Hikaru Nakamura. 196 titled players stood between Firouzja and victory, but the world number-seven outshone the field in the tactics and pace departments.

Polish WGM Aleksandra Maltsevskaya was the winner of the $100 best women's prize while prolific community brawl participant Sundram Kumar scored 302 points to secure first place in the untitled arena.

The next Bullet Brawl will take place on Saturday, November 30, 2024, at noon ET/18:00 CEST.

Standings

Firouzja has long been considered one of the world's finest bullet chess players, and many see him as an equal to the creme de la creme of the time control, Nakamura and GM Magnus Carlsen. Thus, it was no surprise to see Firouzja win his first Bullet Brawl despite the strength of the field.

A new challenger has entered the arena... welcome @AlirezaFirouzja who takes his first #BulletBrawl victory! 👏 pic.twitter.com/HrLjrGY3d4

— Chess.com (@chesscom) November 23, 2024

Saturday's event was full of notable participants including GMs Hikaru, Daniel Naroditsky, Oleksandr Bortnyk, Sam Sevian, Jose Martinez, and Alexey Sarana, as well as junior stars like FM Faustino Oro, IM Ilan Schnaider, and IM Aswath S., making streaks a rare commodity.

Blistering wins over GM Haik Martirosyan and Bortnyk in the opening stages of the arena were early signs of form for Firouzja, and his game against Bortnyk was particularly special. Bortnyk's pet "Alekhine's Defense," which has been a reliable trump card in each of his nine title runs, proved unproblematic and after a move-11 gaffe, Firouzja converted his advantage with precision.

The linchpin of Firouzja's first Bullet Brawl victory was a remarkable 42-game winning streak in the middle of the event which included wins over Sarana, Martinez, Sevian, and Bortnyk. However, it was Firouzja's striking tactical flourishes that really stood out.

The 21-year-old made a point of keeping the enemy king in his crosshairs while playing FM Manu David Sunthandram.

Indian WIM Aashna Makhjia was another victim of a vicious sacrifice by Firouzja which culminated in a puzzle-worthy checkmate. See if you can find the quickest route to checkmate below.

By the time Firouzja's streak was snapped by Argentina's IM Joaquin Fiorito, a decisive margin had opened up between him and the rest of the field. Nakamura stormed home with a 24-game unbeaten streak of his own and notched a win against Firouzja but this proved in vain. Five points shy of first when the arena clock expired, Nakamura had to settle for the $250 second prize.

All-Time Leaderboard

*Firouzja's first win will be added shortly.

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