GM Hikaru Nakamura and Kick are thrilled to present Hikaru’s Second Annual Chess 4 The Masses Sponsored by Kick. The event gives players of all levels the chance to win cash prizes—and maybe even see Hikaru commentating on their games!
The second edition of the event will take place on August 13, 2025, starting at 3:00 p.m. ET / 21:00 CEST and feature a $5,125 prize fund. This latest collaboration continues on the tradition and success of Hikaru and Kick’s partnership, which brought events like the first Hikaru’s Cess 4 The Masses, Kickathlon, and the Tournament of the Accused.
This year, titled players can participate alongside non-titled players. The event’s prize structure, divided into sections based on players’ ratings, will remain the same. This gives amateurs the exciting opportunity to earn cash prizes through an online chess event! On top of that, you can catch all the action live on Hikaru’s Kick stream and in Hikaru’s Fan Club, with commentary from Hikaru himself!
Want a taste of what this event is all about? Relive the excitement from the first edition of the event by watching the broadcast below:
Format
The event will follow the same format as the last edition. Players will compete in two tournaments in one afternoon, with winners determined by their cumulative score across both events:
Requirements To Play
- Your account must be at least three months old
- You must have played at least 150 games on Chess.com on your account
- No sharing of accounts is allowed
- No sandbagging. Highly suspicious results will lead to disqualification, and their prize slots will be negated
Prizes
As always, prizes will be distributed across five rating categories to ensure everyone has a chance to win. Players’ ratings after the event is over will be taken into consideration. The categories are the following:
- Under 1499
- 1500 to 1999
- 2000 to 2499
- 2500 to 2899
- 2900+
Each section will feature its own prize fund of $1,025, distributed as follows:
| Prize | Amount |
| 1st place | $250 |
| 2nd place | $200 |
| 3rd place | $150 |
| 4th place | $75 |
| 5th place | $50 |
| 6th place | $25 each |
| Highest number of promoted knights | $25 |
| First smothered mate | $25 |
| First win with a bongcloud opening | $100 |
| Best clip, as judged by Hikaru himself, posted on X, Instagram or TikTok | $100 |
There’s also a $100 prize for any streamer who shares a funny clip with #Chess4TheMasses, judged by Hikaru! Submit your clips and challenge claims (knight promotions, smothered mates, Bongcloud wins) in Hikaru’s Discord.
Prizes will be distributed after review by the fair play team and Team GM Hikaru. All decisions are final.
