Alexey Sarana won Titled Tuesday on May 19, posting 9.5 points to edge Christopher Yoo in the tiebreaks. A strong finish for Sarana, who has been climbing the rapid ratings ladder in recent weeks.
Hikaru Nakamura set a record in the tournament but came up short. He scored the highest individual game score ever posted in Titled Tuesday, yet still finished third. This marks his second consecutive third-place finish in the event. Nakamura's dominance in individual games didn't translate to the overall title, a reminder that even spectacular performances can fall short in blitz and rapid formats where consistency over the full field matters.
Arjun Erigaisi rounded out the top four. The Indian star remains a fixture among the world's elite rapid performers, though he didn't contend for the top prize this week.
The Titled Tuesday series continues to attract the strongest players in the world. These tournaments serve as a testing ground for preparation, a way to maintain rating strength during the off-season, and a proving ground for emerging talent. Sarana's victory adds another strong result to his resume as he continues building momentum in the rapid ratings list. Nakamura's record-setting game score shows his tactical sharpness remains intact, even if he couldn't convert that into a tournament win this time.