Nakamura goes down! | 19-year-old Denis Lazavik through to EWC Finals

Lavi Hikaru has to win a game. Defending this is not enough. I know, but he's got one last game and then he's gonna go for it, right? At least he's not gonna lose. That would just be a match over. If actually Dennis wins this game. It's done. Dennis is through to the finals. Dennis through the finals. Yeah. What can we say? Let that sink in. King f5. Now, yep. And Hikaru's sacrificing the pawn. He's forcing it. You can take it and the king is cut off. The white king cannot come to defend. This is, this is, yeah, it's a losing endgame. Now, obviously Hikaru's gone for this because he thought he had to, but his king is cut off. Dennis is just gonna bring his pawn forward and his king. Lavi, Dennis Lazovic, the 19-year-old, the youngest player remaining in this field, is about to go through to the finals. In typical fashion and without giving Hikaru a single inch, or we are in Paris, centimeter of breathing room. This is unbelievable. Hikaru's giving up. The black rook cuts off the white king. The black king assists the black pawn, which is going up the board. This is the final few moments of Hikaru Nagamura's run at the EWC. Incredible. Absolutely incredible scenes. Dennis Lazovic, emotionless. He knows it though. Dire heart rate. I see it. It's 140, Dennis. We see you. Hikaru might just resign this game right now. A minute left on the clock. No hope left on the board right now. The f-pawn marching up. No checks. Hikaru knows it. Dennis knows it. Unbelievable. And there it is. And it is Dennis Lazovic who goes through to the finals. What a finish with a game to spare. Dennis Lazovic takes down Hikaru Nagamura. Two big wins. Unbelievable. What a moment this is for a 19-year-old. It is his first final at the EWC. Every event that he plays on the biggest stage, he just gets better and better. He did as best as he could over there in Paris. And now he defeats Hikaru once again in a match. Slightly different format, but he gets the job done. Hikaru didn't have a chance today. Dennis was just incredible. Just look at him and remember the name Dennis Lazovic. It was at the Speed Chess Championship in February. He took down Hikaru Nagamura to book a ticket to Paris to make it to EWC. And today on the biggest stage, he once again wins a best of six to book a spot into the finals. Dennis confirms his spot in Grand Final. It is time to proceed to the key exchange as Hikaru Nagamura must give his key up to the rightful victor of this match. Do we have the key for Hikaru? Yes, it is time, please. But as Hikaru has to bow out of the stage, please can I have a round of applause for Hikaru Nagamura. Dennis, just wow. I mean, you had to beat Hikaru to qualify to EWC. You lost to Hikaru a couple of days ago, you know, in that upper bracket. And you're back, revenge taken. How do you feel after so many matches against him? Yeah, I feel great. And I think today I played really good, like much better than a couple of days ago. And yeah, like I think he didn't have any chance to win at any point. Obviously, he could make a draw in the last game and we would play like the last game, the sixth game. But yeah, he was playing for the win and even lost. All right. And of course, one more game before you can leave that trophy. Grand finals tomorrow. That is, of course, your best result, obviously, at EWC. How are you pushing that for tomorrow? You know, what are we doing tonight? I will be rooting for Alvarez because, you know, I don't want to play against Magnus. But like, as I said, like before the tournament, in one of the interviews that it's it's very important not to be paired with Magnus too early. But I'm I'm fine to play against him in final. Ready for anyone? Listen, Dennis, you know the way by now to the crusher, to crush your opponents. Ladies and gentlemen, make some noise for Dennis Lazarevic. Oh, yeah. Dennis is in rare form, ladies and gentlemen, taking a key to his rightful position. Dennis, congratulations. My man is officially in the finals. I got a very interesting conversation to have with him after he crushed the legendary Hikaru Nakamura's key. I can't believe I'm even saying it. And just like that, only 19 years of age. So, Dennis, you can go ahead, let it go. You beat him, man. You got to let it go. OK, now, Dennis, have you ever heard of an anger translator? Excuse me? I'm going to take that as a no. OK, Dennis, my question for you is this. Do you feel like anyone in this tournament is a huge threat to you right now? Not really. He don't even need an anger translator. I was about to hype it up for him. Only 19 years old. Ladies and gentlemen, the youngest player that we had in our whole playoff bracket. And even still, he made it all the way to the finals. And we will see tomorrow if he is able to take it all the way.