Hikaru Nakamura

Hikaru Nakamura (born December 9, 1987) is a bearded American chess grandmaster.

He is the current and five-time United States Chess Champion, who won the 2011 edition of Tata Steel Group A and represented the United States at five Chess Olympiads, winning a team gold medal and two team bronze medals. At age 10, Nakamura became the youngest player to achieve the title of chess master from the United States Chess Federation. In 2003, at age 15, Nakamura solidified his reputation as a chess prodigy, becoming the youngest American to earn the grandmaster title, breaking the record of Bobby Fischer by three months. In March of this year, Nakamura won his fifth U.S. Chess Championship, and in April, Nakamura won the Bullet Chess Championship hosted by Chess.com. by defeating Ukrainian Grandmaster Olexandr Bortnyk in the final. Nakumura has also written a popular book about bullet chess called, Bullet Chess: One Minute to Mate.

Hikaru Nakamura has a pleasant demeanor that makes him a chess fan favorite and a dapper beard that gives him a formidable, yet stylish presence.

Don’t Take Tips From Strangers—Know Your Whiskers, Know
Who to Trust

by Bill Alley, Media Director, Beardsley and Company

Here is the number one rule when it comes to figuring out your face: It’s Your Face! You know it better than anyone. You deal with its care, tackle its tough issues like razor burn and uneven growth, and have to live with what you’ve got.

The family, friends and acquaintances may THINK they know your true visage – but do they? When you decide on a style or appearance, are they supportive or critical? When getting whiskers growing do they exhibit beard bias? Shocking: the people around you in the quest for completing manhood’s hairy facial goals are sadly STRANGERS, unless they have time and experience with their own beards (or adoration of their bearded sweethearts).

Think of your beard as attractively manly as a woman’s breasts would be treasured as finest in femininity. This truth is not an exaggeration; they are outward signs of the fully developed adult male or female. Flipping the script, would you offer critique or advice on the bosoms of women in your circle of influence? Only the most insecure among us would solicit advice or direction on the foremost outward identifier of our sexual assignments.

Here are the best resources for cementing sound and trusted advice for facial hair. The first and best person to consult is yourself. Many of us have seen family members or other men with faces that show off the beard of your dreams, and you may know or discover those guys who face similar trials and triumphs of growth that can become mentors or beard brothers; this is your beard circle. The third ring comes from the barbers, stylists and purveyors of beard care that have met a standard of intelligence, finesse and respect for whiskers. Within this field of people you can develop questions and conversations that in time foster reliability and trust. These are the beard bearers that make the effort to help you seize your look and confidence. And as days turn to years, the beard brotherhood naturally attracts with whiskered men who will give that subtle nod of accomplished respect.

The Movember Primer:
Growing Whiskers, Raising Awareness

by Bill Alley, Media Director, Beardsley and Company

The Movember movement for Cancer awareness in men has undertaken fifteen strong years worldwide to highlight the plight faced by those of us stricken with testicular cancers and other reproductive-type cancers men suffer. Its origins as an identity trace back to a group of men from Melbourne, Victoria (Australia) who conceived the idea to grow moustaches for the 30 day November calendar period to raise funds and awareness encircling prostate cancer victims. But the idea was revealed from Australia’s ABC 7 Nightly News when they covered a 1999 event in neighboring Adelaide, South Australia, where it was reported that 80 men convened a gathering to grow moustaches for charity in the eleventh month, claiming to be the first ‘Movember Committee’. One of their initial fundraising goals was to promote the RSPCA —Australia’s version of the Society of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals—as a dual effort for the benevolence of man and domestic beast. Between the two groups word spread internationally about doing such a manly deed to help eradicate cancers and depression.

There has been a legacy of attempts across so many businesses, organizations and groups that Movember has become according to Wikipedia-listed sources a force for good. Movember has consistently been a top 100 non-government fundraising charity since 2012 (The Global Journal). Movember.com website’s media room states the movement has cracked the $200 million dollar mark in donations investment for improving the health of men in the USA alone. The Movember Foundation this year has been aggressively promoting the 50 million men campaign which aims to support and educate this specific number of males in cancer awareness, suicide and depression action plans and healthcare initiatives which aim to get men talking and acting upon deteriorating health through improved nutrition, life-supporting habits and engagement with others.

Women, families, co-workers, beard groups and supporters worldwide have put their intension to make a difference into community action. Chances are you’ve heard of police departments growing moustaches in November; corporations adding moustache logos to their trade marks, products and devices; professional sports teams like the Montreal Canadiens Hockey team challenge other athletes to stash the razor and grow the ‘stache. The joy of whiskering to fight disease and depression is nothing new to many of us, and we have most definitely benefited because of the positive, supportive effort spurned by saving lives.

The site has a rule tool kit with instructions to follow as an official participant. Requirements are that participants shave and ‘start fresh’ in the growth of only a moustache. For information, ideas and challenges visit movember.com to begin an action plan and enjoy one of the most spirited, collaborative and supported awareness events imaginable.