A bombshell report has alleged that rising chess champion Hans Niemann has “likely cheated” in more than a hundred games.
Niemann’s name first hit headlines last month, when the 19-year-old American prodigy was accused of cheating to secure victory against his self-professed “hero”, grandmaster Magnus Carlsen.
Internet users speculated that Niemann had used nefarious means – including anal beads – to cheat his way to chess glory.
Niemann addressed the heated speculation at the time, calling the accusations “slander” and a “targeted attack”.
He did, however, admit he had cheated in online chess tournaments in the past on two separate occasions – but never in person.
But an extensive 72-page report conducted by Chess.com stated Niemann has potentially cheated on a hundred more separate occasions.
The damning report analysed hundreds of Niemann’s career matches using a variety of cheating detection tools, and alleged that he likely received illegal assistance in 102 games.
It said that prize money was also on the line in many of the identified games.
The report, however, did not disclose exactly how Niemann received assistance, meaning the anal bead theory could very much remain a possibility.
Tweet from @chesscom
The report also mentioned Niemann’s unusually meteoric rise to the top of the game.
“Outside his online play, Hans is the fastest-rising top player in Classical OTB chess in modern history,” the report stated.
“Looking purely at rating, Hans should be classified as a member of this group of top players. While we do not doubt that Hans is a talented player, we note that his results are statistically extraordinary.”
If the allegations of cheating are true, it could end Niemann’s career.
The International Chess Federation (FIDE) is conducting its own review into the cheating allegations.
If he is found guilty, Niemann could face up a 15-year suspension from FIDE events, according to the federation’s anti-cheating guidelines.
Threat to the game
The controversy began in September when Niemann broke grandmaster Carlsen’s 53-game winning streak at the Sinquefield Cup.
Speculation began to build when Carlsen withdrew from the tournament the next day – the first time he has ever called it quits.
Carlsen stirred the pot further when he quit his next game against Niemann after just one move.
Carlsen, who Niemann referred to as his “absolute hero”, remained tight-lipped about the controversy for weeks.
But he finally broke his silence last week, directly accusing Niemann of cheating in a social media statement.
“I believe that Niemann has cheated more – and more recently – than he has publicly admitted,” Carlsen said.
“His over the board progress has been unusual, and throughout our game in the Sinquefield Cup I had the impression that he wasn’t tense or even fully concentrating on the game in critical positions.”
Carlsen called on organisers to level up their security for face-to-face games, saying cheating is “a big deal and an existential threat to the game”.
“We must do something about cheating, and for my part going forward, I don’t want to play against people that have cheated repeatedly in the past, because I don’t know what they are capable of doing in the future.”
Tweet from @MagnusCarlsen
Not backing down
The report emerged before Niemann secured victory against 15-year-old grandmaster Christopher Yoo at the US Championships.
Speaking after his victory, Niemann said he was “not going to back down”, despite the drama.
“I’m not going to back down and I’m going to play my best chess here, regardless of the pressure.”
Niemann then abruptly cut the interview short, saying he didn’t need to explain himself or his performance any further.
