The case is far from over. The American Hans Niemann, 40th world chess player, claims “at least 100 million dollars” damages against those who accused him of cheating. Among them, the first world player and five-time world champion, the Norwegian Magnus Carlsen. Beaten by the 19-year-old American to everyone’s surprise in early September, Carlsen then accused him of cheating, which Hans Niemann firmly denied. “Apart from when I was 12, I have never cheated in a tournament with money”, he had promised the day after his victory. The young grandmaster had admitted having cheated twice between his 12 and 16 years on the chess.com platform. But not since, he assures.
Hans Niemann’s complaint, filed Thursday in the United States, also targets the most popular streamer in the discipline and 6th player in the world, Hikaru Nakamura, as well as the site chess.com and its manager Daniel Rensch. The game’s benchmark platform had banned the American from the site and analyzed his previous games. A report published in early October then accused him of having cheated “at least 100 times online”. Finally, his complaint is against Magnus Carlsen’s company, Play Magnus, which is about to be acquired by chess.com.
‘Disrespectful teenager’
“Countryside” led by his accusers “has already had the intended effect of destroying Niemann’s reputation, career and livelihood”, write his lawyers in the complaint. The Wijk aan Zee tournament in the Netherlands, one of the most prestigious chess competitions, has reportedly ended negotiations to invite him to its next edition in January 2023, Niemann’s advice claims. In chess, major tournaments are free to invite any players they wish. The young American “can no longer get jobs as a chess teacher in serious schools”also assure his lawyers.
Hans Niemann published the 44 pages of his complaint directly via a link on his Twitter account, along with the message “my complaint speaks for itself”. A sentence that is reminiscent of his reaction after his first surprise victory against Magnus Carlsen, during a tournament in Miami in August. That day, he had contented himself with asserting after the match that “Failures speak for themselves”. The player had already been noticed by his character, from an early age. His compatriot Wesley So, 5th player in the world, had even qualified him “probably the most disrespectful teenager” failures during an interview. “There are other very good [jeunes] players but they are polite”he had compared.
A late outbreak
Arrived late at the highest level of chess by winning the status of Grand Master at only 17 years old – the earliest reach it around 14 years old – Hans Niemann has experienced a spectacular rise in recent months. Something to arouse suspicion. But the accusations of cheating against him remain unproven at present, and still raise questions about how to cheat at chess. Cheating is nearly impossible to demonstrate if not caught in the act. Especially since a player using artificial intelligence, for example, could consciously choose a bad move or a slightly less good move to avoid arousing suspicion.
One of Hans Niemann’s cheating theories revolves around a connected anal plug that would allow an accomplice to communicate the moves to him. Since September 29, the International Chess Federation (Fide) has opened an investigation into these accusations. For his part, Hans Niemann continues to deny. To prove his talent, the American even said to himself “ready to play naked”.