Magnus Carlsen accuses Hans Niemann of cheating, chess saga continues

polygon.com:

World chess champion Magnus Carlsen made a statement on Monday explicitly stating that he believes his opponent, Hans Niemann, cheated during tournament play. He did not provide any concrete proof to support his claims. This is Carlsen’s first formal statement on the ongoing chess scandal, and the first to include an explicit accusation. The furor over the scandal has dominated the online conversation for weeks.

“I believe that Niemann has cheated more — and more recently — than he has publicly admitted,” the statement reads. Carlsen goes on to explain his reasoning: “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, while outplaying me as black in a way I think only a handful of players can do. This game contributed to changing my perspective.”

My statement regarding the last few weeks. pic.twitter.com/KY34DbcjLo

This chess drama began earlier this month, and has only continued to snowball in recent days. It began when Niemann, a much lower-ranked competitor, beat Carlsen in a match during the 2022 Sinquefield Cup in St. Louis. Then, on Sept. 19, Carlsen forfeited a game after just one move in a match against Niemann, this time during round 6 of the Julius Baer Generation Cup. Social media platforms subsequently lit up with conversation, as chess fans — and even those outside the game’s normal audience — debated the significance of these events.

“I believe that cheating in chess is a big deal and an existential threat to the game,” Carlsen’s statement reads. “I also believe that chess organizers and all those who care about the sanctity of the game we love should seriously