Dhe controversial chess grandmaster Hans Niemann, to whom world champion Magnus Carlsen recently openly accused illegal methods, is said to have cheated in more than 100 online games. This emerges from an investigation report by the chess.com portal, which the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on Tuesday. The 19-year-old American is said to have cheated many times more often than on the two occasions as a 12- and 16-year-old that he last admitted to.
According to the WSJ, Niemann admitted to the allegations of cheating at online games in the report. However, the WSJ does not make it clear whether this “confession” refers to the allegation of cheating in more than 100 games. Niemann has been banned from chess.com, a site popular with both amateurs and chess grandmasters, for some time. According to the WSJ, Niemann last cheated in 2020, including in tournaments involving prize money.
incident in early September
Carlsen accuses his US rival of cheating: “I think that Niemann – even recently – cheated more than he publicly admitted.” The first incident between the two occurred in early September. At the Sinquefield Cup in St. Louis, the superstar surprisingly lost to Niemann and withdrew from a tournament for the first time in his career. The 31-year-old Norwegian did not give any reasons at the time.
The chess scene interpreted Carlsen’s exit as an allegation of fraud against Niemann. The American admitted in an interview during the Sinquefield Cup to having cheated twice in online games as a teenager, aged 12 and 16, but never in person at the chessboard.
According to the WSJ, the chess.com report makes no statement as to whether Niemann also cheated in direct duels. However, there is an indication that Niemann’s strongest ideas deserve further investigation based on the data.
The World Chess Federation announced last week that it would set up a commission of inquiry. Niemann has not yet commented on the latest allegations.
