Cheating’ scandal gets new twist as world champion Magnus Carlsen shockingly quits against Hans Niemann

Cheating’ scandal gets new twist as Magnus Carlsen shockingly quits against Hans Niemann

Hans Niemann has reportedly denied allegations of cheating against World Champion Magnus Carlsen but admitted to cheating in the past.

In a shocking development, reigning world champion Magnus Carlsen resigned from an online match against American teenager Hans Niemann after making the opening move, giving a new twist to the ongoing cheating controversy that has come to grip the world of chess. Carlsen met Niemann in the Julius Baer Generation Cup on Monday in a rematch to their last match at the Sinquefield Cup earlier in September. Carlsen had mysteriously pulled out of the $500,000 Sinquefield Cup, after losing to the 19-year-old which gave rise to speculations that Carlsen suspected foul play

Meanwhile, during the Julius Baer Generation Cup match on Monday, both players were visible on video link during the live broadcast on Chess24. However, the world champion resigned and disconnected after making his first move with the black pieces. Speaking on the live streaming Chess24 commentator and chess grandmaster Tania Sachdev said, “Magnus Carlsen just resigned. Got up and left. Switched off his camera, and that’s all we know right now. We’re going to try to get an update on this.”

Watch Carlsen resign, get up, and switch off his camera

Carlsen’s withdrawal from Sinquefield Cup and what followed next?

Carlsen’s withdrawal led to the cheating controversy taking a new turn. Hans was linked with reports claiming that he used unfair ways to win the match. After withdrawing from the Sinquefield Cup, Carlsen put out a cryptic tweet with the caption, “If I speak, I am in big trouble”. Although he didn’t make any further comments about it, the world’s best blitz player, Hikaru Nakamura, claimed that Carlsen suspected Niemann had “probably cheated”.

Nakamura also added that Neimann was previously banned by the popular chess website, Chess.com. As per a report by The Guardian, Niemann denied the allegations of cheating against Carlsen but admitted to cheating in the past. He agreed to cheat in an online tournament as a 12-year-old and also in unrated games while streaming as a 16-year-old.

‘Magnus [is] just refusing to play against Hans’: Tania Sachdev

“I have never cheated in an over-the-board game,” Niemann said while also saying that he is even to play naked, in “a closed box with zero electronic transmission”, in order to prove his innocence. This is unprecedented. I just, I can’t believe it,” Sachdev added. “Did that just happen?” “Magnus [is] just refusing to play against Hans. He will play the tournament, but he is saying ‘I will not play the game against him’. That’s making a very big statement.”