Magnus Carlsen resigned after playing just one move against Hans Niemann. Chess24/TwitterOn September 4, Carlsen was soundly beaten by the much lower-rated Niemann, a stunning victory in an endgame after the American came prepared to play against an offbeat line by the Norwegian.
Carlsen then shockingly withdrew from the tournament without giving an explanation, apart from a terse tweet, which stated: “I’ve withdrawn from the tournament. I’ve always enjoyed playing in the [Saint Louis Chess Club], and hope to be back in the future.”
He attached a video of Portuguese football manager José Mourinho saying: “If I speak I’m in big trouble, and I don’t want to be in big trouble.”
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The withdrawal led to widespread speculation, prominently by chess grandmaster and Twitch streamer Hikaru Nakamura, that Carlsen suspected
Niemann was somehow cheating.
Niemann then gave a stunning interview in which he admitted to cheating in online chess in the past, but adamantly denied ever cheating in over-the-board chess.
He dramatically called out his critics and even offered to play in the nude in order to prove his innocence.
Niemann’s meteoric rise has split the chess world, with some suspicious of his rapid gain in rating points and others calling for increased measures to detect computer assistance. He also has a legion of supporters.
The issue of computer-assisted cheating is a growing problem for chess.
Computer chess engines, and
AI self-learning programs, have far surpassed the ability of humans and they have grown exponentially in strength since Garry Kasparov was defeated by Deep Blue in 1997.
Niemann’s swagger in interviews, including one in which he brushed off a journalist by stating, “the chess speaks for itself”, had made the star the centre of discussion on forums like Reddit and Twitter, and spawned countless memes.
Carlsen, who is in the progress of
selling his Play Magnus Group to powerhouse Chess.Com, has not directly accused Niemann of cheating or produced any evidence to support such an allegation, despite many calling for him to do so.