World chess champion Magnus Carlsen accuses Hans Niemann of fraud for the first time

Enlarge image

World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen

Photo: IMAGO/Carina Johansen / IMAGO/NTB

World chess champion Magnus Carlsen made concrete allegations of fraud for the first time after the sensational next round in a dispute with US teenager Hans Niemann.

"I believe that Niemann cheated more - even recently - than he publicly admitted," wrote the Norwegian in an open letter on Twitter on Monday.

His progress was "unusual," Carlsen continued.

In one of the last duels he had the impression that Niemann was “not tense and not even fully focused on the game in critical positions” while “playing me with Black in a way that I think only a handful can players can«.

Something must be done about cheating in chess, "I don't want to play against people who have repeatedly cheated in the past because I don't know what they will be able to do in the future".

He couldn't say more at the moment, "but I hope that the truth in this matter will come out, whatever it may be".

A week ago, Carlsen met 19-year-old Niemann in a top-class online tournament - and ended the game after a move without comment.

Niemann had moved his pawn to d4 with the white pieces at the beginning of the rapid chess game.

Carlsen made a knight move, Niemann responded with the next pawn movement - and Carlsen simply gave up and then apparently cut his video connection as well.

Carlsen, who has been world chess champion since 2013, withdrew from a face-to-face tournament at the beginning of September after a surprising defeat against the American – he had never done that in his career.

The 31-year-old Carlsen will not defend his title again in 2023 due to a lack of motivation.

“I feel like I don't have much to gain.

, I don't like [the World Championship fights] very much and while I'm sure a match would be interesting for history and all that, I just don't feel like playing and I just won't play the match," he said in a video podcast published by his sponsor.

Niemann himself denies ever having cheated in a board game.

He accused Carlsen and other top stars of wanting to destroy his career.

However, Niemann admitted to having cheated in the past.

As a 12-year-old in online tournaments, and also at the age of 16, also on the internet.

“I cheated at random games on Chess.com.

I was confronted with it.

I stood.

And that is the biggest mistake of my life.« He is deeply ashamed and has lost friendships as a result.

• You can read an interview with a chess expert on the allegations of cheating here: »The error rate indicates that Niemann did not cheat« 

However, he has decided to make up for his mistakes, said Niemann, by training hard and proving he can win at live events.

ok/sid