The genteel world of chess has been rocked by accusations of dishonest made by the sport’s main participant.
Magnus Carlsen, the world champion and a participant broadly thought-about one of many best ever, posted a press release on Twitter wherein he mentioned he believed 19-year-old American opponent Hans Niemann “has cheated extra — and extra lately — than he has publicly admitted.”
Carlsen misplaced to Niemann two weeks in the past on the over-the-board Sinquefield Cup in St. Louis, after which Carlsen withdrew from the match.
The Norwegian then stop a sport in opposition to Niemann on the on-line Julius Baer Technology Cup final week after making only one transfer.
Niemann not tense sufficient, Carlsen says
“His over-the-board progress has been uncommon,” Carlsen wrote about Niemann in his Twitter submit late Monday, “and all through our sport within the Sinquefield Cup I had the impression that he wasn’t tense and even absolutely concentrating on the sport in vital positions, whereas outplaying me as black in a method I feel solely a handful of gamers can do.
“This sport contributed to altering my perspective.”
Carlsen supplied no proof of Niemann dishonest.
“There may be extra that I want to say,” Carlsen wrote. “Sadly, presently I’m restricted in what I can say with out specific permission from Niemann to talk brazenly.”
Carlsen added he’s “not keen to play chess with Niemann.”
Niemann has beforehand admitted to dishonest when taking part in on-line chess when he was 12 and 16, however has denied ever dishonest over the board.
Worldwide Chess Federation has ‘deep considerations’
“We should do one thing about dishonest,” Carlsen mentioned, “and in my opinion going ahead, I do not wish to play in opposition to those who have cheated repeatedly previously, as a result of I do not know what they’re able to doing sooner or later.”
In a press release revealed on Friday — three days earlier than Carlsen’s accusations — the president of the Worldwide Chess Federation, Arkady Dvorkovich, mentioned the governing physique shared Carlsen’s “deep considerations concerning the harm that dishonest brings to chess” and is ready to research incidents “when the ample preliminary proof is offered.”
Talking about Carlsen’s conduct in leaving a sport after one transfer, Dvorkovich added: “We strongly imagine that the world champion has an ethical duty hooked up to his standing, since he’s seen as a world ambassador of the sport.
“His actions impression the popularity of his colleagues, sportive outcomes, and ultimately could be damaging to our sport. We strongly imagine that there have been higher methods to deal with this case.”
Niemann has not publicly responded to Carlsen’s accusations.