American chess wizard Hans Niemann, has denied allegations of cheating during a high-stakes match against world champion Magnus Carlsen. The accusations, which had even led to a Ksh 14.8 Billion legal battle, took an unusual twist as they involved a remote-controlled sex toy.
Niemann, who defeated Carlsen in the Sinquefield Cup in September 2022, found himself at the center of controversy when Carlsen accused him of using illicit aids during the game.
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Niemann’s victory had ended Carlsen’s remarkable 53-game winning streak in classical chess events.
Niemann expressed his dismay over the allegations saying, “It’s very disheartening to be accused of cheating after that victory. These things happen, and I managed to learn a lot during that time, and it really taught me a lot of very important lessons about life and chess.”
“To be clear, on the specific allegation – have you ever used anal beads while playing chess?” he was asked.
Niemann responded to the allegations citing that, “Well, your curiosity is a bit concerning, you know – maybe you’re personally interested, but I can tell you, no. Categorically, no, of course not.”
The accusations against Niemann had spiraled into a legal battle that involved not only Carlsen but also Chess.com, an online chess platform, which had claimed he ‘likely’ cheated in more than 100 online games. Chess.com made these claims after conducting its own investigation.
While Niemann did admit to cheating twice when he was 12 and 16 years old, he profusely denied any form of cheating in the Sinquefield Cup or any in-person game.
The bitter feud between Niemann and Carlsen ultimately reached a settlement worth $100 million out of court.
Niemann also filed a lawsuit against Carlsen and others, alleging defamation and collusion to blacklist him from the chess profession.
My lawsuit speaks for itself https://t.co/rOfUxiNYCH
— Hans Niemann (@HansMokeNiemann) October 20, 2022
However, Niemann’s $100 million case was dismissed by a judge in June 2023. Lawyers representing Carlsen expressed their satisfaction, stating, “We are very pleased with the court’s order dismissing Hans Niemann’s claims. Our clients are happy to see an end to this saga, and are pleased that all parties can now focus on growing the game of chess.”
The controversy began in September 2022 when Niemann defeated Carlsen at the Sinquefield Cup in St. Louis, ending Carlsen’s impressive winning streak.
Carlsen’s cryptic tweet featuring Portuguese soccer manager José Mourinho added fuel to the fire. Carlsen had “withdrawn” from the tournament, implying that something untoward had occurred during their match.
I’ve withdrawn from the tournament. I’ve always enjoyed playing in the @STLChessClub, and hope to be back in the future https://t.co/YFSpl8er3u
— Magnus Carlsen (@MagnusCarlsen) September 5, 2022
Niemann, who had confessed to cheating in online games as a young teenager, took responsibility for his past actions, stating, “I am not afraid to tell the world that I cheated as a 12-year-old and in some random games as a 16-year-old because I know who I am. Everything I have done for the past few years is to make up for that mistake, and I hope that my results, commitment, and hard work have shown that I have learned my lesson.”
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Despite the online uproar and social media speculation about the vibrating anal beads allegations, it remains unclear where these claims originated.