The chess world has been shaken by a cheating accusation at the highest level of play since Magnus Carlsen’s loss to Hans Niemann at the Sinquefield Cup on Sept. 4 and Carlsen’s subsequent decision to withdraw from that tournament. When they were paired again last week in the Julius Baer Generation Cup, Carlsen resigned in protest without making a second move in the game.
Niemann was eliminated from that event in the quarterfinals, but this did nothing to quell the rumors of impropriety that swirled around his play after his victory with the black pieces over Carlsen. Neither Niemann nor a representative for Carlsen responded to requests for comment.
In Carlsen’s first public statement since the Julius Baer Generation Cup, he said on Twitter on Monday, "I believe that Niemann has cheated more — and more recently — than he has publicly admitted.” Carlsen added: "Throughout our game in the Sinquefield Cup I had the impression that he wasn’t tense or even fully concentrating on the game in critical positions, while outplaying me as black in a way I think only a handful of players can do.”