A 72-page Chess.com report by the WSJ said Hans Niemann may have received illegal assistance in more than 100 online games.
An investigation conducted by Chess.com, the game’s leading online platform, found that Hans Moke Niemann cheated more than 100 times, according to Wall Street Journal.
The 19-year-old American grandmaster recently denied cheating allegations after five-time world chess champion Magnus Carlsen released a statement last month. accusation he cheated more often than he previously admitted, pointing out how “unusual” Niemann’s progress was.
Last month, Carlsen withdrew from the Sinquefield Cup 2022 after losing to Niemann in the third round of the tournament. A week later, Carslen resigned after playing only one move with Niemann on the Champions Chess Tour.
The Norwegian said that Niemann beat him using black pieces – a disadvantage in the chess world – without “fully focusing on the game in key positions”.
Niemann has admitted to online cheating twice, aged 12 and 16, but says he has never cheated in a face-to-face match and is even willing to play naked to prove his faith. .
Now, a 72-page poll of Chess.com, viewed by WSJNiemann said it is likely to have received illegal support in more than 100 online games, as of 2020, including bounty contests.
‘Unusual patterns’
The report corroborated Carslen’s suspicions about Niemann’s rise through the elite ranks of competitive chess, noting “many notable cues and unusual patterns in his path to prowess.” Hans’s keeper”.
“Aside from his online play, Hans is the fastest growing top player in Classics [over-the-board] chess in modern history,” the report said. “Just looking at the assessment, Hans should be placed in this group of top young players. While we have no doubt that Hans is a talented player, we do note that his results are statistically extraordinary. “
Chess.com, which uses a number of cheat detection tools, including those that compare moves suggested by chess engines, says Niemann was 17 years old in the most recent violation and he we streamed 25 contests live.
This led the site to close his account at the time and a letter was sent to Niemann noting his “blatant cheating” to raise his ratings in various games, including a match against Russian chess star Ian Nepomniachtchi.
The report adds that Niemann confessed to the allegations in a private phone call with the platform’s director of chess, Danny Rensch.
Chess.com previously handled bans privately, but their investigation into the 19-year-old comes after he publicly questioned his ban from the World Championship. request of the site, saying that they felt “forced to share the basis” for their decisions.
FIDE, the chess world’s governing body, is conducting its own investigation into the Niemann-Carlsen case.
