The chess world does not come to rest: After the allegations against Hans Niemann hinted at on Twitter, superstar Magnus Carlsen made another wordless statement that shook the sport. The 31-year-old gave up a game against the young American without comment.
The eagerly awaited chess game between Magnus Carlsen and Hans Niemann at the Julius Baer Generation Cup ended in just a few seconds on Monday evening. The Norwegian resigned after just one move without commenting. With that, Niemann moves one lap further.
Carlsen’s withdrawal is another clear indication that he is accusing his opponent of cheating. He had recently done so on Twitter without having presented any evidence at the Sinquefield Cup in St. Louis after losing the game against the world number 49. had lost.
Since then, the allegations have been the number one topic among chess experts around the world.
Magnus Carlsen is now under pressure
The 19-year-old Niemann himself took a stand last Wednesday after he had been exposed to numerous allegations, especially on social media. “Many people who I used to respect and who were my role models have decided to deny the allegations [von Carlsen, Anm. d. Red.] agree. There was much speculation and many things were said. But I think I’m the only one who knows the truth,” he said in a video published by the organizer. He described the allegations as unfounded.
After his next statement, Magnus Carlsen is now under a lot of pressure: Quite a few are demanding that what is undoubtedly the biggest name in chess has to finally provide evidence. Some grandmasters had previously publicly supported Hans Niemann and expressed doubts about the allegations.
“Maybe he knows something that we don’t know. But then he has to say it now,” commented chess player Alejandro Ramirez, who was added for the game: “It’s an even stronger statement than withdrawing from the Sinquefield Cup.”
Great criticism of Carlsen from home
Meanwhile, Carlsen’s behavior also caused a stir in his native Norway, where he is one of the country’s greatest sports personalities. Norwegian Jon-Ludvig Hammer said on the sidelines of the TV broadcast on “TV2”: “It’s completely unacceptable to lose on purpose. It’s the most unsportsmanlike behavior ever.”
In the run-up to the Generation Cup game, the organizers had taken numerous measures to prevent any attempts at fraud. The tournament is held online, so the players are in their own four walls.