"I'm not going to back down" - Hans Niemann wins first round in US Chess Championship, takes stand against cheating reports
The Hans Niemann cheating controversy has been making headlines in the chess world for the last few weeks. It all started when chess legend Magnus Carlson posted a press release on Twitter, back on September 27, where he effectively accused Niemann of cheating.
The scandal took a new form as a more recent investigation by chess.com claimed that the grandmaster had, in fact, cheated in over 100 online games, which is far more than was previously claimed.
Notwithstanding the cheating allegations, Hans made quite a statement by winning his first match in the US Chess Championship against Christopher Yoo. In a post-match interview, he explained that "chess speaks for itself" and that this was a message to the world that he would not take the accusations to heart:
"I’m not going to back down and I’m going to play my best chess here regardless of the pressure that I’m under."
American grandmaster Hans Niemann's first public remarks since yesterday's bombshell report finding that he likely cheated in more than 100 online games, including ones with prize money involved: “Chess speaks for itself, that’s all I can say.” https://t.co/PHD0PVAEBr
[Watch] Viral clip of chess Grandmaster Hans Niemann's security check as he enters the US Chess Championship
The Grandmaster, who has recently been accused of cheating not only by an established veteran but also by an internal investigation done by relevant authorities, was subject to some extra scrutiny by Chief Artibter Christopher Bird before he could enter the US Chess Championship.
Video of the security check prior to the match gained quite some attention. Many noted how his posterior was scanned thoroughly following rumors of him using some kind of electronic contraption hidden in his rear.
When Hans Niemann was asked to turn around while he was being checked, the American Grandmaster Irian Kush, who was standing behind him in the queue, could be seen looking away and stifling a smile. The action caught the eye of one of the casters who commented:
"Irina's like, 'Come on. Come on, let's get going.'"
The first round concluded with Hans Niemann gaining quite a win in the first round. He went on to describe the game as a statement about his fortitude and his integrity with regards to cheating and the game. After being asked about the pressure he was under during the match, he stated:
"I think this game is a message to everyone. This entire thing started with me saying chess speaks for itself, and I think that this game spoke for itself and showed the chess player that I am."
Niemann has denied all allegations of cheating in offline games. He has admitted to cheating in the past but only in online games and that too only twice. In an interview from September 7, he claimed that he had never cheated "over the board", especially in official tournaments with real-life prize money involved.
The recent 72-page report from chess.com, however, has brought to light a fresh set of accusations against Hans Niemann, with the document clearly stating that he had cheated way more than the number insinuated in the interview.
"We present evidence in this report that Hans likely cheated online much more than his public statements suggest."
But, the very next point seems to exonerate him from the recent cheating scandal due to a lack of evidence to support the theory.
"...in our view there is a lack of concrete statistical evidence that he cheated in his game with Magnus or in any other over-the-board ('OTB')—i.e., in-person—games."
Hans Niemann is the eighth-seeded player in the 2022 US Chess Championship, which started on October 4 and is slated to run till the the 20th. Fans can expect to see the Grandmaster playing in the upcoming rounds and can freely tune in to the livestreams on YouTube.