- Alex Terrain
- BBC News
An investigation has reported that American chess player Hans Niemann “probably” cheated in more than 100 online matches.
World chess champion Magnus Carlsen has accused Neiman of cheating, although no evidence has been provided.
Now, an investigation by Chess.com suggests that Neiman may have cheated “much more” than he admitted.
But the site found no evidence that Neiman cheated in his match against Carlsen or in any “on the chessboard” match.
The American admitted to cheating in unofficial matches when he was younger, but has denied doing so in competitive matches.
The 19-year-old, contacted by the BBC for comment, had previously accused Carlsen and Chess.com of trying to ruin his career.
photo released, Getty Images
The scandal started earlier this month after Carlsen’s defeat to Neiman in the Sinkfield Cup in a big surprise
The scandal began earlier this month after Carlsen, considered by many to be the greatest chess player of all time, was defeated by Neiman in the Sinkfield Cup in a big upset.
The Norwegian player made veiled accusations of fraud against Neiman at the time, before publicly accusing him last week.
Now, Chess.com has shown the results of a 72-page investigation of the matches Neiman has played on the site, which is contested by most of the world’s best players, including matches for cash prizes.
The site, which banned Neiman for alleged cheating, alleges that the American player may have cheated as recently as 2020, including during prize money competitions and against high-ranking “well-known” characters in the game.
The site’s analysis compared Neiman’s moves with those suggested by chess computers – much better than even the best players – and the odds of his outcome, among other factors.
“Overall, we found that Hans likely cheated in more than 100 online chess matches, including during many competitions involving cash prizes,” the report said.
He added, “He was already 17 years old when he probably cheated in some of these matches. He was also watching videos online during the real time of 25 of these matches.”
This report contradicts statements made by Neiman previously, in which he asserted that he only cheated in unofficial matches on the site when he was twelve and sixteen years old, but that he never did so in competitive matches or when he was watching videos on gaming platforms. Like Twitch.
Although his results are “statistically unusual”, Chess.com asserted that there was “no direct evidence” that Neiman cheated in his match against Carlsen or in chess games in the past.
Carlsen released a statement last week saying Neiman cheated in their Sinkfield Cup match in Missouri, saying he “was not nervous or even fully focused” as he outplayed him using the black pieces “in a way I think a few Only players can do it.”
Carlsen also said he doubted Neiman because he had made “extraordinary” progress in recent years. On the other hand, others argue that Neiman’s progress, despite its speed, is comparable to that of the other leading young players.
No evidence of cheating was presented on the part of Neiman, who said he was willing to play naked.
Chess.com said there were “certain aspects” of the match that were “suspicious”, including Neiman’s explanation of the match afterward.
The site also indicated the presence of “deviations” in Neiman’s improvement rate, which made him rise in the world rankings of classic chess from nearly 800th in the world to the top 50 in less than two years.
The site said that this rise was the fastest in “recent recorded history”, and occurred “much later in life than its peers.”
The site also denied being pressured by Carlsen, who has dominated chess for more than a decade, to ban Neiman.
Carlsen insisted he would not play against Neiman again. Earlier this month he withdrew in protest after just one game when the two faced off in an online tournament.
When the controversy arose earlier this month, Neiman publicly and vehemently denied, saying he was willing to play naked to prove he had not hidden electronic devices that could help him cheat.
“I don’t care, because I know I’m innocent,” he said. “You want me to play in a closed box without a transmission, I don’t care. I’m here to win, and that’s my goal no matter what.”
A statistical analysis of Neiman’s games by Professor Kenneth Reagan, widely regarded as the leading expert on cheating in chess, found no evidence that Neiman cheated.