Chess world champion Magnus Carlsen explicitly accused rival and fellow chess grandmaster Hans Niemann of cheating in a shocking statement released on social media Monday.
The statement comes after Carlsen withdrew from the 2022 Sinquefield Cup in St. Louis after his third round defeat against Niemann, a loss that ended Carlsen’s 53-match unbeaten streak. He then subsequently chose to withdraw while playing the American after making just one move during the Julius Baer Generation Cup on September 20.
Carlsen openly accused Niemann of cheating for the first time in Monday’s statement, claiming that the 19-year-old’s progress in over the board chess–chess that is played face to face–has been “unusual.