Chesscom hits back at Niemann after 'joke' remark on proctor system: 'Hey Hans, chess mafia here!'

Chesscom has responded to criticism from American Grandmaster Hans Niemann after he complained about technical issues during a recent Titled Tuesday event.

Niemann had taken to social media this week, calling the platform’s proctor system a "joke" after he received a 0-point bye in the opening round of an Esports World Cup (EWC) qualifier. He claimed that nothing was loading properly and that repeated attempts to join the game failed due to lag.

"Chess mafia proctor is such a joke 0 point bye first round. Absolutely intolerable, will try to comeback. I hope it’s just a coincidence, nothing would load, then I clicked join 10 times and nothing worked," Niemann wrote on X.

Chesscom responds to Niemann's accusations

In response, Chesscom’s support account issued a detailed clarification, suggesting that the issue was likely due to Niemann’s internet connection rather than any fault with the platform.

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“Hey Hans, chess mafia here! We always take these concerns seriously,” the platform said in a post. “Your internet connection here was almost certainly the culprit. We see that you were on a mobile connection with high latency and low bandwidth,” Chesscom tweeted.

Niemann eventually managed to play three rounds in the tournament but left early, finishing with just one point and placing 343rd overall.

This latest exchange adds another chapter to the tense history between Niemann and Chesscom. The two were previously involved in a high-profile dispute in 2022, which also included five-time world champion Magnus Carlsen and world No. 2 Hikaru Nakamura.

The controversy began after Niemann defeated Carlsen at the Sinquefield Cup, leading to cheating allegations and a series of actions, including Niemann being banned from Chesscom. The platform later released a report claiming he had likely cheated in more than 100 online games earlier in his career.

Niemann responded by filing a $100 million defamation lawsuit against Carlsen, Chesscom, and Nakamura. The case was eventually resolved through a private settlement in August 2023, which saw Niemann reinstated on the platform.