Caruana, Niemann criticise Chess.com after technical chaos at 2026 Open: 'Chess mafia strikes again'

The online chess playing platform Chess.com is facing criticism yet again after multiple technical issues during their biggest event - the 2026 Chess.com Open (formerly known as the Global Championship). The tournament provides a direct path to the Esports World Cup to top three finishers.

Grandmasters Fabiano Caruana and Hans Niemann are the latest to openly call out the platform after they failed to qualify for the playoffs. The controversy unfolded after several players reported problems related to server disconnections, which had both direct and indirect impacts on results.

Caruana expressed his frustration after being disconnected during a crucial round eight match despite claiming his internet connection was stable. The American was handed a 0-point bye, a decision that ultimately cost him a place in the next stage. He took to social media to describe the incident, saying the system automatically forfeited his game without even applying a time penalty.

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Neimann calls Chess.com 'chess mafia'

Meanwhile, Niemann reacted even more strongly, calling Chess.com the "chess mafia." His comments came after a controversial result involving Nodirbek Abdusattorov, who was awarded a full point after his opponent Maxim Matlakov got disconnected in the ninth and final round despite being in a losing position.

The point proved decisive, as Abdusattorov finished level on points with Wesley So and Niemann with 7 points each. However, only Abdusattorov and So advanced to a playoff for qualification because of superior tie-break scores, where the Uzbek player secured his spot with a win and a draw. This meant that Niemann was out of contention.

This is not the first time Chess.com has received criticism over the fair conduct of online games on its platform. Their Titled Tuesday event has been in constant news over server lags and technical issues despite good internet connections on the players' side.