'Magnus Carlsen cheated in online chess game on camera': Hans Niemann drops bombshell

Hans Niemann has now turned the tables on Magnus Carlsen, accusing the world No 1 of cheating in an online game on camera. Niemann has claimed that Carlsen won an online game with the help of another Grandmaster who was sitting next to him, and told him about making a move that Magnus had not seen himself.

According to Niemann, who was accused of cheating during an over-the-board game by Carlsen in 2022, the incident was caught on camera and exposed the laxity of cheating rules implemented during the online chess matches.

'Magnus actually cheated online': Niemann 

The 22-year-old American Grandmaster Niemann made the sensational claim on The Peter McCormack Show. While reflecting on the cheating accusations against him and how his detractors tried to "ruin" his life, Niemann revealed that Magnus was also once caught cheating on camera.

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He claimed that Carlsen was streaming an online game which had prize money at stake, and went on to win with the help of another Grandmaster.

“Magnus actually cheated online on camera. This is actually quite funny," Hans Niemann said on The Peter McCormack Show.

"He was streaming an online tournament — a prize money event. Next to him was another Grandmaster, and the Grandmaster said: ‘Make that move.’ But Magnus didn’t see that move… And then he made that move and won the game.

That’s like… if I did that — I’d be banned. When you’re playing, you’re playing on your own. As soon as the grandmaster told him the move, he should have resigned the game and lost."

Niemann also said that, beyond the on-camera cheating, Magnus’ actions expose how unserious online chess can be.

"But what did he do? He made the move and won the game. He just cheated on camera! If that does not show you how unserious online chess is — that the World Champion is comfortable cheating on camera… I mean, if someone else tells you a move in an in-person event — you’re banned!

"In in-person tournaments, you’re not even allowed to talk to other players…”

Niemann did not reveal which exact match or event he was talking about.

Going back to 2022, after being accused of cheating, Niemann had filed a lawsuit against Carlsen and others, which was later settled outside the court. While Niemann admitted to cheating during online games in the past, he claimed to have never cheated during over-the-board games.

The cheating accusations against him were never proven.

Netflix also recently released a documentary on the 2022 chess cheating scandal that we have reviewed here.