Netflix's Chess Mates review: Carlsen shock, ‘anal beads’ conspiracy and Niemann’s ‘stone cold killer’ prophecy

The wait is finally over. Untold: Chess Mates, the highly-anticipated documentary on the 2022 cheating scandal, is now streaming on Netflix after its release on Tuesday, 7 April.

The latest entry into the US streaming giant’s ‘Untold’ series has had quite the build-up ever since it was first announced back in February, with controversial American Grandmaster Hans Niemann having boldly proclaimed at the time that “truth, reckoning, and revolution” were upon us.

Niemann, of course, is at the heart of the Netflix documentary that spans an hour and 15 minutes and is directed by Thomas Tancred. Alongside, of course, world No 1 Magnus Carlsen, the other central character in what is arguably the biggest controversy in chess history who had accused Niemann of cheating during the 2022 Sinquefield Cup.

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Little information beyond what already is well-established

It is a well-directed and gripping take on one of the darkest chapters in chess history. One that will appeal to chess fans as well as those who either follow the sport casually or have little to no knowledge about it, and are simply looking for some quality entertainment on the platform.

At the same time, it offers little information beyond what we already know about the Sinquefield Cup and what unfolded afterwards. Whether it is Niemann’s last-minute introduction into the prestigious event as a replacement player and Carlsen’s abrupt decision to withdraw from the tournament after his shock third-round loss at the hands of the feisty young American, or the 100-million-dollar lawsuit that followed.

And one major takeaway from the documentary is the admission of Chess.com co-founders and senior executives Danny Rensch and Erik Allebest that they were not able to prove the cheating allegations against Niemann in the Sinquefield Cup, much to the dismay of Carlsen. The fact had already been well established in the past, but is simply being presented to a much bigger audience on a mainstream entertainment platform.

What the documentary does provide, however, are the reactions to the fallout of the scandal, especially the rumour of Niemann using ‘anal beads’ to cheat in his third-round meeting with Carlsen, and his perspective on how his life changed forever after his stunning victory over the five-time world champion.

“Every conversation I have about chess leads to anal beads,” Niemann says in the documentary, reflecting on the transformation of his image within the chess community and in the media since late 2022.

At the same time, the documentary also attempts to provide an explanation as to why Niemann found himself in the spotlight for the wrong reasons. Whether it was his over-the-top, foul-mouthed personality that he had adopted in his streaming sessions during the Covid pandemic, which irked established players such as Hikaru Nakamura (also featured in the documentary) and Carlsen, or his history of cheating in online games.

Niemann, after all, has provided a rough estimate on the number of online games that he has cheated in during his childhood and teenage years – nine games around the age of “12 or 13” and “20 to 30” at the age of 16.

And while the ‘Chess Mates’ episode sheds light on the backgrounds of both Carlsen and Niemann, it is the latter’s story that somewhat presents him as the underdog in the story – a rebel from an early age who had chosen to live in a metropolis like New York City all by himself and grew up playing street chess at Washington Park in Manhattan, which could explain his brash personality and his tendency to put up a fight with the biggest of names.

Untold: Chess Mates features Chess.com co-founders Danny Rensch and Erik Allebest and explores their relationship with Hans Niemann. Image credit: Netflix

And what many might not know, even within the chess fraternity, is the relationship between Chess.com’s ‘Chief Chess Officer’ Rensch and Niemann – the former being named in the lawsuit along with Carlsen, Nakamura and others. The documentary provides an interesting perspective on how Rensch was something of a mentor to the teenager, who was seen as a rising star at the time, and the eventual breakdown in their relations as time went by.

A ‘stone cold killer’ till eternity

The decision for the documentary to conclude with Carlsen and Niemann’s semi-final showdown at the 2024 World Speed Chess Championships in Paris – their first meeting since the Sinquefield scandal – is also interesting.

There is little doubt about the hype surrounding this showdown and that it is among the most talked-about games of chess in recent memory. But the story of Carlsen vs Niemann and their heated rivalry did not end there, especially considering their dramatic showdown at the 2025 World Rapid and Blitz Championships in New York City, Niemann’s adopted hometown, as well as the barbs that these two have exchanged with one another on social media since then.

The documentary, however, does end with an interesting quote from Niemann, which he would like to believe is prophetic.

“I’m gonna be a stone cold killer the rest of my life. I’m going to become the best player in the world. And no one is going to believe that now, but this clip will play over and over again ⁠in 10 years — just wait.

“I just cannot wait for Magnus, when he’s old and dishevelled, and going further deep into his insanity and I’m going to be young, and improving, and he’s gonna have to watch it.”

Can’t wait to find out if there’s a sequel to this story and Niemann’s prophecy does indeed play out the way he hopes.