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The great chess drama of 2022 saw a new wrinkle this afternoon after Magnus Carlsen made a dramatic show of playing one move against Hans Niemann in a streamed online match as part of the Julius Baer Generation Cup before turning his camera off and resigning. To many, the move was essentially perceived as a signal that Carlsen refused to play against Niemann.
Another shocker as
MagnusCarlsen</a> simply resigns on move 2 vs. <a href="https://twitter.com/HansMokeNiemann?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">HansMokeNiemann! https://t.co/2fpx8lplTI#ChessChamps #JuliusBaerGenerationCup pic.twitter.com/5PO7kdZFOZ— chess24.com (@chess24com) September 19, 2022
For context, a brief summary of the events that led up to this point begins several weeks ago when the number 1 player in the world, Carlsen (a grandmaster on a two-year unbeaten streak), faced Hans Niemann (a good player but a significant underdog) in a St. Louis invitational tournament. Carlsen ultimately lost, withdrew from the tournament and made a tweet insinuating foul play on Niemann's part.
Niemann admitted to cheating in online matches in the past but insisted he'd never cheated in a face-to-face match with his opponent. The controversy sent the chess world into a frenzy, and an outlandish theory implying Niemann somehow cheated using anal beads drew the more casual fan's attention. Still, there is no proof Niemann cheated in that match, and Niemann offered to "play naked" if that was what it took to prove he was playing clean.
Today's match marked the first time the two squared off since the drama unfolded, and because it was an online match, it could be streamed by various chess channels online. Niemann, playing white, opened by moving his queen pawn two spaces forward. Carlsen moved a knight out, then Niemann brought another pawn forward two spaces. Carlsen then resigned and shut off his webcam.
The move was largely interpreted as Carlsen outright refusing to play Niemann and resigning in protest. After Carlsen whipped the chess world into a frenzy with his accusatory but non-specific tweet, fans seemed ready to believe that he was in the right in this situation and that Niemann did something nefarious in their previous meeting.
However, Carlsen's actions today angered viewers who began demanding some proof or at least a concrete accusation lobbied towards Niemann's way. Some argued that Carlsen's antics were an attempt to devastate Niemann's ability to compete by insinuating he is a cheater without offering evidence or a statement to back it up.
Magnus Carlsen is trying to end Hans Niemann 's career in a way that makes it impossible for HN to defend himself. The burden of proof must lie with the prosecution, otherwise the accused finds himself in a kafkaian nightmare, unfair and unescapable. This is simply not right.
— Archie (@archie_lock) September 19, 2022
This needs to be resolved.@MagnusCarlsen is acting like a brat at this point.
If he is so offended by hans for what ever reason it may be, he needs to give some insight to the chess community.
Or suck it up.
This is ridiculous. https://t.co/YEeUEW8JaR— NoBody³³º¹ (@aarostew) September 19, 2022
Magnus Carlsen throwing the biggest tantrum in the history of tantrums. What a sore loser. What an embarrassment.
— יואב בן צרויה (@YoiuvBenTzriyu) September 19, 2022
Carlsen may be pressured to come out with a real accusation soon, as his antics continue to amplify a developing chess controversy against Niemann, who, as far as everyone knows, could be playing completely honestly in his matches with Carlsen. That, or their matches, may start having to be watched over by this guy:
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