Netflix UNTOLD 2025 will take a look at exactly this – the chess cheating scandal Carlsen – Niemann. “All-new films for UNTOLD are coming in 2025 — including the 2009 locker room gun incident between Washington Wizards players Gilbert Arenas and Javaris Crittenton; the chess grandmaster cheating scandal; and the Liver King’s steroid scandal,” says the official announcement of Netflix.

The timeline of events related to the Carlsen – Niemann case:

See also: GothamChess explosive interview with Hans Niemann / GothamChess interview with Magnus Carlsen / Carlsen – Niemann SCC is the Yusuf Dikec of chess

Replay: Anish Giri reveals moves of the “Beach Game” between Niemann and Carlsen

Upcoming: Chess Olympiad 2024 live games / Live blog / Participants open / Participants women / All news about Chess Olympiad 2024 / On Twitter/X here

Follow the live games, with live video and analysis here on Chessdom.com

The timeline of events related to the Carlsen – Niemann case:

GothamChess brought the first image of the 4 players at Speed Chess Championship 2024 together. In a modern studio, Carlsen, Niemann, Nakamura, and Firouzja are preparing for the show. Tarjei Svensen speculates this can be the second most seen chess event of the year and it might very well be. Especially if Chess.com’s alleged base of 180 million users gets activated. Numbers lower than “in the millions” will be regarded as failure. Live games here starting Septermber 6

Replay: Anish Giri reveals moves of the “Beach Game” between Niemann and Carlsen

Carlsen – Niemann repeats the pattern of Yusuf Dikec. The cheating allegations took the internet by storm in September 2022 (scroll down for the full story below, yes, including Elon Musk!). Now they meet in the Paris Speed Chess Championship SCC semi-final, a match that has the very special electric charge that the chess audience wants. Yet, chances are everyone will follow the semi-final and almost no one will care who gets the gold in the next round.

Carlsen – Niemann SCC 2024 live here

GM Magnus Carlsen qualified for the Speed Chess Championship 2024 Semifinals, live in Paris on September 6, after defeating GM Arjun Erigaisi with a 12-9 score. He will play GM Hans Niemann in the next match, the first time they will meet for a game in-person since 2022. GM Hans Niemann has surged to number 16 in the world on the live rating list after a series of matches he’s organized entitled “Hans Niemann Against The World.”

The timeline of events related to the Carlsen – Niemann case:

SCC Paris 2024 schedule

Sep 6, 2024

Hikaru Nakamura vs Alireza Firouzja — Live from Paris 7:00 PM GMT+5

Sep 6, 2024

Magnus Carlsen vs Hans Niemann — Live from Paris 11:00 PM GMT+5

Sep 7, 2024

Consolation (3rd place match) — Live from Paris 9:00 PM GMT+5

Sep 8, 2024

Title Match — Live from Paris 9:00 PM GMT+5

Top grandmasters and chess journalists asked FIDE to react on the case. Hikaru Nakamura and Daniel Naroditsky concluded on the stream that it’s very tricky that online chess platforms for playing don’t have any agreements with FIDE, and that there should be clear communication between the main online servers and FIDE on the matter of cheating. English chess master Leonard Barden, The Guardian’s chess columnist, asked FIDE to step in, while GM Nigel Davies stated that the FIDE Ethics Commission should act if Carlsen does not give a public statement on the case. FIDE Director General Emil Sutovsky said that FIDE is concerned about recent developments of Carlsen – Niemann case and confirmed that FIDE will publish the official statement on the case.

After publishing the official statement, the FIDE Fair Play commission updated the public on the case. In the statement published today, FIDE Fair Play Commission informs that the FPL unanimously adopted the 30-page report on the Carlsen/Niemann incident and forwarded it to the FIDE Ethics and Disciplinary Commission for further consideration. The content of the report will stay confidential to protect the procedure itself and all interested parties.

The full statement by the FIDE Fair Play Commission:

On February 17, the Fair Play Commission (FPL) unanimously adopted the report on the Carslen/Niemann incident drafted by the Panel tasked with investigating the case, composed of Klaus Deventer (chair), Vincent Geeraets and Salomeja Zaksaite.

On February 20, the 30-page report was forwarded to the Ethics and Disciplinary Commission (EC) for further consideration. 

EDC’s nominated panel will assess the FPL’s findings and reach a decision on the case within six weeks.

Pursuant to Art. 5 of the EDC Procedural Rules, until a decision is made, the contents of the Report shall be kept confidential to protect the procedure itself and all interested parties. Until then, no further comment on the matter shall be released by any FPL, EDC member, or any other FIDE official.

Magnus Carlsen was asked whether the fact that this is the last time he is appearing in the World Rapid and Blitz as the world champion in classical chess has any impact on how he approaches this event. “These championships have been very important for me for a decade, and they will continue to be an event to enjoy and covering for. I am always on the hunt for more titles and wins, and that will not change in the future regardless of the classical championship.”

Carlsen was also asked if he would play against Hans Niemann if the two were paired. “I don’t have an answer. I understand it’s a question that people want an answer to, but I hope you can understand I can’t answer it.”

Speaking about the recent rise in the popularity of chess, Carlsen noted the impact the coronavirus pandemic has had on forcing people to stay indoors, but he also pointed to the rising awareness of mental health and the role chess can play in improving it: “Across many societies, there’s an emphasis on having not only a healthy body and a healthy mind and chess is quite suitable.”

Carlsen was asked if chess players work with mental coaches. “I never felt the need. I feel like I usually understand the reasons for my successes and failures. I haven’t felt the need to speak to professionals. I have people in my life I can talk to about these matters”, said Carlsen.

“People who work with me work hard so I can work less and focus more on the games. I think about chess all the time – I visualise the games and think about the ways I can improve. There is not a lot of deliberate practice or something that people perceive as work. I never wanted a classic nine-to-five job, and I don’t think I can ever treat chess as this… I think my way goes to show that there are several ways to obtain a goal.”

The world champion was also asked what the biggest lesson chess is has taught him. “Chess has taught me that spending a lot of time on chess will make you good at it. Everything is not necessarily transferable. The most helpful thing I learnt from chess is to make good decisions on incomplete data in a limited amount of time.”

There have been many good Kazakhstani players of the past, Carlsen noted. “One of the early good victories was against Evgeniy Vladimirov, who was a very strong player in the 1980s and 1990s and notable as Kasparov’s coach… Zhansaya Abdumalik is one of the best female players in the world. There are some strong young players. For now, there has been more success for Uzbekistan, your neighbours, but I’m sure that’s motivating for the youngsters here.”

He also spoke about other board games: “I am fascinated by other board games, especially the Japanese game shogi. As for go, I don’t know much about the game. I understand that it’s insanely complex. It’s more of a pure game than chess because the rules are simple and clear, and yet the game itself is so complicated. I’m used to playing chess, so I feel that it is more interesting because the pieces have different qualities. Chess has been around for a long time, and it’s still far from being figured out by us humans. It’s a wonderful game”.

The final question of the press conference was asked by a four-year-old. As usual, kids at that age ask questions which sound so simple but are very difficult. The question: How to become a world champion? Carlsen’s response? “Very easy, you just have to defeat the previous world champion!”

Replay the press conference here

Text: Milan Dinic
Photos: Lennart Ootes

While the Carlsen-Niemann Investigatory Panel has been working very hard in the past few weeks, the investigation is not yet completed. This is due to the complexity of the matter at hand, which requires the Investigatory Panel to search for and analyze all relevant evidence, and also to consult with external experts where needed.

The IP cannot disclose the content and interim outcome of its efforts; however, the Fair Play Commission wants to reassure all interested parties and the chess community that the IP is committed to its work and that constant progress is being made. The final report will be published as soon as technically possible.

The timetable of happenings related to the Carlsen – Niemann case: