– The WC will certainly be a new dimension in the conflict, says chess expert Torstein Bae about the news-broadcast championship which starts on 26 December. Both American Hans Niemann and Magnus Carlsen are registered there. The conflict between the two has become a hot topic of conversation in the chess community after the latter made accusations of cheating against the 19-year-old in September. – They are absolutely arch-enemies, says the news expert. Chess expert on TV 2, Maud Rødsmoen, believes there will be a tense atmosphere in the WC venue. Niemann has sued Carlsen, among others, for damaging his reputation and career. He demands at least 100 million dollars, which corresponds to over one billion kroner at today’s exchange rate. RIVAL: Hans Niemann has in a short time become Magnus Carlsen’s main enemy across the chessboard. Photo: TIM VIZER / AFP – You can probably notice an ice front between some participants, because I think that several in this lawsuit do not have a particularly good relationship with Niemann. And Niemann doesn’t think particularly highly of them either, she says. Timeline of the chess brawl between Carlsen and Niemann Magnus Carlsen and Hans Niemann are at the center of a harrowing chess conflict. Here is a look back at the most important events: September 4: Carlsen loses to Niemann in the third round of the Sinquefield Cup in American St. Louis. 5 September: Carlsen announces on Twitter that he is withdrawing from the Sinquefield Cup. In the message, he attaches a video in which football manager José Mourinho says in an interview: “If I say something, I’m in trouble.” It was interpreted as Carlsen implying that Niemann had cheated. September 9: Niemann is banned from Chess.com. Niemann denies that he used illegal means against Carlsen, but admits that he cheated on the website when he was 12 and 16 years old. 10 September: The head judge in the Sinquefield Cup chess tournament says that nothing has been uncovered that could indicate that cheating has taken place during this year’s tournament. 19 September: Carlsen gives up after two moves against Niemann in this year’s seventh Champions Chess Tour tournament. September 21st. Carlsen speaks out for the first time about the chess row. He will neither confirm nor deny the cheating rumours. In the interview, he also sends a jab at Niemann’s mentor, Maxim Dlugy. 23 September: Chess player Jan Nepomnjashchij states in a podcast that he warned Niemann before the Sinquefield Cup, the tournament Carlsen withdrew from. 23 September: The International Chess Federation (FIDE) criticizes Carlsen’s behavior in recent weeks. 25 September: Carlsen announces that he will make a statement about Niemann after this year’s seventh Champions Chess Tour tournament. 26 September: In a written statement, Carlsen accuses Niemann of having cheated more times and more recently than he has admitted. He also writes that he does not want to play against Niemann again. 29 September: Fide establishes an investigation into Carlsen and Niemann. Niemann is being investigated for possible cheating, Carlsen for possible false accusations. October 5: The Wall Street Journal publishes an article that an investigation by Chess.com shows that Niemann “probably cheated” in over 100 chess games. The report alleges that Niemann cheated for the Norwegian chess team “Norway Gnomes” in the Pro Chess League in 2020. October 6: Niemann states after the Chess.com report that his chess “speaks for itself” and implies that he did not cheat. 6 October: Norway’s chess president, Joachim Birger Nilsen, admits to news that he also cheated for “Norway Gnomes” during the Pro Chess League in the 2016/17 season. 7 October: Nilsen resigns as chess president. 11 October: Niemann mentor Maxim Dlugy describes Carlsen’s statements in his first interview as “defamatory accusations”. 13 October: Dlugy announces a lawsuit against Carlsen. 20 October: Niemann sues Carlsen and asks for at least 100 million dollars for tort and injury. The sum corresponds to NOK 1.07 billion at today’s exchange rate. The American is also taking legal action against Daniel Rensch and Hikaru Nakamura as well as the companies Play Magnus Group and Chess.com. 24 October: Carlsen speaks for the first time after the lawsuit. He says he wants to focus on chess before the Fischer Chess World Cup. 25 October: Play Magnus Group states that they are surprised by Niemann’s lawsuit and that they do not believe there is any basis for the accusations. (NTB) Will Carlsen sacrifice the WC gold? Carlsen has made it clear that he refuses to play against Niemann. The last time they met in a tournament, the Norwegian lost on purpose after two moves. During the Blitz and Rapid Chess World Championships, both Carlsen’s and Niemann’s names are on the participant lists. What does the Norwegian do if they are again drawn against each other? That is the question the chess world is now asking itself. The experts believe that the 32-year-old can refrain from showing up to a possible party. It could cost him dearly in the fight for a World Cup title. – The big question is whether Magnus loses again on purpose, and thus presumably gives away the gold, Bae believes. If Carlsen were to withdraw and lose, it would be the first time in history that someone is willing to often win a WC gold to demonstrate a point, according to Bae. Carlsen has won the WC in rapid chess four times and three times in blitz chess. Last year he was unable to defend any of the titles, when Maxime Vachier-Lagrave and Nodirbek Abdusattorov went to the top in 2021. According to Bae, Carlsen is not so superior that he can afford to give away a point on a matter of principle. But the world number one from Norway is not known to budge on demands, and the chess expert is afraid that the outcome will be that Carlsen refuses to play. – It is certainly not something we can rule out, that he chooses to stand his ground and not play against what he believes to be a cheating pope. And therefore lose that party on purpose, regardless of whether it costs him dearly, says Bae. news has contacted Carlsen’s manager, Henrik Carlsen, in connection with this article, but has not yet received a reply. CHESS EXPERT: Torstein Bae. Photo: Lars Bryne / news Thinks Carlsen will pressure the organizers Rødsmoen believes it is problematic if players refuse to meet each other, and fears that a long-awaited duel between Carlsen and Niemann will be an anti-climax. She thinks the entire chess world is sitting and hoping that the two arch-enemies do not meet in space Christmas. – I think Magnus can sacrifice a possible title to keep his word, says Rødsmoen. – It is difficult to imagine how Magnus will keep his word that he will never play against him again. So it will be very exciting, she adds. The TV 2 expert believes that it is all a matter of principle for Carlsen. She thinks it could be positive for his cause if he refuses to play and it costs him a world title. – Tournament organizers may think that now the best in the world will not win because we have invited Niemann. Maybe they stop inviting Niemann because they have invited Magnus, and that leads to dilemmas and a bad atmosphere. By sticking to his principles in that way, he can influence Niemann’s invitations later. – Do you think that is Magnus’ intention? – Yes, I think it could be one of his desired effects. He believes that Niemann is cheating, and thinks that the chess community should ban him in a way. By not inviting him, it is a form of exclusion, concludes Rødsmoen. You can follow Carlsen and Niemann in the WC in blitz and rapid chess on news between 26 and 30 December.
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– Carlsen can sacrifice the title to keep his word – news Sport – Sports news, results and broadcasting schedule
