Niemann: I Have NEVER Cheated Over The Board | Round 5

[@smolx7571]

Big props for Jack Harlow stepping outside his comfort zone in rapping and taking up chess, CONGRATS TO THE LAD! A legend in both genres

[@maido4731]

Jake Harlow💀💀💀💀. Ngl tho he looks like him.

[@Yuhugg]

😂

[@ra2186]

LMAO

[@Crestalus]

💀💀

[@Eanicus]

😂

[@imnotftw]

Props to the event organisers or whoever allowed Hans to give this interview and speak his side. A lot of places wouldn't give him the platform for fear of backlash. Open discussion should *always* be encouraged.

[@JohnS-il1dr]

I wish college campuses would afford the same platform to the opposing viewpoints instead of banning them completely

[@georgecostantin8787]

Yes but it would be good if other super GM-s can talk about Hans' great Hans performance and give insights:) For now only that we know are results and that Hans is playing unbeatable chess. His moves are not brilliant but for now as I understand he did not allow any chance of victory to his opponents. Back to the candidates, Nepo could lost to Hikaru if Hikaru have time and precision but Nepo pull out draw. So WCC title contender give chances to his opponent to beat him if they 100% precise but Hans is currently above that. I think this is problem and that is reason way so many sublime messages from super GM-s what they think about Hans.

[@kasperh.s2066]

is it really a discussion? Not just throwing accusaion with no way of proving anything.

[@yobro2512]

Hes very obviously not genuine and needs to be ostracized from the community

[@imnotftw]

@@JohnS-il1dr Yes. A good teaching institution would welcome people with alternate views and challenge their students to debate them well. Unfortunately that's not what happens.

[@brendanjdarcy1]

One of the best interviews ever well done SLCC for arranging this and giving the kid a chance to defend against more powerful (and to this point silent) people

[@nishantanand3427]

1> known history of cheating 2> meteoric rise 3 > playing strength vs analysis strength difference 4> loud mouth on top of that , magnus would be well within his rights to make a personal choice of not competing against hans if he suspects any thing

[@CryptoKey98]

@@nishantanand3427 And yet you still provided 0 evidence that he cheated in this tournament. I respect due process instead of taking the drama bait and raising my pitch fork.

[@mambaforever9593]

@Parlay how did he cheat?

[@speculator9572]

Just listen to his analysis after the game against alireza. He didn't understand the moves he played. They turned off the engine on purpose, in order to examinate the depth of his analysis, and he hugely misvaluated the positions, suggesting terribile lines like 20 ... g5, 21 h4 where white loses immediately. I've never listen to such a poor analysis by a GM. He tried to compensate his lack of calculation by saying phrases like: "I don't need to show variations", "this is just pure domination" "Come on, I wasn't the one holding", "I don't see a universe where this is holdable (when engine says - 0.3)". This is not analysis. This is a raving inflated ego

[@lonewolf6327]

@Parlay Peer evolution is not the best judge and jury. That's the most ridiculous statement ever made... Objective truth and facts are the best judge and jury. Mobs historically were never good judges.

[@JerkyJones100]

I watched this live and the chat was going CRAZY!!! It was amazing! Most people were rooting for Hans after he opened up and explained himself. He definitely earned my respect.

[@TheSuperF21]

Yes, the "Go Hans

[@luisitodelacruz4601]

SUE HIKARU

[@kirksneckchop7873]

Yes, I can respect someone who admits their mistakes and then is clearly haunted by them and filled with regret.

[@blalithkumar6435]

@@TheSuperF21 Lets go Hansssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss

[@blogintonblakley2708]

He's definitely a person who has shown a willingness to cheat. That's a pretty serious character flaw for a professional game player. Because it hurts all the other players. Showing regret is all well and good. What else could he do? Doesn't protect him from the reputation he earned himself.

[@alien5270]

A compelling, heartfelt defense. I'm inclined to believe him. Accusations without proof is a dangerous precedent for the game.

[@josephpeeler5434]

Because you are naive. This cretin has already been caught cheating twice online.

[@Tarotainment]

Courts use character witnesses

[@mattdemon5625]

@@Tarotainment the lowest form of evidence

[@shinzontheta]

Compare the success of similarly rated players in classical and you will start to see why people are suspicious.

[@terminator6505]

He’s underrated he’s improved a lot during COVID

[@Kubooxooki]

Peter Svidler is a such a decent human. Great words at the end. And Hans, wow. Just wow! Bravo for your courage, and for that passionate message.

[@jadiellima8922]

the least Svidler have ever spoke, and it was really nice

[@ndnd7614]

So if I speak passionately suddenly I’m correct? Magnus withdrew for a good reason and we all know why.

[@AlejandroFernandez05]

@@ndnd7614 But there is no proof, so nobody can state anything with any certainty

[@jadiellima8922]

@@AlejandroFernandez05 yeah it’s more about the possibility that we all could have been screwing someone’s reputation for no reason

[@acpliego]

Exactly, wow Hans

[@TSCBroken]

Alejandro was brilliant to let him go on and not interrupt, even when he was stumbling or rambling. Brilliant by St Louis to allow this.

[@SuperFloydTT]

This interview is history in the making

[@edwincollins5847]

Yea it really is going to be haha. Witness to history

[@TheJesseWu]

True

[@djuri1985]

Hope you're right.

[@MillionaireMikey]

WHERE YOU AT HANS NIEMAN CULT???? WHERE YOU AT NOW? GET CAUGHT CHEATER

[@ramachandra776]

Hans does not lack for courage . The onus is on Magnus and others to prove he cheated . This interview will be remembered for a long time , probably the chess interview of the decade . Hans came with gasoline to a fire .

[@birke0079]

i agree with him having courage. Big balls to cheat in a live tournament thats for sure.

[@Misteribel]

Magnus didn’t even say he cheated. It’s what the online community made of it. Why Magnus quit the tournament is anybody’s guess.

[@alkaizercockx6662]

@@birke0079 surely you have proof when making such accusations? but wait, who am I kidding? we are on the internet, you can say whatever you want and have no consequences for it.

[@harnageaa]

@@alkaizercockx6662 exactly, that'\s why internet is powerful and scary, it's cool that u can say whatever u want with zero consequences, but other times, what you say is basically destroying someone else career (with zero consequences), truly double edge sword

[@ChocolateMilk..]

@@alkaizercockx6662 It's called freedom of speech.

[@Adhi7803]

Hans,More power to you man,Being a 19 year old and Going through all this,All power to you🚀🔥❤️

[@jonadam4233]

How well will your kind words age once the truth comes out?

[@Adhi7803]

@@jonadam4233 let's what's the truth,Till this point of time,People are judging only on his past things, there's no certain proof that he cheated against Magnus.Let them bring the proof on,Then let's see✌️

[@kaustubhgarg9662]

@@jonadam4233 the truth is Hans broke Magnus

[@mh.7351]

​@@kaustubhgarg9662 You mean Magnus, Magnus's ego and Magnus's ankles.

[@CARPB147]

@@jonadam4233 There is ZERO evidence that he "cheated" with Carlsen. ZERO. As far as Carlsen, put up or shut up (and did you notice he clearly did shut up without making an outright accusation?). Maybe he retired for personal reasons, but I hope it wasn't for the poor sportmanship of a sore loser.

[@kmbm23]

Alejandro is soo good at just staying silent in an interview. Props to him

[@DragisaBoca]

Indeed, a complete pro.

[@lukeGGlee]

He lets the chess speaks for itself

[@AgnaktoreX]

well thats partly because Hans is really good at not staying silent

[@bowserlopez6656]

that's because Hans requested that

[@FunkyTR]

the polar opposite of Gotham Chess...

[@samlee3355]

OMG, if he was cheating, that interview has got to be the greatest acting job in recorded history! It really had the ring of truth. Poor kid, to get defamed and slandered, without any hard evidence, by your heroes, after the greatest game of your life. Then to have 90% of the chess social media world jump on him, based on insinuations by probably the two most influential individuals in the chess world. Kudos to SLCC for broadcasting this interview, and to Hans for standing up eloquently for himself. Hope this interview starts reversing the tide of opinion against him.

[@MrVannspreder]

I agree with everything you said except the "eloquent" part. It was heartfelt and seemingly honest, but not eloquent. His oral skills and vocabulary is poor considering English is his native language.

[@glachillaxsoundchannel9014]

@@MrVannspreder Well hey, his vocabulary speaks for itself.

[@CallmeTomorrow65]

The tide of opinion should have always been in his favour from the very beginning.

[@jetwash13]

@@MrVannspreder You must not have met many native English speakers.

[@dexio8601]

@@CallmeTomorrow65 Had he not had a history of cheating it would have....

[@kapildahal3490]

8:18 is where it starts the real interview. Hats off to you hans. You gained my respect.

[@calmsimon]

W for the time stamp🫡

[@shafip]

Thanks

[@dwightPhoenix]

You're skipping the Analysis tho

[@shafip]

@@dwightPhoenix he is taking us directly to han's opinion s

[@dwightPhoenix]

@@shafip Yeah. But its just that the analyisis. Is an important part of Hans showing he can do his thing.

[@Holland_Oates]

Heart felt interview. I'm a Hans fan from now on. His life is chess, and his dedication for the past 2 years have shown that.

[@pudgypenguin4614]

Heart felt interview. I'm a Lance fan from now on. His life is cycling, and his dedication for the past 20 years have shown that.

[@edrushhh]

Yeah I was not sure about it but like him a lot now. Was open, wanted to clarified everything, that’s the sign of a man telling the truth

[@Morphysince94]

@@edrushhh you don't work for the police, do you? I MEAN NOT EVEN CLOSE, IS IT?

[@laizerwoolf]

Heart felt interview. I'm an Elon fan from now on. His life is business, and his dedication for the past 27 years have shown that.

[@Patatmetmayo]

@@pudgypenguin4614 Big difference, Lance is known to have cheated during the biggest cycling competition in the world, like most of his colleagues and competitors did back then. Hans cheated in some unranked meaningless online chess games when he was 16 years old, which he got punished for and he clearly regrets doing.

[@zonza73]

So proud of SLCC for having the balls and the ethics to let this guy stand up for himself on their channel. He deserves this rebuttal. It's a bit sad this has to be done in a public forum, but it does and so, thank you for letting the other guy speak for himself.

[@jpersonen98]

He's a public figure. This should be done in public.

[@Ianthe22]

You are insane. Most of the pros are baffled about what he is saying in this interview. It makes him look worse.

[@WhatAMagician]

its called giving someone rope to hang themselves. This interview makes him look more guilty even if he is not.

[@anothergol]

_rebuttal_ ... how clever

[@JimBalter]

@@Ianthe22 has no idea what he's talking about. This isn't even the interview those guys were referring to.

[@cuzitswhatitis]

Thank you Peter for sticking up for.Hans. You were always one of the real ones.

[@lazycalc2533]

Hans Niemann has done something that a lot of us think about doing, but never have the nerve to actually do it. To fully go all in on that one thing that you are truly passionate about, burning the ships to a past life and way of living. Incredible. This kid is fascinating and it's gonna be so much fun watching his progression moving forward.

[@schwarzcronnok102]

Well many don't have the money to do it. Its quite rough to put all your life into one things that doesn't pay you the bills and food. On top of this you can't ever be sure it pays off at any point of your life.

[@nickmoore5105]

@@schwarzcronnok102 that’s why it’s hard and deserves respect

[@schwarzcronnok102]

@@nickmoore5105 Well many get the money of their parents. That doesnt deserve any respect. At least in germany folk gets rich by inheriting what others worked for. The hard work the individual puts into this to get the title, that deserves respect and nothing else.

[@CFLsurfr]

@@schwarzcronnok102 well said

[@TheUmangTarang]

This guy is definitely entertaining to watch, may be even more than Magnus 🌝

[@sriharshakoribille9194]

11:11 Kudos to Alejandro for having to do the toughest job right now of asking about this incident and facing Hans's frustration..

[@mookosh]

Kudos to Hans for doing the toughest job right now, playing good chess while the entire internet calls you a cheater.

[@kenm5159]

You could tell Alejandro's demeanor towards Hans changed midway in comparison to previous days

[@Morphysince94]

@@kenm5159 it was more like Hans, you get all the space, you have the whole stage, show us what were you thinking. It's just as simple as that.

[@backacha1]

Kudos to you for time stamping

[@prakyathprakash5180]

Kudos to u for the timestamp. 👍🏽

[@AdwaitPurandare]

“This needs to be how this broadcast ends because we are not adding any value to what Hans said here”

[@youknowwho9983]

Big time!!

[@JM-et1jk]

Not only Alireza , almost all great attacking players Alexander A, Tal, A Tolush , Frank M, Morosevich ,Shirov, among others hated being attacked, they did not like defending, they would lose patience and try to resolve the problems with tactics which most of the times failed, they succeeded so much when attacking that they felt the player defending was always bound to lose even if it was them , it’s a philosophical thing , on the other hand strong positional players do not mind being attacked, Capa, Lasker,Akiba R, Karpov, Petrosian and Smyslov are good examples they knew in most cases their opponent would create weaknesses while attacking and they would be able to capitalize on them

[@blizzard2376]

You can’t be good at chess without defense

[@harperlewis_RC]

Super interesting comment.

[@harperlewis_RC]

@@jimlang7461 I think you didn't get the point. It was criticism on a weakness of attacking players.

[@JM-et1jk]

@@blizzard2376 💯 % correct and that is what really separates National masters and International masters from Grand Masters , the ability to really put up a fight in an inferior position and salvage it !

[@x0cx102]

Hikaru I would say is an exception. Very aggressive attacking player in the past but incredibly resourceful defensively in recent memory

[@rossmurray6849]

Accents changing subconsciously to match the current environment is a well-known phenomenon. The actress Gillian Anderson (from The X-files) says it happens to her when she moves between the USA and the UK. Both accents are natural to her after spending the first half of her childhood in the USA and the second half in the UK.

[@deloford]

It happens to me as being half Irish half English, when I lived in Ireland my accent changed to fit in

[@damkmankm3755]

That us pretty normal in other languages, too. Im german for example and if I visit my hometown my local dialect is way more than elsewhere.

[@netzaltali]

Happens to my aunt when she visits us in Australia from Canada.

[@tomsnow2872]

Except it's fake because he doesnt have that accent. Nor is he an actor.

[@alecarg]

I do it very conciously depending on who I'm talking to

[@eternitygigiriri1604]

Kudos to the event organizers for allowing the interviews and also this interview to go in that direction rather than shoving things under the rug. It's good that the conversation got to play its course and that this came out of it as a result.

[@Ken.-]

rug? No need to make fun of his hair.

[@ElEcodelTren]

hey, baby...

[@supasonicg]

I wish I could like this video interview multiple times... Hans, unlike Magnus or Hikaru, many other humans have made mistakes that we are also ashamed of... I know I wasn't 12 or 16 when I made mine. I'm 32 now and I'll without doubt continue making them, I'll always strive to learn from them. Thank you for being vulnerable and admitting your mistakes to the world. Not that I count for anything, but as a non-Magnus/non-Hikaru i.e. a very imperfect human being - you are forgiven. I would have crumbled under such baseless attacks if I was 19; hell, it would be tough for me now. You're not alone.

[@someoneelse293]

magnus and Hikaru need to publicly apologise

[@CARPB147]

@@someoneelse293 Certainly it appears that Hikaru does based on what I hear he has commented on. Carlsen has been prudent to withhold comment and others rushed in to fill the gap. That's others, not Carlsen himself. Carlsen can quit any tournament for any reason whatsoever and not give anyone any explanation. Reasons can be personal. But if he does come out to accuse anyone of malfeasance, he better "have the goods" on the accused or he will be at risk of an expensive and well deserved lawsuit.

[@billj4525]

@@someoneelse293 Well Magnus didn't actually say anything much at all. People are just making assumptions about what he think's. No chance Magnus would apologize in any situation, and I doubt Hikaru will either.

[@rickrick5041]

@@billj4525 Magnus does not need to apologize for accusing Hans because so far he never mentioned Hans. He needs to apologize for his silence while Hans is being crucified

[@hawkslayers1]

Cheating in a sport or life isn’t right everyone that has lived makes mistakes that’s not in question but cheating in chess is a no no excuses it’s the woke culture nobody takes responsibility for they’re action and blames everyone else because something in made them do it pitiful

[@jdklein033]

This interview is going into chess history.

[@jimraynor3767]

No. Not too many people will remember who Hans was 3 years from now.

[@jdklein033]

@@jimraynor3767 I'm not talking about the person, I'm specifically talking about this interview.

[@entercube9014]

@@jimraynor3767 see you in 3 years then we'll see about that

[@aidenhastings6341]

Chess players have a pretty good memory

[@OGbobbyKUSH]

Speaks for itself

[@mr_mr]

That heartfelt statement against a ton of speculation without proof has me believing Hans. It's too much to ruin a guys career unless Magnus is positive and has proof. The world loves Magnus and it's just not right for him to throw that tweet the way he did. He holds too much power to be that careless.

[@juliocadavid6640]

I agree, magnus shouldve thought the consequences of his action. Still i think magnus thought Hans was cheating or something about the prep but then he just regretted and has no idea what to do now. He should apologise

[@nallachen3503]

Magnus has gone megalomaniac. Shame on him

[@rickstrafy4870]

I strongly disagree that he cheated only 2 times, he got caught only 2 times, most time if you use cheats for few moves in a long game because you can't find the way, you just can't get caught because there is no way to tell if you found that best move or used engine, you only get caught if you constantly use top engine moves, and only idiot would do that.

[@jackblack5082]

magnus was sour cause 1 loss to a 2600 rated player set him back a lot of ELO KEKW 2900 ahahahahahah

[@CARPB147]

I believe Niemann. As a teenager anyone can do stupid things. You learn and grow. He was still a minor then. Neimann clearly plays at a 2700 level right now. Firouzja couldn't beat him yesterday even after being checked with all the security they had. He is the real deal. Neimann is 2 days younger than Firouzja too. And "up & coming" Firouzja was even Carlsen's preferred rival for the world championship. Yes, as a child he did a stupid thing, as children can and do often do. Time to cut him a break already. As far as Carlsen, put up or shut up (and he clearly did shut up without making an outright accusation). Maybe he retired for personal reasons, but I hope it wasn't for poor sportmanship of a sore loser.

[@e10_]

I hope Hans is found legit and begin a very successful career in Chess because taking on heavy allegations at 19 isn't easy and he's doing it

[@bluerum896]

even if he's not cheating, he has a huge ego. fakes a deep accent and when he gets excited/emotional, he starts speaking normally. he's very fake

[@JoaoPedro-sb4fh]

@@bluerum896 so he is what chess needs.

[@mars91919]

Does he need to be found legit? If he is not found guilty we should let the matter drop.

[@gp2776]

Difficult to reach the top level in chess without a huge ego :)

[@ludgrob1]

He doesn't need to be proven innocent, he already is until someone comes out with proof of something

[@blantant]

"we are not adding any value to what Hans is saying".. well said.

[@2FadeMusic]

@@3rdrail931 what are you smoking

[@nickmoore5105]

@@3rdrail931 Do you know what a ventriloquist is?

[@ertzor]

Svidler on point as always

[@funkybob7772]

i watched niemann on twitch all the time in 2020. if he evolved that much since then i salute him.

[@funkybob7772]

@Ман ван данн what's the recent development?

[@steelsteez6118]

I love that STL allowed Hans to express himself freely and allow him to say his piece.

[@davidquinn9676]

To be quite honest, Hans would easily have found another outlet if not, and I cannot imagine many organizers would not allow such an interview. It's a widely held view of human rights, not specific to America. StL did what they had to do, no more or less.

[@newt2120]

why would they not

[@yourmum-ue1uy]

you mean they allowed to play the victim.

[@zimbobway3137]

Why wouldn’t they? This is celebrating the absolute bare minimum

[@vic_710]

@@davidquinn9676 lmao ikr, people are going wham in the comments simping for STL cause they gave him a platform. Ofc they're gonna give him a platform idiots, it's good publicity for them

[@praveenrawat6574]

Shoutout my boy Hans, dude was literally bullied by a huge part of chess world and still showed a great fight

[@chessdad182]

I like players that don't cheat online.

[@ritanshusingh8064]

@@chessdad182 Yes, me also, Now I will put allegation that you cheated in a game and now you have to dislike yourself until you prove that you didn't cheat. Now do that

[@ritanshusingh8064]

@Parlay This is why civilizations teach that Half knowledge is dangerous. The site didn't ban him for cheating, it was a ban because of some comment which was not according to guidelines. Also about the fact that he accepted that he cheated, just think of it, he is a chess player and he would have played hundreds of thousands of games, and now cheating in one or two and that too in childhood, and after that accepting that as well only reflects his honesty, I am sure many other great grandmasters would have cheated in their childhood. Magnus is well established player and Hans is just starting, if magnus says something, this can end the entire chess career of a chess player and magnus should not say such things without any proof. You already know how everybody mocked Hans for "chess speaks for itself" and after that he somehow bounced back somehow collecting motivation and after that if we do this to him and if he let's say suicides, who will be responsible for that? Just imagine the pain of whole world mocking you. Disgrace is bigger punishment for many men than death sentence and giving such punishment without any proof doesn't do any justice.

[@CARPB147]

@Parlay I believe Niemann. As a teenager anyone can do stupid things. You learn and grow. He was still a minor back then. He paid his dues. Neimann clearly plays at a 2700 level right now. Firouzja couldn't beat him yesterday even after being checked with all the security they had. He is the real deal. Neimann is 2 days younger than Firouzja too. And "up & coming" Firouzja was even Carlsen's preferred rival for the world championship. Yes, as a child a few years ago he did a stupid thing, as children can and do often do. Time to cut him a break already. As far as Carlsen, put up or shut up (and he clearly did shut up without making an outright accusation). Maybe he retired for personal reasons, but I hope it wasn't for poor sportmanship of a sore loser.

[@farooqmohammed316]

@@CARPB147 it doesn't matter if neimann is younger than 2 days tho. Magnus left for a fear of tilting his classical points.

[@MasterInHD]

That surmount amount of pressure this 19-year-old kid must be feeling is otherworldly. I feel so bad

[@othmanehari3250]

Its good to be redpilled at 19, knowing your heroes are trash people

[@dubot4076]

Time for the other parties involved to respond, this cannot be good for someone’s mental health. This is deeper than just an accusation. We should not sacrifice someone’s mental health.

[@othmanehari3250]

@@dubot4076 Magnus would rather crush all the 17-19 yos mentally than feel his GOAT status is threatened

[@jonadam4233]

@@othmanehari3250 He has never done this before and he has lost to everyone plenty..

[@noonehere0987]

@@othmanehari3250 Did that make you feel better about yourself? Why criticize people criticizing Hans while doing the same thing to Magnus? Nobody knows if he cheated or not, so trying to make edgelord statements about anyone involved is a bad look.

[@pogobat]

If Hans is lying here he deserves an Oscar. If he's being truthful he's my new favorite chess personality. Magnus underestimated him, was embarrassed, acted hastily, and the old-guard circled their wagons. I hope his meteoric rise continues -- we all deserve a Niemann/Carlsen world championship match in a few years.

[@Nightt666]

Its like a prime mike Tyson getting knockoutout by jake paul, It simply cannot happen.

[@janolthof2487]

@@Nightt666 that is an unfair comparison; Jake Paul is not close to the level of Hans Niemann.. Jake Paul is more like a semi pro..

[@Nightt666]

@@janolthof2487 that is the most accurate comparison. You forget that this isn’t your common grandmaster it’s Magnus the greatest of all time. You just don’t under for him to withdraw from a tournament is not just him crying.

[@Anonymous-hm9dc]

@@Nightt666 considering his reputation for being a massive sore loser I'm not suprised at all

[@daniellevy1703]

Why is the average American so gullible and impressionable?

[@imparis47]

This interview will go down in history. We'll see if it's for better or for worse. For many reasons, I hope Hans is innocent

[@JerkyJones100]

Agreed and same.

[@wolfgangdevries127]

He is, until proven guilty.

[@dcisrael]

Innocent or not what Magnus did was completely wrong. He deliberately kicked off a witch hunt without any evidence. Very not cool from someone in a position of such power.

[@rft1509]

@@dcisrael totally agree

[@taylorg8509]

@@dcisrael magnus loves him some magnus He caused a huge drama with the candidates , deeming only one player WORTHY ENOUGH TO PLAY HIM , and ruined the legitimacy of the event Now he does this , wish he would stop the drama and just play chess !!!!!!

[@mookosh]

At 19 I never could have gone through this. I would have collapsed. Hans is a force of nature to be able to keep his head when the biggest names in chess are throwing him under the bus. This is why witch hunts are awful. If he didn't cheat... You can never undo this.

[@11523007]

Sure you can... Look at Anna Rudolf. She was accused of cheat OTB and is still a chess commentator and widely respected.

[@maxrusty3596]

@@11523007 Nobody knew about chess or Anna Rudolf back then tho.

[@vkvk7113]

Witch hunt lol. He has cheated online before. There is a reason he is under scrutiny. Amazing the overwhelming support this cheater gets. Says what a dismal state chess is in.

[@sewerrat]

@@maxrusty3596 exactly the problem, people who are new to chess are calling Magnus a sore loser who is acting up as if he hasn't lost games to other players before. His tweet implies that “if he speaks, he's in big trouble” - make of it what you will.

[@consistentinconsistency3867]

@@vkvk7113 were you a perfect human being at 19 years old? you never lied or did anything wrong? weren't you taught about "innocent until proven guilty"? weren't you taught not to judge other people? That it's bad to be a biased scumbag?

[@davemerkury]

This is how you confront accusations! I appreciate Hans for being a man about this situation!!!! I've talked to Hans on several occasions and he hasn't changed in my eyes because he always wanted to get better. We all make childish transgressions and never get a chance to be looked at differently. Hans I've been with you since the World Open, Chicago Open, and other tourneys. Just be you!!! F$#% those clowns!

[@ballyros]

Which voice was he using when you met him?

[@maducrutz9384]

@@ballyros I've grown up in one place till I was 13, moved to another for 8 years then moved again and all those times my accent has slightly changed to whatever the grp I'm in sounds like so now I've got this odd no accent and people think I'm faking an accent if they're from my first or second place of origin, accents are not set in stone espes if you move around/live in a diverse grp of accents

[@Parthian6]

@@maducrutz9384 Same here, this is absolutely true.

[@davemerkury]

@@ballyros as a kid....he talked like a kid...smh...don't troll

[@airbup]

@@ballyros lol so true. Fake accent, big online cheater .. now says I didn’t cheat this time believe me okay

[@adjoranadjoran410]

Magnus owes us an explanation. If he wants to make an accusation, he should do it outright. Attack by innuendo is a cowardly tactic.

[@mahxm7631]

That's the thing! Magnus Carlsen can't just drop a tweet and vanish.

[@idocare6538]

I think the organizers would wreak havoc if he spoke what he thinks. There are 2 sides to every story, hence why this interview is important.

[@PC-xd8th]

Going to have to disagree. Magnus didn't state his intentions in dropping from the tournament. It could be anything.

[@JustinMurray170fin]

@@PC-xd8th What do you disagree with, you just stated yourself "It could be anything." - to remain silent during this storm, that he created, is dishonest at best, IMO. The OP is correct: " Magnus owes us (chess) an explanation."

[@lachnloaded2]

He cant prove it but obviously he has his suspicions, it makes no sense to push forward accusations without evidence. Regardless of if he was cheating or not, Magnus didn't feel like completing the tournament, whether it be that he feels he wasn't at his best or that the conditions weren't fair, its his choice.

[@mambaforever9593]

Respect to Hans. Everyone making accusations against you without any proof definitely doesn't feel good.

[@nigelbezuidenhout]

Hans is a real one for being so open and keeping his cool. Just because his underrated they think they can attack him. Magnus done the same similar thing to Alireza by putting pressure on him

[@minasmaghakyan7194]

Stop spreading false information. Magnus was ready to defend world championship title only against Alireza, because he knows who talented Alireza is. This only speaks about huge respect Magnus has towards Alireza!

[@nigelbezuidenhout]

@@minasmaghakyan7194 exactly. It put pressure on him and all eyes were on him during the candidates. It's all psychological

[@minasmaghakyan7194]

@@nigelbezuidenhout All eyes are on Alireza, because he is a young superstar with Elo rating over 2800 back then.

[@nigelbezuidenhout]

@nyet _ fix this sentence son

[@nigelbezuidenhout]

@@minasmaghakyan7194 I used the word "were" past tense you....

[@krishnaabhishek2711]

I am eagerly waiting for next Magnus vs Hans game. This will be the best revenge match ever

[@MC_heart4]

I am all hands in for Hans. but he will get blown out lol

[@abdirahmandama3266]

Magnus already adopted him 10-0 in blitz, and I highly doubt he'll have the chance to play him in classical again.

[@CrookedNose2131]

I don't think Neimann and Carlsen play chess for your drama entertainment.

[@Flamingcloud083]

@@jimlang7461 lol Hans won't even be getting any invites to tournaments after this. So unless they happen to meet in a huge open tournament like the World Cup you are right.

[@sanseverything900]

Nah, I think tourney organizers will want to invite Hans simply because of the viewers he will draw in now. Drama appeals to sponsors because drama draws interest.

[@suntanlo-shun1809]

Alejandro is a great interviewer. He has done a stunning job through this farrago. Well done Alejandro!

[@matesenelinsti]

“Your emotion spoke for itself” you have to love Yasser. A real pity how we don’t take into account that there is a person behind all the hate. My best wishes to Hans.

[@chairjacker]

Two people

[@mohammedhanifa8259]

@@chairjacker how r those

[@chairjacker]

Well for dropping out like that, Magnus, that's just bad sportsmanship. Though perhaps not intentionally, it cannot be ignored it played a part. For jumping to speculations publicly on his platform the other.

[@IrregularPineapples]

It is not bad sportsmanship. @@chairjacker Magnus 100% believes he is cheating -- therefore he must withdraw from the tournament. Magnus, as all expert chess players know, that you have to trust your opponent in chess -- because an expert chess player can cheat so well it would be most likely impossible to notice -- only the dumb cheaters have been caught -- Magnus said 1 year ago during a long interview involving cheaters that if he would cheat then nobody would be able to notice -- and he would be unbeatable with only 1-3 small hints during a game -- if a player has suspicion that opponent may be cheating, that is an incredible psychological disadvantage -- that is Magnus point of view, word for word -- also the most dangerous and most incentivised cheaters are young players who are near the top, but never at the top, because they only need that small tiny nudge, and they are good enough chess players that they know how to cheat that makes it very hard to notice -- and because Hans couldn't explain his thought process at all during the post-game interview is extremely damning -- Magnus says this is a very good tell

[@marcuskolade703]

@@IrregularPineapples "believes" doesn't mean evidence. I believe oranges are square doesn't make them so. Just because your idol believes in something doesn't mean it is a fact, that's how cults are formed.

[@MichaelDavis-zf6nt]

This is what we needed. I believe Hans. I really didn't see any proof from anybody. All he can do is keep proving the haters wrong.

[@pudgypenguin4614]

i want to see him under a FBI approved lie-detector.

[@FloppsEB]

it's not that simple, i mean if he keeps playing at CAPS >3000 sure, that'd help, but you can't prove a negative, and the ways you can now cheat are undetectable. it's such a mess. i don't think these interviews do much to dissuade suspicion imo.

[@LoneNinja321]

@@pudgypenguin4614 Polygraphs are highly unreliable by the way. Many different studies have found them to be inaccurate and the supreme court even said that they're only slightly better than a coinflip.

[@EGarrett01]

Crush a player almost 200 points higher-rated than you, be unable to answer questions about the moves you made or even explain variations, and have a record of cheating twice before? That's all we need. His career is over. It doesn't matter if some stupid people don't realize what's going on.

[@wowmoment2466]

@@EGarrett01 no proof.... So he is innocent

[@DavidBadilloMusic]

This interview from Hans was a double-exclam move! Now let's see if Magnus can refute it. In all seriousness, huge respect for Hans.

[@asswhole4195]

He's had two days to rehearse this speech, don't be fooled by this cheater.

[@aviewerofu]

I don’t think Magnus owes any explanation to him coz Magnus never accused him directly but it was made into bigger drama than it was by Hikaru and others…

[@DavidBadilloMusic]

@@aviewerofu He doesn't owe an explanation, I completely agree. But now that people have interpreted his cryptic tweet, plus having heard Hans' side of things, he gains way more coming out clean, than just sitting there on a corner, completely quiet about it. That's the problem with people, they start their speculations to ridiculous degrees to the point it actually affects other people's image, regardless of whether anything is even remotely true.

[@AlejandroFernandez05]

@@asswhole4195 prove his cheating

[@DavidBadilloMusic]

@@asswhole4195 And your evidence is where?

[@Trombosilbo]

This interview speaks for itself

[@michaelcarroll5801]

That comment speaks for itself

[@EngorgedBanana]

My addition to this thread speaks for itself

[@thenonsequitur]

My necro post speaks for itself

[@ret2pop]

@@thenonsequitur my reply to your necro post speaks for itself

[@gwojcieszczuk]

I like people like Hans. He speaks his mind with very little filters. So rare these days.

[@gwojcieszczuk]

To someone who replied, but then removed the comment: there's absolutely no evidence any cheating has occurred.

[@_Cheerio]

@@gwojcieszczuk there are lots of redflags but sure

[@stuart3178]

@@_Cheerio no...one was magnus did a move he believed was out of book and that was the reason for the accusation..well the move was in book,its been proven and then just baseless accusations well not baseless but based on a bullying mentality.

[@jacquesmalan5950]

@@_Cheerio if 0 is a lot then fair enough

[@CARPB147]

@@_Cheerio I believe Niemann. As a teenager anyone can do stupid things. You learn and grow. He was still a minor back then. He paid his dues. Neimann clearly plays at a 2700 level right now. Firouzja couldn't beat him yesterday even after being checked with all the security they had. He is the real deal. Neimann is 2 days younger than Firouzja too. And "up & coming" Firouzja was even Carlsen's preferred rival for the world championship. Yes, as a child a few years ago he did a stupid thing, as children can and do often do. Time to cut him a break already. There is ZERO evidence that he "cheated" with Carlsen. ZERO. As far as Carlsen is concerned, put up or shut up (and did you notice he clearly did shut up without making an outright accusation?). Maybe he retired for personal reasons, but I hope it wasn't for the poor sportmanship of a sore loser.

[@illuminat3858]

This dude has been chasing and grinding in his passion for chess, made mistakes along the way, and continues to learn and fight for it. Respect the hustle.

[@strikercool911]

@Parlay stop trying to prove a point on youtube It's useless

[@lalappanlolappan2605]

@Parlay Wild insinuations are not proof.

[@meltedsnowman9637]

@Parlay You haven’t watched the video as you are spreading complete misinformation. Magnus had played the position. There is a thing in chess called transposition.

[@davidquinn9676]

We had a scrappy kid in Brooklyn about 60 years ago who made some enemies along the way. Fischer always had enemies.

[@Japhu]

@Parlay your whole comment is complete BS

[@bliink182]

"I lived my dream for a day, beating Magnus, and then all this happened." That hurts to hear. I hope people give his side a fair listen.

[@dco1019]

Hans is a smart probably manipulative kid... he knows what to say even if he's lying. It's good for his case though that responded.

[@dantolino1093]

@@dco1019 Sure, Sigmund, sure.

[@dco1019]

@@dantolino1093 sure sheep. Don't get hustled dummy

[@davidquinn9676]

@@dco1019 he's "manipulative" in that he knows to play sacrifices against Alireza, that sort of thing. Maybe was in other ways too but who among us has never colored outside the lines? What matters here is that in this tournament he has been falsely accused. Since no evidence has been produced, it's becoming too late, case closed.

[@dco1019]

@@davidquinn9676 yea he has been accused quite frivolously as he called it. I agree that magnus should clarify...he might have something valid to say right. I'm not picking a side though based on this interview.

[@ConceptART-Dagas]

Hans: "I cheated.They were unrated games". Few moments later: "I wanted to gain some rating so ii could play some stronger players, so i cheated." Me: Scratches head 🤔

[@nicholasoneal1521]

Not FIDE rated he means

[@sharklite3316]

@@nicholasoneal1521 it is common term of rated/unrated for in online chess for elo rating of said chess platform, FIDE rating been known to never affect in online chess.

[@howardlam6181]

@@sharklite3316 You basically repeated what he said. That guy just explained Hans meant FIDE in the comment about cheating in unrated games. His FIDE rating is not affected by cheating. Only in online chess, he cheated to speed up the process. This is why you don't take sentences out of context and piece them together.

[@OrthobroLocal1]

It’s because he’s a lying cheater and liars can’t remember their own lies

[@gjandgrc]

Go Hans - thank you for the open interview - best of luck in the tournament - may your years of chess focus in Europe pay off for you.

[@lexchess6453]

He even stepped up his post game analysis- what a pro

[@tajneeley]

If he’s cheating he’s the best cheater ever lmao.

[@matthanyfiedtano4175]

@@tajneeley and the best liar

[@RunOfTheTrill]

Because he didnt know he was on trial during his previous analysis. He was just casually going through it. Now he's aware that hes under a microscope so he's showing hes legit. He shouldn't have had to worry about it in the first place, but it is what it is.

[@commentreader295]

@@tajneeley If he's cheating then he's a sociopath, and having an intelligence and lying ability close to a Bond villain. At this point if he has actually cheated, he's almost an anime villain.

[@parthsavyasachi9348]

Yaa no one ever beaten magnus so obviously its cheating.

[@constancepressure9408]

Clearly, Saint Louis Chess club was also heavily implying that Hans was cheating yesterday in all of their coverage.

[@SampoSaarela]

Maybe, maybe not. It seemed implying when Hikaru painted it like that. When I watched it live, it did not seem that much.

[@Anonymous-hm9dc]

@@SampoSaarela true! Watching it from rose tinted glasses, you can see a lot of things to confirm your bias

[@it5617]

@@SampoSaarela hikaru is a salty guy

[@GregoriousApartment]

@@it5617 of course he is. He will say anything to impress his dumb twitch chat

[@Wellorep]

Well, when the world chess champion leaves your tournament. Hurry up guys, lets make it look like were doing something, the boss is pissed.

[@paularized1]

If Hans cheated, I feel bad because he’s been punished way beyond reasonable amounts with the world wide media storm of this. If he’s innocent, I feel absolutely horrible for him.

[@BeigeCoyote]

you feel bad because he cheated in a real tournament?

[@tunedvision6208]

Feel bad for crynus minions ...he's accused sulymenov too

[@ifeanachosonia5787]

​@@BeigeCoyoteno. He feels bad because dude doesn't deserved to be punished like this. He's remorseful. You can feel the pain in his voice

[@Flippeh]

The insane amount of absolutely unfounded claims about Hans and his character is absolutely crazy and Hikaru isn't doing a whole lot to stop the rumors from having more weight than they should by continuing to insinuate things on his stream

[@ChocolateMilk..]

What unfounded claims? He just admitted himself that cheating is not beneath him.

[@edwincollins5847]

@@ChocolateMilk.. exactly lol. And his previous interview did not help him either haha. It made it worse

[@Flippeh]

@@ChocolateMilk.. if you were anywhere near Hikaru's stream yesterday you'd know what I'm talking about, but his VODs are gone

[@justinwhitmore4550]

His character has shown that he's a cheater that's why he doesn't get the benefit of the doubt. He was caught cheating two times online.

[@YokaiHitodama]

Theres a thing in the law in which prior offenses are not admitted as evidence because admission of them is too prejudicial. Its amazing how willing people are to convict someone based on evidence that is usually not even allowed in our progressive legal system. Innocent until proven guilty

[@faisalhilaby]

HANS SPEAKS FOR HIMSELF

[@MillionaireMikey]

WHERE YOU AT HANS NIEMAN CULT? WHERE YOU HIDING AFTER HE'S BEEN EXPOSED? YOU FOOLS

[@KamiMountainMan]

At first I didn't like Hans that much but this totally changed my mind. Definitely I will continue to follow up his chess career and his games.

[@joshuahack3231]

Bro hes a scam man

[@user-ly5oo2hd7p]

He will be banned on most majors coz of Magnus probably.

[@highdesertbiker]

I felt the same way. I was on Magnus' side then I heard this and was like oh my goodness! Hans is a beast!

[@JohnSmith-me4ik]

He's very unlikeable

[@AfonsoCL]

@@JohnSmith-me4ik I've literally met him in person and he's a super nice guy. Get out of your basement sometimes.

[@bobertkallahan4392]

This dude is a great interviewer. Completely laid back, lets the player explain his points.

[@wormius51]

I think it's "lets". "let's" means "let us". And yea, they let the hans show he cheated.

[@bobertkallahan4392]

@@wormius51 Thanks for the correction. I edited my punctuation.

[@k.1784]

ive never heard of hans until the past few months, but i’m already a big fan. the way he plays and his determination is incredibly admirable. it’s obvious that he’s good at chess and i really doubt that anyone at this level would cheat.

[@marlandt.renhoek9853]

Last sentence is a bad take

[@TheHomicidalTendency]

You would be wrong. since hes been banned online for cheating recently. Cheaters cheat, its what they do.

[@payedactor9177]

They do cheat at this level, remember petrosian? Not saying Hans did, idk

[@zhenweingiam8965]

almost all competitive cyclist dope, just see lens armstrong incident. Coincidentally, Hans is also a competitive cyclist.

[@suddenstutter]

this is wrong, but its pretty obvious hans was not cheating here

[@matthewnoote9393]

I’m glad he spoke. I was on the side that was bashing him. After hearing him I believe him. He just a kid chasing a dream and he is competing with the best.

[@massimilianomartin1398]

I think he's telling the truth. It's the first time I heard of him and i'm already a big fan. This is the beginning of a new Chess Star, respect man

[@supersai4198]

He is telling the truth, think about it, how could he even get away with it? You telling me the smartest chess players on Earth can't prove he's cheating? Then he's won already.

[@MillionaireMikey]

WHERE YOU AT HANS NIEMAN CULT? WHERE YOU HIDING AFTER HE'S BEEN EXPOSED? YOU FOOLS

[@thesilenthero422]

This interview will definitely go down in history as how to fight back against cancellation

[@superidar74]

Great interview! The world needed to hear and see this. I’m from Norway and obviously a huge Magnus Carlsen fan, but i really feel for Hans! I don’t believe for a second the accusations being made against him. I think he’s a breath of fresh air in the chessworld, and he makes everything more interesting! I just gained a ton of respect for Hans! This kid can go far!

[@gerdlaaser1022]

ein sehr bewegendes Interview, das menschliche Größe dieses jungen Schachspielers zeigt. Hans ist eine Bereicherung für die Schachwelt!

[@CARPB147]

@@gerdlaaser1022 Ich glaube Niemann. Als Teenager kann jeder dumme Dinge tun. Du lernst und wächst. Damals war er noch minderjährig. Er hat seine Abgaben bezahlt. Neimann spielt derzeit eindeutig auf einem 2700er Niveau. Firouzja konnte ihn gestern nicht besiegen, selbst nachdem sie mit aller Sicherheit, die sie hatten, überprüft wurde. Er ist der wahre Deal. Neimann ist auch 2 Tage jünger als Firouzja. Und „up & coming“ Firouzja war sogar Carlsens Wunschrivale um die Weltmeisterschaft. Ja, er hat als Kind vor ein paar Jahren eine Dummheit gemacht, wie es Kinder können und oft tun. Es ist schon Zeit, ihm eine Pause zu gönnen. Es gibt NULL Beweise dafür, dass er mit Carlsen „geschummelt“ hat. NULL. Soweit es Carlsen betrifft, halten Sie die Klappe oder halten Sie die Klappe (und haben Sie bemerkt, dass er eindeutig die Klappe gehalten hat, ohne eine direkte Anschuldigung zu erheben?). Vielleicht hat er sich aus persönlichen Gründen zurückgezogen, aber ich hoffe, es war nicht wegen der schlechten Sportlichkeit eines schlechten Verlierers.

[@barlin4972]

@@gerdlaaser1022 Und ein neuer interessanter Charakter, den es so noch nicht unter den Top Spielern gibt! Hoffen wir, dass er weit kommt mit seiner Begeisterung und seiner ehrgeizigen Einstellung zum Schach.

[@GeneralZhang]

What a legend. As a relative chess outsider (casual) following this objectively, I’ve come away with huge respect for Hans. The chip on his shoulder from these accusations is captivating. Can’t wait to see where his career goes from here.

[@frankandersen2614]

Dear Hans Niemann, you are an amazing young man! - So brave and strong and sincere speaking from your heart. I am deeply moved and I am sure the majority love you now - and all the blamers must feel very bad! - What you did before is forgiven because you showed true remorse. Your Fischer-like working efforts commands the highest respect!

[@bobsmith175]

Don't forget. He's a cheater

[@muk_is_superior]

@@bobsmith175 is it proven

[@akorthouwer]

@@muk_is_superior well he admitted to cheating didn't he. Tho don't think he has cheated in recent years tho

[@ThaChildishOne]

Yeah he did cheat in an online money match. He’s reputation is just shot

[@cn2758]

I'm extremely impressed by this young man. Imagine yourself being 19 for a second and getting so much hate, would you have been able to stand up and defend your reputation like he has? I lived in 5 different countries between age 16-20 myself and whenever I came to my home country my old friends always mentioned how I seemed slow in my speech. It's just normal when you spend time abroad, you start to dream in other languages etc. And his reaction says it all. If he hadn't put in all the time he wouldn't be so mad and pissed about people making up garbage about him when he has just beaten one of the greatest superstars in chess.

[@ifbfmto9338]

Uhm, garbage? Look the guy is a confirmed cheater on AT LEAST two prior occasions and he admitted to it……. People have reasonable cause to be suspicious of him JUST based on that, and then when he starts acting totally bizarrely in post game interviews (particularly of the game versus Alireza) then, yes, it absolutely is suspicious…………. Sorry that you can’t see something that’s obvious, that DOES NOT MEAN he necessarily is cheating right now, there’s frankly no proof of this, and most people who suspect him will fully admit this, as do I But it DOES mean I’m suspicious of him, without question, and for you to think people don’t have the right to be suspicious of a confirmed cheater is just insanity

[@billj4525]

@@ifbfmto9338 I agree with that. He may not be cheating, and probably isn't, but his past cheating is always going to haunt him and make people suspicious, especially in a situation like this, and the only person he has to blame is himself for that. So I don't really feel bad for him, but at the same time I don't think he should be penalized in any way without real concrete evidence. I just hope it doesn't affect his career if he's not cheating because I know his goal is to be number 1 at some point. This whole scandal is causing a lot of problems for him and the players he plays against. The psychology of the game is going to negatively affect any of the players who play Hans now for sure which isn't fair to them either.

[@ifbfmto9338]

@@billj4525 Maybe what needs to come of this And it should’ve already happened by now…….. Maybe top level chess events need to take anti cheating measures much more seriously than they have thus far Maybe wanding players and signal blocking needs to become the norm 🤷🏼‍♂️

[@peschi79]

@@ifbfmto9338 agreed and watching him in the interview it's crazy how recently he admittedly cheated. I'm almost surprised that he can qualify for this event and sit across the board from Magnus just a couple of years later.

[@cn2758]

@@billj4525 Cause people are dumb. Trying to put him down cause he cheated when he was 12 and reminding him of that says more about the people mentioning it than it says about him.

[@0.1lite46]

Now we need to hear from Magnus. He has to say what his problem is. He didn't directly accuse Hans of anything in any official way so there is no case to answer for Hans. We cannot accept opinion, whomever opinions they might be, as proof of anything. This has to be officially dealt with and clarified based on evidence by an unbiased panel of independent experts.

[@fuckthishandlething]

If this interview didn't happen the way it did magnus could have been responsible for tarnishing a young talent for no reason at all. the fact he is still silent on the cheating accusations is sickening unless his withdrawal had other serious reasons.

[@0.1lite46]

@@fuckthishandlething I agree. Also MC has to clarify his position or he will badly damage his own reputation. He already has done so a bit by playing rather badly in the endgame against Hans. Not so much Hans won the game but rather Magnus lost it. Cheating or not he could have at least drawn had he not made so many bad moves. And the online community reaction to this is just tragic, especially Hikaru being trigger happy.

[@TheRealSamPreece]

@@fuckthishandlething Or, Magnus is right and this kid is doing exactly as he thought. Either way, best to leave it to them to resolve.

[@shambhav9534]

"unbiased panel of independent experts": NO NO NO. If Hans has cheated, then the accusing party must provide concrete proof. And you need no stupid panel to see that.

[@noonehere0987]

@@fuckthishandlething Sounds like you're not thinking rationally about the situation, and only considering it from the perspective that he definitely didn't cheat. If he did cheat, then Magnus is within his rights for everything he's done, because Magnus coming out and saying "I think he cheated" doesn't change the current situation we're in.

[@peterbodziony9768]

Whatever happens - am I impressed by this young man’s maturity and delivery of his message. I can’t believe he is only 19 years old. For his sake, I hope the accusations will soon prove to be invalid and he can go back to concentrating on chess. Great potential and a strong strong character. Wish him all the best!

[@goofyahhh254]

Absolutely

[@npgatech7]

He needs to sue for defamation if nothing comes out of it. Magnus/Hikaru needs to apologize and the community needs to demand it from them. I don't want things to go back to normal after such a huge fiasco.

[@chaos-ivy]

He sounds a lot cheerier than his interview from yesterday which is lovely. Hope Magnus stops his rediculous antics soon.

[@NathanLipetz]

@@npgatech7 can’t do anything about Magnus cause Magnus gave no reason for withdrawing (clearly on purpose for legal reasons). He didn’t accuse anyone of anything and didn’t mention Hans. Hikaru, maybe more possible but still unlikely cause of how he said things

[@keplergso8369]

@@npgatech7 I agree. Magnus reaction is one thing, but Hikaru could be a bit more neutral, let's say careful, instead of howling with the wolves, especially when you are a champion and when you represent chess community. Maybe Niemann is guilty, but maybe not.

[@anzolomyer4584]

The Saint Louis Chess Club's eyes are rolled behind their head in ecstasy. This interview and fiasco is the best thing that could have happened to the 2022 Sinquefield Cup. If Niemann wins this tournament, it's a Hollywood movie.

[@calmsimon]

Big facts… it’s the perfect underdog story with a corporation, the weight of an entire community, and the top players in the world against him just because he destroyed the WC in one game🤯 crazy… more salacious than any of the Beth Harmon shiz man. We really live in crazy times man

[@algeriapower7242]

Omg lool

[@ballyros]

Not if he's using engine moves 😂😂😂

[@DJ_LAIVY]

@Mustafa Khan Not at all. The Hero's redemption is a crucial part of the story.

[@KahurangiSteez]

absolutely. honestly after the whole covid fiasco then the world champ let downs, then magnus leaving the world champ cycle, it's just been bad news after bad news for chess and i had kinda grown sick of it all awhile ago. i haven't watched a tournament since the nepo magnus match. this has pulled me right back in and im excited to watch the next round. hans niemann is exactly the chaotic neutral energy the chess world needed i think lol. although maybe he didn't need the chess world on this one.

[@claleh5941]

I was hearing all this buzz about hans cheating and whatnot but honestly going through his interviews and hearing this guy speak I’m starting to realize he’s very genuine. I’m now a fan! Let’s go Hans.

[@user-jv9qz2bu1r]

yup I never heard of Hans before - and now rooting for him!!

[@AA-le9ls]

I don't get the same impression. The guy doesn't seem genuine to me.

[@thenakedsingularity]

I believe in Hans. Great interview. He deserves a platform to tell his side of the story. Shame on the likes of Nakamura who milks this drama for content.

[@pieohpie]

i reaaaaally wonder how Hikaru is gonna respond to this

[@NGEternal]

Credit to interviewer for keeping calm. What an absolutely insane interview by Hans. I mean in the world of chess interviews... this was a nuclear explosion.

[@highdesertbiker]

Much respect to Hans! He could not have been more brave standing up for himself here and being honest.

[@vkvk7113]

He is a confirmed online cheat. He does not deserve respect

[@pudgypenguin4614]

*2008* "Much respect to Lance Armstrong! He could not have been more brave standing up for himself here and being honest."

[@JORGAMD]

Totally agree!

[@TheSidMachinery]

@@pudgypenguin4614 Are you just going around the comment section making the same stupid comparison? Armstrong literally cheated in the biggest bike race there is and there was definate proof. Sure, cheating in onlinechess is bad, no matter if its just "random games", but the comparison is just bad.

[@gimbo2145]

@@TheSidMachinery sure cheating is terrible in any instance. That being said I do not believe cheating in a random blitz game when he was 16 should completely shatter his chances at living an honorable career in chess. People change. I know I’m not the same as I was when I was 16.

[@Doookification]

Respect to all those who gave Hans the opportinity to defend himself

[@_aje]

I admire you Hans. A lot of us are behind you man.

[@Ignacio-is6tg]

behind a cheater?

[@cerebralassassin147]

@@Ignacio-is6tg proof?

[@percybyssheshelly]

Total respect for Hans. I think a lot of the attacks are just people trying to amuse themselves and others at Han’s expense. I know I’m guilty of that. His chess in this tournament has been outstanding and anybody who is taking these cheating suspicions seriously has no understanding of chess or Han’s history in the chess world.

[@conelord1984]

He deserves a certain extra degree of scrutinization because of his past mistakes, but he also deserves the minimum standard of being considered innocent until proven guilty. If he was guilty and is proven guilty he will most certainly be punished. If he is innocent Magnus would have proven once again that he is an ass.

[@MiSTeRJoKe96]

@@conelord1984 completely agree

[@nepdar8091]

I forgive him about the past. But for me, when you cheater you always be a cheater.

[@Bhubnipz]

Your last sentence is nonsense. People who know his history are the ones taking the cheating implications seriously…because he’s done it several times

[@AG-ld6rv]

The attacks have a single origin, and it's not simple amusement. Content creators that the masses trust pushed rumors around to increase viewership and eventually to increase income. People like GM Nakamura will say as much as he thinks he can get away with as long as he thinks it will increase income in the long run. Unfortunately, the masses treat his perspective like it's time-tested, inarguable philosophy or like he's a close friend they have learned to trust. He's a content creator, and this situation shows he is willing to be disgustingly manipulative to make a buck.

[@Tideman11]

This is a legendary moment in chess honestly. Go Hans!

[@rickstrafy4870]

Let's gooo, he cheated only twice and last time long long 3 years ago, and that make sense, because when you cheat you automatically get caught, there is no way he cheated multiple times during his career, because he didn't get caught multiple times, so he must be legit.

[@kunalgub]

@@rickstrafy4870 wooow you’re so right. You were a perfect person at 16 and how dare he commit such a crime, of breaking the rules on a website. Obviously you never did anything even remotely questionable in your teens. In fact you were a god after you were born. Also there is so much proof of how he cheats online. I can’t believe people don’t see it

[@rickstrafy4870]

@@kunalgub Last time I cheated I was 8 yo and it was in cs1.6, so I'm something like semi-god, or Jesus Christ.

[@CARPB147]

I believe Niemann. As a teenager anyone can do stupid things. You learn and grow. He was still a minor back then. He paid his dues. Neimann clearly plays at a 2700 level right now. Firouzja couldn't beat him yesterday even after being checked with all the security they had. He is the real deal. Neimann is 2 days younger than Firouzja too. And "up & coming" Firouzja was even Carlsen's preferred rival for the world championship. Yes, as a child a few years ago he did a stupid thing, as children can and do often do. Time to cut him a break already. There is ZERO evidence that he "cheated" with Carlsen. ZERO. As far as Carlsen is concerned, put up or shut up (and did you notice he clearly did shut up without making an outright accusation?). Maybe he retired for personal reasons, but I hope it wasn't for the poor sportmanship of a sore loser.

[@Tideman11]

@@CARPB147 Exactly. His growth in chess is very believable. He is a clear genius and obsessed by the game. He has been up and coming since the statt of the pandemic, but not everyone improves at the same rate. Also credits to Hans for his honesty. Of course he was under pressure, but it takes courage to admits his wrongdoings as a teenager. Everyone makes mistakes. He deserves the benefit of the doubt, until proven otherwise. Very credible defense.

[@sakketin]

He has my support and respect! At 19 years of age he's handling the pressure well.

[@amberxv4777]

At 19 years old he's living off cheating unlike Alireza who did everything he did with his own efforts. You have to be dumb to support a cheater

[@Kutanna007]

@@amberxv4777 where is the proof he cheated over the board?

[@tellmestraight]

@@amberxv4777 You have to be dumb to condemn someone without any proof.

[@laprin2002]

@@Kutanna007 He’s an admitted cheat. If he’ll cheat online, he can cheat over the board. Why does he deserve the benefit of the doubt? At least admit it’s possible that he did instead of this unequivocal support.

[@MillionaireMikey]

WHERE YOU AT HANS NIEMAN CULT???? WHERE YOU AT NOW? THE CHEATER HAS BEEN EXPOSEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED FKER

[@nickpercs3677]

Legend in the making. And the announcers are funny jumping on his side because they were insinuating he was cheating at certain times throughout the broadcast before the interview lmaoo

[@chessdad182]

Well he did cheat online and was suspended for six months. Not quite a legend in a positive sense.

[@oldmanold7863]

@@chessdad182 when he was 16 and against random players

[@jayfinkheys3497]

@@chessdad182 Guy was a kid, I mean, if people arent able to forgive a kid that was playing prized tournament and wanted to win some money, then we have a problem.

[@TheAnzamin]

@@jayfinkheys3497 its not about forgiveness, its about how likely that makes it that the person would do it again vs someone who has never been known for cheating. You live with the additional suspicion your entire life, its the cost of having done that bad thing once. There will be times when that works out and times when it doesnt. if you have two equal suspects for an arson and one of them had a history of setting things on fire as a young kid, what do you think will usually happen? not saying this approach is good but we. as humans learn somewhat inductively and so past actions colour how we adjudge the likelihood that the person repeated those actions in a diff context in the future.

[@sollertia_]

@@TheAnzamin this is the reason why ex-convicts aren't given a second chance by employers, which puts them in a bad situation and makes them more likely to commit again, confirming the employer's bias

[@syd592]

This was so emotional and I'm so glad he told the whole truth and admitted his past mistakes. Magnus should have been more humble before making rash accusations and the same goes for Hikaru who immediately jumped on the bandwagon.

[@sylver76]

Magnus made no accusation of any kind, he simply withdrew. Hikaru made fun of some obvious inconsistencies but also didn't make an accusation.

[@damkmankm3755]

@@sylver76 lol... that es semantics. Both clear enough made accusations without being brave enough to really say what they mean (Carlsen) but everybody still understood. And Hikaru made very direkt accusations in his streams.

[@nickmoore5105]

@@sylver76 He posted a video of the Chelsea manager, it’s clear he was insinuating something that would get him in trouble if said it. Magnus is a coward.

[@ViceroyStark]

Hans is very genuine here. You should be proud of yourself Han's for sticking up for yourself!

[@TheRealSamPreece]

Then why isn't he speaking in his real accent, lol. That's literally the antithesis of genuine.

[@ViceroyStark]

@@TheRealSamPreece Did you watch the video? He explains the accent.

[@TheRealSamPreece]

@@ViceroyStark Yup, not buying it.

[@teocantsleep4611]

@@TheRealSamPreece You probably never lived abroad.

[@johnbarron88]

I think he deserves an apology honestly… especially for banning him and uninviting him from the other tournament. They didn’t prove anything, and especially after this.. it’s disheartening to see action without proof other than Magnus’s reputation. Magnus has everything to gain and nothing to lose by reacting in the way he did. It’s a brilliant chess move to preserve his ego by attacking someone’s past. I had my suspicions seeing some of the things Hans said in his analysis.. but.. without proof and motivations on both sides, no action should be taken. If Magnus didn’t withdraw, would anyone really be saying he cheated? Even with his comments.

[@suninlaw]

You're completely missing the point. At this point it's not about whether he cheated, since he did not suffer the consequences of someone who cheated. He's suffering the consequences of someone who was ACCUSED of cheating. And the accusations were not unreasonable given his past. If someone got caught twice for same wrongdoing, it means there were more times that he did this when he didn't get caught, and accusations of him cheating are going to come fast and furious, it's part of the consequences of cheating in the past. Only an idiot would believe that he happened to get caught during the only two times in his life he cheated. Dealing with fast accusations is natural consequence for his actions. It's not like anyone officially determined that he cheated, it's just accusations, and frankly, he deserves to deal with accusations.

[@surge802]

It's called the consequences of your own action (twice nonetheless) comes down hunting at you at full pace. The boy have no reputation to defend because his already shattered, the burden of proof is on him

[@DANGER10101]

@@surge802 one of those he was 12 a kid, but let's count the second one 16, and now what are the possible ways for him to have cheated, 1. he hacked Magnus? Hans has the means to find and afford hackers? He found Magnus laptop somehow and crazy knowledge on how to remotely access said laptop? 2. Someone close to Magnus' gave him his prep?(let's say he hates Magnus and if so why Hans? Everyone will assume he cheated it'll Trace back to the person that gave it to Hans, or he was bribed/black mailed by hans, 3. Someone in the crowd? Undetectable computer (tiny) undetectable earpiece? To assume he cheated in one of those manners one has to make lots of assumptions based on his actions as a child and at 16 and give so much benefit of the doubt to Magnus that almost sounds like there's a conspiracy against Magnus, Occam's razor think about it Also why withdrawal? Tell the event organisers Magnus's silence only means he does believe he was cheated if so why not do something?

[@surge802]

@@DANGER10101 he was cheating online, and those 2 are just when he caught, nobody believes that someone were only cheated at the exact time he caught doing one. There are various means of otb cheating, nano ear implant, shoes with vibrating codes, some accomplice in the tournament, or hiring professional to enter opponent's computer, so many ways, and that just some of the known ones. Also if you believe that a guy who just get zero (0) point at the previous tournament can suddenly breaks the world champion's unbeatable record with black using some 20 something depth of obscure lines? Yeah good luck believing that if you aren't too naive. Also many people brings the subject of him being a kid when cheating, yeah all those super GMs in that tourney also were once a kid fyi, and none of them were cheating, not mentioning being caught two times at that. Even if you believe that he is clean yesterday, you need to admit that the consequences of his past action came back to haunt him and it's inevitable that people reacted that way with that kind of record

[@johnbarron88]

@@suninlaw not when he gets banned and uninvited from a tournament.. that’s more than dealing with an accusation… that’s what you do when someone’s guilty.

[@InspirationEducation]

NOW i'm a fan of Niemann. He's maned up, and that is to be respected and even admired.

[@stuart3178]

definitely. Same here! And my respect for Nakamura has gone down! And also Magnus if he doesn't apologize or at least doesn't give his side.

[@rickstrafy4870]

Yea, he cheated only twice and last time long long 3 years ago, and that make sense, because when you cheat you automatically get caught, there is no way he cheated multiple times during his career, because he didn't get caught multiple times.

[@Lukepwn]

same here im a fan now, fk hikaru

[@Trainingbyloyisodiniso]

The guy cheated! Don't you guys know chess? He cant even analyze a game as a gm

[@stuart3178]

@@Trainingbyloyisodiniso yes in fact i have a high chess rating and know if you're absolutely exhausted and pressured you can find it difficult...he didn't get all the way to 2700 by cheating! lol!!!

[@nightbot.1887]

babe wake up new hans interview

[@David_7171]

Amazing interview. Chess will never be the same after this

[@Eleuthero5]

Kudos to Hans for having the bravery to talk to the whole world. Well done!!

[@arturovidal5306]

He didn't have the bravery to admit he cheated multiple times before, until finally being questioned for being a cheat!

[@JimBalter]

@@arturovidal5306 That's a lie.

[@amberxv4777]

@@arturovidal5306 and he even lied about how many times he did cheat

[@eimsbush05]

@@amberxv4777 little magnus carlsen fangirl here

[@sheesh6085]

Well done, 72 pages

[@Valentin-uv7wl]

Ramirez is such a good interviewer! So underrated ❤️

[@mcinfo3049]

Lol he did nothing:)

[@syringan2.015]

He listens more than making a debate, which is good

[@ScaramouchedaVinci]

I'm glad that Hans Niemann was finally able to explain himself. Because I find it very unfair, that rumors are rampant here, as Hikaru (who rolls his eyes when examined) accuses Niemann without any evidence whatsoever. Hikaru, who I once liked, has lost my respect, as has Magnus Carlsen, who didn't explain himself and threw Niemann to the pack.

[@BgAndrew100]

I think both Hikaru and Magnus are really crushed. Losing your invaluable respect should be really painful, they will think twice next time when they decide to suggest somebody (who already was caught on cheating) has cheated.

[@wiltedlamp5016]

@@BgAndrew100 idk if the only evidence offered here is that Hans has cheated in past I don’t think it’s a very strong case against him.

[@ScaramouchedaVinci]

@@BgAndrew100 *One should not be more papal than the pope.* When I consider what I did as a kid, which is a no-go today, I quickly apologize for the small offense of a 12 and 16 year old. The offended vanity was certainly the deciding factor for Magnus. Besides, if the past was Niemanns fault, why was he even invited in the tournament, if he can't win?

[@dmitripogosian5084]

@@BgAndrew100 If I was Hans with a clear consciousness, my lawyers (not necessarily in plural) would already be combing through social media and recording everything Hikaru posted in the recent days. And if anywhere he stepped over the legal line, prepare to take him to the cleaners for slander and loss of future earnings

[@dmsalomon]

I have to say that he comes off very genuine. There has to be proof. If Magnus cannot supply any proof that Hans cheated he needs to make it up to Hans by making a public apology.

[@mewithmychick965]

But Magnus never accused Hans of cheating so for what would he need to apology for?

[@MiSTeRJoKe96]

@@mewithmychick965 he never accused him directly because he is a scared man, if he had the balls he would have said it straight up, but he preferred the coward way! Him with chesscom dou**e move

[@alxhiding]

@ama kingu bingo.

[@tugahenrik1]

@ama kingu this is chess not a test, is very easy to see when the lines played are only something an engine would play (easy for some, not me or you), and if you see the game you can see lost opportunities and inaccuracies from Hans, magnus played below his level got beaten and cried for cheating, (and yes he did, everyone knows it). He has 0 cheating history, online rated a few years ago and an online tournament at 12YO is irrelevant, this is top level over the board with a high security detail even if he wanted to cheat 99 out of 100 times he would have failed to pass the security measures. This is not new, every single time there is a big upset GM's cry wolf, magnus was accused before just like hikaru especially when they were younger, but chess was not mainstream as it is now and no one cared, now you have people that played chess for less than 5 years have 0 over the board games saying with 100% confidence that he cheated because magnus and hikaru said so, when not only they have been in the other side but is also not their 1st time accusing someone of cheating when they are clean. If anything cheating accusations by top GM's are more likely false than being true based on previous cases.

[@FloppsEB]

wow i have to say, genuine is not how it came off to me, but ofc he's innocent until proven otherwise, a messy situation.

[@MRCroosingTootH]

I have to admit, this is such good PR for chess. I’ve never played in my life and always wondered about chess and I have ordered a chessboard and am gonna start playing. Looks fun :)

[@dpgsince85]

did you start playing?

[@ChrisM-bn5vr]

Dude you've got an internet connection, you don't need to order a chessboard to get into chess, everyone plays online these days.

[@generalgrievous6689]

The Saint Louis Chess Club did a very good job with their interviews, very professional. They allow players to say what they want and provide high level analysis.

[@davidheney3125]

Hans, you have my respect for speaking up in a difficult situation. As the commentators said, enjoy the rest day and avoid social media. Then get on with the chess.

[@abpolsci27]

I want to see Hans again on other invitatinal tournaments. His hardwork and dedication is "more than impressive".

[@swarnavabanerjee4112]

@Lois in ONE piece he would play 100 percent, I am sure his value is higher than ever

[@maciejmaecki3823]

@Adrian Martel FORMER. Word. If you catch him in an act, then speak.

[@nth7273]

@@maciejmaecki3823 I caught him cheating on his accent.

[@billj4525]

@Lois in ONE piece It's only controversial based on Magnus commenting about Hans though. Han's playing an amazing game shouldn't shut him out of playing important tournaments for a while, on the contrary, it should actually make him more likely to get invited. His past cheating is his fault, so he did bring suspicion on himself regardless of whether or not he was cheating, but should he be penalized for that? He get's the benefit of the doubt for now, and should just be considered a major prodigy, who works on his game constantly, and want's to take the chess world by storm. If they catch him cheating at some point it will be the biggest scandal in chess history.

[@barlin4972]

@Lois in ONE piece Hold on, hold on. The whole situation hasn't been resolved yet. We'll have to wait and see how everything develops. Sooner or later Magnus will make an official statement about why he withdrew from the tournament and maybe even apologize for his actions, who knows?! Hans got a lot of attention through all this and he could still benefit from it.

[@JosephCaburnay]

Man, don’t be demotivated. Keep up the good work! Forget the accusations, continue focusing and be one of the best if not the best!

[@TK-ej6ks]

: I

[@classicalmusiclover4029]

It takes so much courage and dignity to say in an interview like this in a situation like this that he cheated twice.

[@dubot4076]

HE LETS THE CHESS SPEAK FOR ITSELF - spoken from the heart, free Hans. Cannot fathom the rollercoaster ride this young man has been going through. It is out of this world what Magnus and Hikaru have been doing and insinuating. Absolutely slanderous!

[@noonehere0987]

Do you always just take people at their word?

[@nougat4416]

@@noonehere0987 Why shouldnt he? Because youre taking someone else at their word? Because you have a 'feeling'? Why shouldnt he believe him?

[@prawtism]

Magnus is just protecting his rating, insinuating nothing. Hikaru just says it's suspicious, as it clearly is

[@pal_lokomotivet2679]

@@prawtism The ratiing points count

[@prawtism]

@@pal_lokomotivet2679 Yes, he wants 2900. This is called a fold in poker. No need to risk, he has the most leverage out of anyone in chess.

[@idoabitoftrolling2172]

This will go down in chess history for 1 of 2 reasons.

[@LavaleshKarna]

I'm with you Hans. ♥️

[@Velvet-ni6pu]

Hans you have my complete support and respect!!!! I feel bad I started actually doubting you as preposterous as all the claims were purely because I was influenced by some of the biggest entities in chess as you said. Should have known it's easy to turn anything into "good reasoning" if you look hard enough, try hard enough to twist things into the narrative you want and have a bias against someone and that's exactly what they did and massively lost respect for them. I admire your candidness and that ability to use all of this as fuel to motivate you further. Continue to stay focused and keep climbing!! Your win against Magnus although it may feel like it was tainted, on the positive now more than most other games where Magnus lost in classical chess, this game will certainly be remembered and espp after all the drama hopefully clarifies, you can go back to living the dream and not just for a day. Although theres still some things you've said we may not always like, honesty is always appreciated and your passion for chess is undeniable and in that sense you are certainly great for this beautiful game!

[@A_Wolf]

You sweet on him bro?... 🤣

[@TravelCoupleShorts]

@@A_Wolf Idiot

[@nishantanand3427]

1> known history of cheating 2> meteoric rise 3 > playing strength vs analysis strength difference 4> loud mouth on top of that , magnus would be well within his rights to make a personal choice of not competing against hans if he suspects any thing

[@danielreyna6345]

@@nishantanand3427 you are going to tell me you didnt do anything wrong or morally bad ever when you were younger? We all make mistakes and hans has learned from it and move on and move up

[@Velvet-ni6pu]

@@nishantanand3427 Look I was very suspicious just like you a day ago, and none of those 4 things are anything concrete. Theres many other players where some of those qualities overlap we just dont question but because hans is unlucky to have the bulk of it all in one and Magnus of all ppl has made an insinuation, all these rumours started and ppl are finding everything under the sun to paint him to be the villain we want him to be. His personality of being a loud mouth has got nothing to do with it and it doesnt show anything to his potential to cheat. And in fact it only proves his case more the fact he becomes even more loud and passionate after the accusations are made because that's what any unfairly accused person will feel. It would be abs devastating for someone who didnt do anything wrong and it's exactly what hans is showing and it looks very genuine to me. With known history of cheating, past mistakes dont define the future. But that is probs the most sus thing but again so many titled players have done that at some point and are totally clean now. Meteoric rise, with the young we have many examples of crazy rises and again not enough good reason. And with poor analysis, he stated himself hes a highly intuitive player, he sees positions and just evaluates whether it's better or not just through some sort of pattern recognition and when he states variations and in cases where it was just plain wrong, hes just going by his first instinct in that moment where he needs to give answers quickly in an exhausted state after the game and ofc that wont exactlyy be ideal esp for a player like him who probs needs a few mins to check his instinct before making the final move and if he did have that time I'm sure his analysis would be great. Hes still young, and learning to be better at it. But his analysis at times has been really good as well and again it's just not a good enough reason. Magnus can have a suspicioun yes but suspicion without any REAL evidence and just assuming the worst to be true as incredulous as the claim is and insinuating something to the world without facts is just completely unprofessional and dangerous. If he wanted to leave because he felt that strongly about it, he should have left with other simple reasons than saying it knowing what his powerful influence can have without the evidence. It's just an abuse of power at this point because he has nothing to show for it.

[@thorbenprigge4473]

Huge respect to him for even giving an interview like this

[@patilabhishek150]

Man i cried. What an heartfelt interview

[@o1-preview]

I needed to watch this, thanks Hans.