Two days after Chess.com published a 72-page report on its website about grandmaster Hans Niemann’s repeated history of online cheating, the ailing professional is now taking part in the 2022 US Chess Championship, to everyone’s surprise. And while the internet has plenty of jokes about exactly how Niemann might be cheating at over-the-board games, it appears that some of the suspicions about his behavior are partly due to the heightened security measures at the St. Louis Chess Club, which is hosting the event . I’m sorry to say that we will still be talking about anal beads.
To even get in, contestants had to undergo a security check that the competition has never seen before. During the live stream, viewers could see a guard taking time to scan people up and down with a device, sometimes pausing briefly on certain body parts. There is probably every reason to find hidden cheating devices, especially after Niemann’s highly public spat with reigning five-time world chess champion Magnus Carlsen.
While there is no actual, concrete evidence that Niemann cheated during the match in a real-world setting, Carlsen and some in the chess community have accused Niemann of comic dealings. The suspicion rests on Niemann’s history of online fraud, which the report says happened as recently as 2020, but also on the strange way Niemann is behaving. Unlike most top players, Niemann doesn’t seem nearly as concerned in high-stakes competitions. And the chess community wasn’t happy with Niemann’s bizarre comment on the strategies that have made him one of the world’s fastest rising grandmasters. Things got so bad that Magnus quit after just one move in a tournament, all in protest at Niemann’s ongoing competition.
Hans comes under scrutiny at US Championship 2022 during cheating controversy
The director of the St. Louis eatery spoke about the extra security measures during the competition’s live stream, where the commentator who interviewed him stated that Niemann deserved to be there.
“Obviously we want to ensure our events are held with the highest level of integrity,” he said. “And we want to ensure fair play in all tournaments. I want the players to feel like we take it very seriously when they play to St. Louis,” the director added.
Continue reading: Leading chess site asked top 100 players exposed as cheaters to confess (and they did)
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Creepy and scary
Something that video games prefer to their cinematic counterparts in terms of horror is the player’s agency. Sure, watching the slasher claim his next victim can scare you, but you know what’s even scarier? Knowing you had the power to stop it. Watching someone slowly open a door and enter a dark room is unnerving, but having to do it yourself will send shivers down your spine and paralyze you with fear.
He noted that the Championship has always used metal detectors, but now they’ve added radio frequency scanners designed to capture any potential electronic signals emanating from players. They’re also now looking at silicon devices, which they claim scanners can detect even when the device isn’t powered on. In addition to the “physical scanning,” the director also said the competition has a cheating expert on deck monitoring the unfolding of events, Ken Regan. And just to be extra safe, the tournament also introduced a 30-minute delay in the live stream.
When Niemann was scanned, security appeared to be a little more intense than the other players. Everyone was scanned from head to toe, but security forces appeared to linger on parts of Niemann’s body for a few extra moments, eventually turning him over. It seemed to me that they examined Niemann’s butt a little more closely than other competitors. I’m sure they weren’t looking for anal beads, the theoretical method the internet jokes must be using to scam Niemann. At least I’m sure they weren’t just looking for it or looking for it specifically. We have contacted the St. Louis Chess Club along with Niemann regarding the additional security measures.
St. Louis Director Talks *ANTI-Cheating* Measures in US Championship!!🏆
According to a local newspaper, spectators were allowed into the room at the start of the proceedings but were quickly escorted out. The director notes that even mediums had to leave the electronics outside, and they were all accompanied by Chess Club staff.
Niemann, it should be noted, won the first round against grandmaster Christopher Yoo. Here’s Chess.com with the breakdown of how things went:
The increasingly popular Jobava London [system of chess play] was the weapon of choice for Yoo, although things quickly turned around when the young GM was pushed off through the middle.
Despite the healthy advantage, Niemann still had seconds left and had to make several precise moves to reach the time control on move 40. On move 36, Yoo helped his opponent with the clumsy 36.e6??
Perhaps the most entertaining moment came after the showdown when Niemann was being interviewed about his match. He resisted any questioning.
Today Hans Niemann SEND A MESSAGE TO EVERYONE WHO HAD DOUBT YOU
“I think this game is a message to everyone,” he said. “You know, this whole thing started with me saying ‘chess speaks for itself’ and I think this game spoke for itself and showed the chess player what I am and also showed that I’m not going to back down and I I’ll play my best chess here, regardless of the pressure I’m under. That’s all I want to say about this game. You know, chess speaks for itself, that’s all I can say. You can leave it to your own interpretation, but thank you.”
Astonished, the commentator asked if Niemann was sure.
“That’s all I want to say, yes. If it was such a beautiful game, I don’t need to describe it,” he replied.