American chess player Hans Niemann broke his silence on Wednesday after an investigation accused him of cheating 100 times more than he previously admitted in online matches.
The Chess.com report states that the Niemann involved came out before his first match at the US Championship, an over-the-board tournament.
Video from the event showed the 19-year-old being scanned on his bottom and even the snacks he had brought with him for the day.
Niemann had been accused of using devices to help him cheat in matches, including anal beads. He defeated Christopher Yoo in his first round match.
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Hans Niemann said on October 5 he would “not back down” after chess platform Chess.com reported that he had “probably cheated more than 100 times” in online games. (Tim Vizer/AFP via Getty Images)
He then spoke briefly about Chess.com’s post-match coverage.
“I think this game is a message to everyone,” he told the Saint Louis Chess Club. “This whole thing started with me saying that chess speaks for itself. And I think that game spoke for itself and showed the chess player what I am and also showed that I won’t back down. And I’ll play my best chess here, no matter the pressure I’m under. And that’s all I have to say about this game. Chess speaks for itself, is all I can say.”
He broke off the interview after about 50 seconds.
A Chess.com report embroiled Hans Niemann in a cheating scandal. (Tim Vizer/AFP via Getty Images)
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Chess24 noted that Niemann’s “chess speaks for itself” quip is reminiscent of his flare-up with Magnus Carlsen in Miami at the FTX Crypto Cup. After beating Carlsen in a game, Niemann told a reporter off the field, “The chess speaks for itself.”
World No. 1 chess player Carlsen flatly accused Niemann of cheating late last month. Chess.com published its report on Monday.
Chess.com, an online platform where anyone can play the game and study the rules and strategy, shared a report on its investigation with the Wall Street Journal. The report indicates that Niemann “probably received illegal support in more than 100 online games” as recently as 2020.
U.S. international grandmaster Hans Niemann waits his turn during a second round match against Jeffery Xiong on day two of the Fall Chess Classic at the Saint Louis Chess Club in St. Louis, Missouri, October 6, 2022. (Tim Vizer/ AFP via Getty Images)
In some matches, Niemann was accused of cheating on the associated prize money. Niemann reportedly admitted the allegations and was banned from Chess.com for some time.
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Chess.com did not say whether Niemann cheated in over-the-board competitions. The site has cheat detection tools and was not involved in any type of cheat detection for over-the-board gaming, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Ryan Gaydos is Sports Editor at Fox News Digital.