By now it is common knowledge that world chess champion Magnus Carlsen, 32, a Norwegian grandmaster, ceased participating in the Sinquefield Cup tournament because he felt that American grandmaster Hans Niemann, 19, had cheated in their game.
Niemann admitted that he had cheated previously in online games, when he was 12, and 16, but claimed that he had never cheated in face-to-face chess. The story made headlines worldwide and the World Chess Federation (FIDE) ordered an investigation. Shortly after, Chess.com, a hugely popular chess server and website, published a statement with statistics which demonstrated that Niemann had cheated in over 100 online games. The document also included data which indicated that Niemann’s development and successes in over-the-board play were also unusual.
