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Magnus Carlsen Shares Awkward Encounter With Hans Niemann At Freestyle Chess: WATCH
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At the Las Vegas Freestyle Chess Grand Slam, Niemann's tense moment with Carlsen went viral. Their past cheating controversy led to a $100M lawsuit, which was settled.
During the Las Vegas leg of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam, a particularly awkward moment unfolded at the award ceremony when Hans Niemann stepped onto the stage.
Magnus Carlsen was visibly uncomfortable and his reaction, captured on video, quickly went viral, highlighting the unresolved tension between the two players.
Carlsen's Early Exit and Niemann's Reaction
In the tournament itself, Carlsen was shockingly eliminated in the group stage after losses to R Praggnanandhaa, Wesley So, and Levon Aronian. Niemann, serving as a commentator, was on camera reacting exuberantly to Carlsen's tie-break loss against Aronian.
His animated response, including cheering and shouting encouragement, underlined the continued psychological drama.
Carlsen and Niemann's Cheating Controversy
A major controversy rocked the chess world in September 2022 during the Sinquefield Cup, when reigning world champion Magnus Carlsen unexpectedly withdrew after losing to 19-year-old grandmaster Hans Niemann in the third round. Carlsen's abrupt exit sparked widespread speculation that he was accusing Niemann of cheating—though he never stated this directly.
The situation escalated when, in a subsequent online tournament, Carlsen resigned after just one move against Niemann, further fueling suspicions and media frenzy.
In October 2022, Niemann filed a $100 million lawsuit against Carlsen, his company Play Magnus Group, the site's Chief Chess Officer Daniel Rensch, and grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura. Niemann claimed defamation and unlawful collusion, arguing that internal report exaggerated his history of cheating and was part of a broader conspiracy to damage his reputation.
However, the lawsuit was dismissed in June 2023 by a U.S. district court.
By August 2023, all parties reached a settlement. reinstated Niemann on its platform, and Carlsen agreed to play him in future events if paired. The resolution effectively closed the legal chapter of the dispute.
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First Published:
July 22, 2025, 17:39 IST
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