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The Guardian
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
Chess: Aronian takes big top prize in Las Vegas as Niemann celebrates Carlsen's downfall
Levon Aronian, at 42 the oldest in the tournament, scored what he described as 'one of the crown jewels' of his career to win the $200,000 (£148,000) first prize at the Las Vegas leg of the Freestyle Grand Slam last weekend. Aronian did it in style, winning matches against the world No 1 Magnus Carlsen, the No 2 Hikaru Nakamura and the No 5 Arjun Erigaisi en route to victory. Carlsen had to settle for the third prize of $100,000, plus the further indignity of finishing behind his arch enemy Hans Niemann, whose game with the Norwegian at the 2022 Sinquefield Cup led to allegations of cheating and a $100m lawsuit, which was eventually settled out of court. Niemann was invited to join the commentary team for the final stages of Aronian v Carlsen, and made the most of his triumph and a post-game reunion with Aronian. Carlsen blamed his defeat on a 'complete collapse' of his nervous system. Besides his failure against Aronian, he also allowed Wesley So a mate in four moves. In fairness, he recovered well from his expensive early errors, scored five successive wins before defeating Nakamura in the third place match, and still leads the overall Tour standings going into the next multi-hub leg in September and the final in Cape Town in December. Niemann showed commanding form when he defeated the US champion Fabiano Caruana, against whom he had previously had poor results, by 2.5-1.5. In their third game, Caruana settled for a draw by threefold repetition when he had an edge, prompting Niemann to say he was not surprised: 'I think that my nerves, when there's low time, are clearly better than his. I play a lot more blitz, I'm younger, and I also play much faster.' Niemann finally met his match in the final for the $200,000 top prize, which Aronian won 1.5-0.5, but only after a double blunder where Niemann could have won a pawn race to queen, but missed a simple deciding move. Nakamura also failed to clinch a winning sequence against Carlsen before losing 0.5-1.5. It seems that the psychological burden of playing for a total of half a million dollars proved difficult for all of them. The Freestyle Tour's future is unclear. Its huge $3.75m prize fund dwarfs even the $1.5m for chess in the Esports World Cup in Saudi Arabia next week, but is related to a $12m investment by the venture capital firm Left Lane Capital, which was made on the apparent assumption that the Tour would attract major television coverage. That does not appear to be the case so far, even though the event was a sell-out for the hundreds of spectators, who were allowed to bring in mobile phones and could talk loudly, with the players protected from the noise by earphones. The time controls, which were originally slow classical to satisfy Carlsen, were speeded up to one hour rapid in the interest of a fast-paced event. The Tour suffers in the eyes of the majority of grandmasters because entry is effectively restricted to the top 25-30 players in the world, with ratings above Fide 2725. Beyond that, there remains the troubling problem that, although Freestyle Chess sparks creativity and greatly reduces the need for opening preparation, it also makes it harder for even strong players viewing the games to relate the positions to their previous experience. One of the more easily understandable games, and an elegant victory, was Nakamura v So, where the world No 2 trapped his opponent's queen in just 17 moves. Elsewhere, last weekend's English Championship at Kenilworth, Warwickshire, turned into a trial of strength between the country's top two grandmasters, the world senior champion Michael Adams and the former Russian champion Nikita Vitiugov, which continued right into a tie-break for first prize which Adams edged 2.5-1.5. It was an impressive performance by Adams, the 53-year-old from Taunton, Somerset, whose wins over the defending champion Gawain Jones and England's youngest grandmaster, 16-year-old Shreyas Royal, were both of the highest class. Adams's tie-break strategy against Vitiugov, keeping a tight grip on the position until his opponent lost patience, was also very effective. Sign up to The Recap The best of our sports journalism from the past seven days and a heads-up on the weekend's action after newsletter promotion Vitiugov lost little in defeat. He is a strong grandmaster in the Soviet tradition, and showed his quality by a fine attacking win against Ameet Ghasi in the final round. Royal had the best tie-break of those tied for third, played an excellent attack against John Emms, and appeared a potential 2600 player. Matthew Wadsworth, whose GM title has just been confirmed by Fide, also looked the part. Final leading scores were Adams and Vitiugov 6/7, Royal, Wadsworth, Peter Roberson, and Jones 5.5. Elmira Mirzoeva retained the English Women's title. The old hands triumphed, while the losers were the ambitious amateurs and the teen or sub-teen juniors, groups that lacked outstanding performers. They will not have to wait long for another opportunity, though, because the British Championship starts at Liverpool next Thursday. Meanwhile Dan Fernandez, the 30-year-old England No 16, who is ambitious to break into the Olympiad team, has just scored a career-best result at the Ghent Open in Belgium, winning first prize with a spectacular 7.5/9, two points clear of the field and with a 2645 tournament performance rating. India's 19-year-old Divya Deshmukh defeated China's Tan Zhongyi 1.5-0.5 to reach Saturday's final of the Women's World Cup in Batumi, Georgia. Deshmukh will meet her compatriot Humpy Koneru, who won 5-3 against China's Lei Tingjie in the second semi-final. Finally, a word on The American Chess Magazine, which is one of the best of its kind. The latest issue, available separately, includes a rare account by Boris Spassky of his first meeting with Bobby Fischer, an analysis of the best queen sacrifices in chess history, advice on openings, and much more. 3981 1 Rxe8+! Rxe8 2 Nxf6+ gxf6 3 Bb5! Resigns. White wins the e8 rook or mates by Qg4+ and Qg7.
News18
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- News18
Magnus Carlsen Shares Awkward Encounter With Hans Niemann At Freestyle Chess: WATCH
Last Updated: 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. view comments First Published: July 22, 2025, 17:39 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
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First Post
20-07-2025
- Entertainment
- First Post
Hans Niemann hits back at critics after 'hate-watching' accusations at Freestyle Chess event: 'What would you call...'
Hans Niemann has slammed critics who questioned his celebration while watching Magnus Carlsen's elimination from the Freestyle Chess event in Las Vegas, reminding them of the struggles he has faced since being labelled a cheater by the world No. 1. read more Controversial American Grandmaster Hans Niemann has hit back at the critics who have accused him of 'hate-watching' Magnus Carlsen's defeat to Levon Aronian as the world No.1 was eliminated from the title race at the Las Vegas Freestyle Chess Grand Slam. Niemann was seen celebrating Carlsen's downfall as he let out animated expressions while being in the commentary booth with GM David Howell and IM Tania Sachdev. 'There are very few pleasures in life that compare to this feeling,' Niemann had said in the commentary booth as Aronian defeated Carlsen in the fourth-spot tie-breaker. 'You know what they say, karma is a…. I don't want to finish the sentence. Levon, I'm taking you to dinner tonight,' he added. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Niemann slams Carlsen's fans With a defeat to Aronian, Carlsen was relegated to the Lower Bracket quarter-finals and his fans vented out their frustration on Niemann and his celebrations. The 22-year-old Niemann has now hit out at the fans for making accusations against him and reminding them of his struggles since he was labelled a cheat by Carlsen. 'If you think I was hate watching yesterday, what would you call what I've experienced the past three years?' Niemann wrote on X. If you think I was hate watching yesterday. What would you call what I've experienced the past 3 years? — Hans Niemann (@HansMokeNiemann) July 17, 2025 Meanwhile, Niemann, who was accused of cheating over the board by Carlsen in 2022 at the Sinquefield Cup, has enjoyed a highly successful tournament in Las Vegas, reaching the final of the Freestyle Chess event, a tournament which is co-owned by Carlsen. Niemann defeated fellow American GM Fabiano Caruana 2.5-1.5 in the semi-finals, scripting a memorable run and upsetting the odds. He is set to face Aronian in the mega final. Aronian reached the final by defeating Indian Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi in the semis. Carlsen, however, is still fighting for the third spot, despite being put out of the title race. Carlsen defeated India's R Praggnanandhaa and Erigaisi in classification matches to qualify for the third spot against Hikaru Nakamura. The winner will take home a mega prize of $100,000. The winner of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Las Vegas leg will earn $200,000.
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First Post
19-07-2025
- Sport
- First Post
Hans Niemann posts powerful message after reaching Freestyle Chess Las Vegas final: 'Don't need an apology...'
Hans Niemann made an emphatic statement by reaching the final of Freestyle Chess Las Vegas, an event that's part of a tour co-founded by Magnus Carlsen, the person who had accused him of cheating three years ago. read more Hans Niemann reached the final of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour event in Las Vegas with a victory over Fabiano Caruana in the semi-finals. Image credit: Freestyle Chess Controversial American Grandmaster Hans Moke Niemann was at the centre of what many would consider the biggest scandal in chess history when he was accused of cheating by Norwegian superstar Magnus Carlsen in the 2022 Sinquefield Cup. The incident led to a hundred million-dollar federal lawsuit that was eventually closed with a settlement between the two the following year. However, the two have shared frosty relations ever since, with both Carlsen and Niemann verbally targeting one another through a series of digs and inflammatory statements. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Niemann makes triumphant statement by reaching Freestyle Chess Las Vegas final For Niemann to reach the final of Freestyle Chess Las Vegas, therefore, is nothing short of poetic. The Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour, after all, was co-founded by Carlsen and German entrepreneur Jan Henric Buettner, in which the former had won back-to-back events in Paris and Karlsruhe and currently sits on top of the overall standings. What makes his journey to the summit clash following his victory over Italian-American GM Fabiano Caruana even sweeter is the fact that Carlsen failed to even reach the quarter-finals in the same event, finishing fifth in the group stage. After his 2.5-1.5 victory over compatriot Caruana – the runner-up in the Weissenhaus leg of the Grand Slam Tour – Niemann emphatically stated that he did not need an apology for the cheating accusations; rather, he would less his chess pieces do the talking on the board. 'I don't need an apology, my comeback will be on the chess board, nothing else!' the 22-year-old wrote on X on Saturday. Niemann added that his stellar run in the ongoing tournament isn't something new – he has been capable of producing such performances for a 'very long time'. He had finished runner-up in 'Group Black' earlier in the Las Vegas Grand Slam, missing out on the top spot with back-to-back losses against Hikaru Nakamura and Caruana. Niemann, however, bounced back in the knockouts, defeating Uzbekistani GM Javokhir Sindarov 4-2 before his semi-final win against Caruana. 'I've been capable of this for a very long time. I don't think there is anything that can stop me now,' Niemann was quoted by Take Take Take as saying. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Niemann faces veteran GM Levon Aronian in an all-American final that gets underway on Saturday. Aronian, who had represented his native country Armenia before switching allegiance to the United States in 2021, had ended Indian GM Arjun Erigaisi's stellar run in the ongoing tournament with a 2-0 victory in the semi-finals.
Indian Express
16-07-2025
- Sport
- Indian Express
Hans Niemann explains why Magnus Carlsen will be under more pressure while facing him over board
Hans Niemann has said that stars like Magnus Carlsen and Hikaru Nakamura will experience more pressure than he will when they face off across the board in a chess game. Niemann is one of the 16 players at the Las Vegas leg of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour, where Carlsen and Nakamura are also in the fray. Niemann and Nakamura are in eight-player Group Black while Carlsen headlines Group White. Niemann's group will also have players like Fabiano Caruana, Arjun Erigaisi and Vidit Gujrathi while Praggnanandhaa is in Carslen's half. The Las Vegas event could see a rare, over-the-board clash between the outspoken American and Carlsen, who had accused him of cheating after losing to Niemann in a Sinquefield Cup game in 2022. That incident led to a $100 million lawsuit which was eventually settled. None of the cheating allegations were ever substantiated. Carlsen and Niemann have played against each other a couple of times over the board since then, most notably at the FIDE World Blitz Championship in New York in December last year. There, Carlsen defeated Niemann and then made a 'what's the fuss' gesture at the camera. Niemann, though, believes that the Norwegian world no 1 will experience more pressure than him if they meet again. 'I honestly think that more pressure is on them because they have much more to lose than me. For me, I'm 22 years old. I have 10 chances against them, right? If I lose to them, it's not something to be embarrassed about, right? They're great players, but for them, if they lose, considering the history, for them it would be quite devastating, you know? So, I think that they feel more pressure,' Niemann told Chessbase India in an interview. 'Even recently my results against Hikaru and Magnus online have been very good. I think against Hikaru this year I'm 5 ½ vs 1 ½ and all the wins I had were decisive to win the tournament. So Hikaru I'm out performing. I beat Magnus and Hikaru back to back. Even Alireza I'm 3-0 in the last. So I don't feel the same nerves that I used to feel against the top guys. I guess having opportunities to play them in blitz online helps you acclimatize to their level and to the potential stress that could incur throughout the game. They have much more to lose. So like I would say that they're stressed (facing me). Because if you saw in my rapid game against Hikaru he was completely winning, but then he blundered and so I've been tricking him a lot. So it's a sign of stress.'
