Chess champion Magnus Carlsen has taken to social media to complain about cheating in chess and claims he couldn’t focus on his latest loss when he saw his opponent holding a clock.
Carlsen, the world’s top chess pro, was defeated earlier today as part of the Qatar Masters 2023 by Alisher Suleymenov.
In a post on social networks, the 32-year-old said that due to the use of Suleymenov’s watch, he completely lost concentration.
The Norwegian said: “I was completely overwhelmed in my game today. This is not to accuse my opponent of anything, who played a great game and deserved to win.
“Honestly, as soon as I saw that my opponent was holding a clock at the beginning of the game, I lost the ability to concentrate.
Magnus Carlsen of Norway (pictured at the 44th Chess Olympiad in 2022), is currently the highest ranked chess player in the world
Carlsen added: “I certainly take responsibility for my inability to deal with those thoughts properly, but it’s also incredibly disappointing to see the organizers still not taking anti-cheating seriously (no broadcast delays, spectators walking around the hall of playing with smart phones).’
In an update, he continued: “I asked a referee during the game if watches were allowed, and he clarified that smartwatches were prohibited, but not analog watches. This appears to be against FIDE rules for events of this level.’
Footage of the match between Carlsen and Suleymenov shows the 23-year-old Kazakhstani wearing a large watch as the two face off.
It comes after fellow chess star Hans Niemann, who was accused of using anal beads to beat Carlsen, spoke out in August after being cleared of cheating.
Hans Niemann is suing Norway’s Magnus Carlsen for $100 million for ruining his career after the world champion suggested he cheated his way to a stunning victory against him at a 2020 tournament.
The sport was rocked by rumors that a chess coach had told the 20-year-old what moves to play by sending noises to a sex toy hidden in his body.
The lawsuit was dismissed in the summer and Niemann has now settled with online sports platform chess.com, setting the stage for a long-awaited rematch.
Footage of the match between Carlsen and Suleymenov shows the 23-year-old from Kazakhstan wearing a large watch as the two faced off.
In a post on his social networks, the 32-year-old said that due to using Suleymenov’s watch, he completely lost concentration.
Grandmother of chess player Hans Niemann (pictured) has been cleared of allegations made by a rival that he used vibrating anal beads to cheat
The self-taught master from San Francisco was climbing the world rankings when he stepped up to play Carlsen at the Sinquefield Cup last September in St Louis, Missouri.
But with Carlsen playing white and taking the first move, few expected to see Niemann’s powerful defense dismantle his opponent and claim the game.
He credited a ‘ridiculous miracle’ for his victory, claiming he had seen a video of Carlsen using a similar game plan in a game four years earlier that morning.
Critics claimed the explanation didn’t hold water and Carlsen pulled out of the tournament, with Portuguese football manager José Mourinho cryptically tweeting: ‘If I speak I’m in big trouble and I don’t want to be in big trouble. .’
Organizers immediately beefed up security measures, including a 15-minute delay in the broadcast of the moves and added radio frequency identification checks, as rumors spread that Niemann had cheated.
Chess bloggers jokingly suggested that some players had been using ‘anal beads’ for years, a rumor that was reinforced by Elon Musk with a misquote from the German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer.
A week later, Carlsen sparked scandal when he resigned after just one move in an online match against Niemann.
Niemann, 19, filed suit last year in the US District Court for Missouri, accusing Norwegian world chess champion Magnus Carlsen (above) of defaming him.
“Do any honest check you want, I don’t care because I know I’m clean,” said a furious Niemann in an interview after his victory.
As rumors grew, Niemann underwent a humiliating 90-second body scan in front of laughing spectators before entering a tour a few weeks later.
Niemann sued Carlsen, the website and the Japanese master for defamation, alleging that Carlsen paid another grandmaster €300 to shout ‘Imposter Hans’ from a public balcony during a tournament.
That lawsuit was dismissed by a Missouri judge in June, but Chess.com said it had reinstated Niemann in August after he promised no further legal action against him.
In response to the settlement, Carlsen said: “I accept and understand the Chess.com report, including its statement that there is no conclusive evidence that Niemann cheated in his game against me in the Sinquefield Cup.
“I’m willing to play Niemann in future events if we’re paired together.”
Niemann also echoed that statement, saying he would repeat the win when their match takes place.
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