Hans Niemann has responded after Netflix confirmed the release date of its upcoming Untold documentary about his chess cheating scandal with Magnus Carlsen.
In 2022, the chess world was rocked by its biggest scandal ever after Niemann defeated world champion Magnus Carlsen at the Sinquefield Cup in St. Louis. Carlsen withdrew from the tournament shortly afterward and later said he believed Niemann had cheated, sparking one of the biggest controversies chess had seen in years.
The incident fueled widespread speculation online, and many controversial theories about how the GM could have cheated in an over-the-board tournament.
Chess.com soon released a detailed report claiming Niemann had likely cheated in more than 100 online games, including some prize-money events, though it said there was no conclusive proof he cheated in over-the-board games against Carlsen. Niemann denied any in-person cheating and filed a $100 million lawsuit against Carlsen, Chess.com, Hikaru Nakamura, and others, accusing them of defamation and collusion. The lawsuit was later settled in 2023.
The incident occurred as chess was undergoing a massive resurgence in popularity following the release of Netflix’s hit 2020 show, The Queen’s Gambit, and the scandal became a mainstream talking point.
On February 24, Netflix announced that its documentary about the controversy would be released on April 7 as part of four new episodes of its Untold series, which will begin airing on March 31.
Before the episode goes live, however, Niemann has issued a statement hyping himself up as a future World Champion.
Hans Niemann says Netflix will “shift the narrative” about chess cheating scandal
In a post following the announcement, the 22-year-old argued that his endurance in the face of adversity made him a paragon of “American resilience.”
“When the world piled on smear campaigns, coordinated attacks, strategic silence: no one stood with me. Not a single institutional ally. False narratives spread across major platforms tested my reputation and my career at the highest level,” he explained.
“Others had state machines, endless sponsors, safety nets. I had grit, intellect, and the unshakeable American spirit inside. I rose, anyway.”
According to Niemann, the situation made him stronger, and he’s far from finished improving on his journey to become a great chess players… so much so, that he’s looking for sponsors to help him become a World Champion.
“Before the Netflix spotlight shifts the narrative, I will select one premier American company as my long-term partner: securing the necessary resources to become World Champion. American greatness deserves American enterprise behind it,” he said, adding that bids were now open.
Netflix’s ‘Chess Mates’ documentary will reveal “the truth”, claims Niemann
It sounds like the documentary will shed some new details on the scandal and present Niemann in a positive light.
Netflix’s synopsis for Chess Mates states: “Magnus Carlsen – widely regarded as the greatest chess player of all time – is challenged by rising star Hans Niemann, who capitalizes on the meteoric growth of online chess. Niemann’s ascension culminates in an epic, controversy-shrouded victory over Carlsen, eventually leading to allegations of cheating. Determined to clear his name, Niemann fights his way back to the top of the chess world, setting the stage for a high-stakes rematch with Carlsen.”
Prior to the post, the GM highlighted the upcoming documentary with the caption, “The truth, reckoning, and revolution is upon us.”
Meanwhile, at the time of writing, Carlsen has yet to comment on the documentary announcement.
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