Well, Niemann has a history of cheating in online games (some with prizes). He admitted cheating in some games, and according to statistics cheated in some additional ones.
It’s possible that Carlsen had this in the head when playing and that, in conjunction with a “ridiculous miracle” caused his reaction:
The report mentioned as peculiar but drew no conclusions from the statement made by Niemann in his post-game interview that it was inexplicable and a “ridiculous miracle” that he had the very day of the game, before the game, used a computer engine to analyze an unusual position that arose in his game against Carlsen.
I realize being a prodigy and a champion in a field this competitive can go to your head, but damn.
I think it would be fair to mention that Carlsen has never done anything like this before in his already long career.
I understand all that. What I meant was that I think it’s bad form to accuse an opponent who beat you of cheating without evidence, and I would think that if you’re at the top of your game, it looks even worse, and thus Carlsen would have even more incentive to mind the optics of it. This is the first I’ve ever heard of him behaving like this as well, but it looks bad nonetheless. I would think a better way to have gone about it would be to investigate my suspicions outside of the public eye first and only go public if I came up with evidence to support the claim. Being wrong about an accusation of cheating almost looks worse than actually cheating. I’d want to avoid that at all costs, if I were him.
The thing is I don’t think there’s any way Magnus would accuse him or forfeit the game unless he was sure.
I’m pretty sure what happened here is Magnus opened an obscure opening and when the move set exactly copies the pattern a computer would play you just know.
That’s the level Magnus is at. His memorization is insane and I can almost guarantee he was 100% sure this kid was cheating.
Just because you don’t have proof or can’t see it doesn’t mean Magnus can’t.
I get it from a casual observer point youre like no way he could know. Trust me his memorization is that good.
Except, we now know he wasn’t. Carlsen was salty because his ego was bruised by losing to someone he perceived as being beneath him. He wasn’t seeing any 4d chess BS romantic mental projection of the game. He was just mad that he lost. Be aware, it wasn’t that Niemann was unfairly landsliding Carlsen. Quite the opposite, Carlsen had already won two games against Niemann. When he lost the third game he got mad that someone else studied the same obscure opening as him and resigned on the fourth game after a single move. Just an adult tantrum.
Well, Niemann has a history of cheating in online games (some with prizes). He admitted cheating in some games, and according to statistics cheated in some additional ones.
It’s possible that Carlsen had this in the head when playing and that, in conjunction with a “ridiculous miracle” caused his reaction:
I think it would be fair to mention that Carlsen has never done anything like this before in his already long career.
I understand all that. What I meant was that I think it’s bad form to accuse an opponent who beat you of cheating without evidence, and I would think that if you’re at the top of your game, it looks even worse, and thus Carlsen would have even more incentive to mind the optics of it. This is the first I’ve ever heard of him behaving like this as well, but it looks bad nonetheless. I would think a better way to have gone about it would be to investigate my suspicions outside of the public eye first and only go public if I came up with evidence to support the claim. Being wrong about an accusation of cheating almost looks worse than actually cheating. I’d want to avoid that at all costs, if I were him.
The thing is I don’t think there’s any way Magnus would accuse him or forfeit the game unless he was sure.
I’m pretty sure what happened here is Magnus opened an obscure opening and when the move set exactly copies the pattern a computer would play you just know.
That’s the level Magnus is at. His memorization is insane and I can almost guarantee he was 100% sure this kid was cheating.
Just because you don’t have proof or can’t see it doesn’t mean Magnus can’t.
I get it from a casual observer point youre like no way he could know. Trust me his memorization is that good.
Except, we now know he wasn’t. Carlsen was salty because his ego was bruised by losing to someone he perceived as being beneath him. He wasn’t seeing any 4d chess BS romantic mental projection of the game. He was just mad that he lost. Be aware, it wasn’t that Niemann was unfairly landsliding Carlsen. Quite the opposite, Carlsen had already won two games against Niemann. When he lost the third game he got mad that someone else studied the same obscure opening as him and resigned on the fourth game after a single move. Just an adult tantrum.