A teen’s upset chess championship victory has been marred by accusations of cheating, with the winner reportedly using a vibrating sex toy to help signal the correct moves against the world champion, according to rumors circulating online.
VICE News reports that Hans Neimann, 19, of San Francisco, caused a major upset when he defeated 31-year-old Norwegian grandmaster Magnus Carlsen at the Sinquefield Cup in St. Louis, Missouri on September 4.
The victory caused a major stir in the chess world, not only for the teenage underdog beating a world champion grandmaster, but due to allegations of cheating after rumors began circulating on social media.
Elon Musk event tweeted about the online speculation that Niemann inserted vibrating anal beads into his rectum, while another person controlled the device via remote control.
“Talent hits a target no one else can hit, genius hits a target no one can see (cause it’s in ur butt),” the Tesla CEO tweeted on September 8.
Neimann has since been banned from Chess.com.
Currently obsessed with the notion that Hans Niemann has been cheating at the Sinquefield Cup chess tournament using wireless anal beads that vibrate him the correct moves. pic.twitter.com/F48BXjtBlN
The teen defeated the reigning five-time World Chess Champion despite being the lowest-rated player in the tournament, according to the website.
Although online observers have cast doubt on Neimann’s victory with cheating accusations, there is no evidence of foul play as of yet.
VICE reported that players could use vibration-based systems placed in their shoe to communicate with a chess engine hidden somewhere else in an effort to get advice on moves in real-time. Said computer systems suggest recommendations on how to win as well as predict game outcomes.
Now, the theory has evolved into allegations of Neimann connecting to the computer using “wireless anal beads” or a “prostate massager,” the logistics of which were not immediately made clear, the Riverfront Times reports.
According to The Guardian, Neimann was frisked before the game and security turned up nothing, further adding fuel to the rumors that he may have been hiding something elsewhere.
“Currently obsessed with the notion that Hans Neimann has been cheating at the Sinquefield Cup chess tournament using wireless anal beads that vibrate him the correct moves,” one professional gamer tweeted.
Fabiano Caruana and Magnus Carlsen watching Hans Niemann at the 2022 edition of the Sinquefield Cup, photographed by Lennart Ootes. https://t.co/kNSJ0T5sB2 pic.twitter.com/keHSpKeR4s
— Olimpiu Di Luppi (@olimpiuurcan) September 6, 2022
Along from being banned from Chess.com, Neimann was uninvited from its $1 million Global Championship, with online qualifiers coming up in Toronto, The Guardian reports.
In a statement, the organization said they have “invited Neimann to provide an explanation” where he can “again participate on Chess.com.”
“We have invited Neimann to provide an explanation and response with the hope of finding a resolution where Neimann can again participate on Chess.com.”
For his part, Neimann said he “wasn’t going to let… the three biggest entities in chess… slander my reputation,” however chess24.com reports that he admitted to cheating “in random games” as a 16-year-old on Chess.com.
“I’m not going to let Chess.com, I’m not going to let Magnus Carlsen, I’m not going to let Hikaru Nakamura, the three arguably biggest entities in chess, simply slander my reputation because the question is — why are they going to remove me from Chess.com right after I beat Magnus?” Neimann said, according to the Guardian.
Hans Niemann admits to cheating "in random games" as a 16-year-old on Chesscom (& at 12) & says his shame provoked him to go all-out in over-the-board games for 2 years to prove himself. He says he was now again banned by chesscom after the events in St. Louis #SinquefieldCup pic.twitter.com/StYKEz3UCJ
— chess24.com (@chess24com) September 6, 2022
Meanwhile, a representative from Chess.com told the New York Post Neimann was booted for cheating on the website.
“We have reached out to Niemann to explain our decision to privately remove him from Chess.com and our events. We have shared detailed evidence with him concerning our decision, including the information that contradicts his statements [about] the amount and seriousness of his cheating on Chess.com,” the rep emailed in a statement.
Carlsen’s loss to Neimann ended his 53-game winning streak, the New York Post reports. He quickly withdrew from the tournament, which features a $350,000 cash prize.
“I’ve always enjoyed playing in the @STLChessClub, and hope to be back in the future,” Carlsen tweeted on September 5.
I've withdrawn from the tournament. I've always enjoyed playing in the @STLChessClub, and hope to be back in the future https://t.co/YFSpl8er3u
— Magnus Carlsen (@MagnusCarlsen) September 5, 2022
Carlsen added a video showing soccer manager Jose Mourinho giving a speech in 2020, where he said “I prefer not to speak. If I speak I am in big trouble… And I don’t want to be in big trouble.”
“I prefer not to speak,” Mourinho said in the 2020 video. “If I speak I am in big trouble…and I don’t want to be in big trouble.”
Niemann had actually already beaten the world champion in an online tournament in Miami last month, according to The Post.
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