A chess grandmaster has denied using vibrating sex toys to win over five-time world champion Magnus Carlsen last year.
Hans Niemann went viral on social media after rumours the 20-year-old cheated during the 2022 Sinquefield Cup in Missouri, US.
Niemann repeatedly denied the rumours, but after speaking on Piers Morgan Uncensored on Monday (local time), the topic of conversation came up again.
When he was asked by Morgan if he had used such toys “while playing chess,” Niemann replied: “Well, your curiosity is a bit concerning, you know - maybe you’re personally interested, but I can tell you, no.
“Categorically, no, of course not.”
Following his victory over five-time Chess world champion Magnus Carlsen last year, Niemann reportedly told the New York Times: “They want me to strip fully naked, I’ll do it. I don’t care, because I know that I’m clean. You want me to play in a closed box with zero electronic transmission? I don’t care, you know? Name whatever you guys want.”
Reports on social media claimed the grandmaster was receiving instructions for which moves to play via the vibrating toys.
In an interview with the St. Louis Chess Club, where the 2022 Sinquefield Cup was held, Niemann said he had never cheated in over-the-board games - but he did admit to cheating in “random games on Chess.com” when he was younger.
He said this was the “single biggest mistake of my life”.
However, a 72-page report by Chess.com alleged that the grandmaster “likely cheated” in more than 100 matches between 2015 and 2022, “including several with prize money events”.
The report claims that Niemann confessed to cheating to the Chess.com chess officer in 2020, which resulted in Niemann being temporarily banned from the website.
Niemann has since filed a NZD$168 million defamation lawsuit against Chess.com and Carlsen, where he denies all allegations.
The lawsuit was dismissed in June, with Niemann saying on social media that he was pleased that his “lawsuit against Magnus Carlsen and Chess.com has been resolved in a mutually acceptable manner, and that I am returning to Chess.com. I look forward to competing against Magnus in chess rather than in court.
“These difficult times have only strengthened my resolve and character and have only invigorated me even more to reach the top of chess,” he said.
“There will be a day when I will be the best chess player in the world, and I think it’s time to let my chess speak for itself.”
He has also been reinstated to Chess.com, which calls itself the world’s largest online platform.
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