The defamation lawsuit filed by a 19-year-old chess grandmaster against a former world champion and online chess organization raises important questions about cheating and highlights the need to improve anti-cheating measures, according to a professional chess player.
Hans Moke Niemann sued in the Eastern District of Missouri federal court alleging libel, slander, and anti-trust violations.
"There are a number of factors that could have explained Niemann's sudden improvement in chess, such as increased training and better preparation," said A. Harikrishnan, a chess coach and professional chess player with 12 years of experience in the competitive chess world.
Harikrishnan commented on Niemann v Carlsen et al after U.S. District Judge Audrey Fleissig dismissed the $100 million lawsuit in which Niemann alleged his chess career was ruined by cheating allegations, which led to the cancellation of tournaments and the loss of sponsorships.
“He brings this action to recover from the devastating damages that Defendants have inflicted upon his reputation, career, and life by egregiously defaming him and unlawfully colluding to blacklist him from the profession to which he has dedicated his life,” wrote Niemann’s St. Peters attorney Matthew Gartner in the Oct. 20, 2022 complaint.
Defendants included fellow grandmaster Magnus Carlsen, Chess.com executive Daniel Rensch, Chess.com, Chess.com streaming partner Hikaru Nakamura, and Play Magnus, an online chess platform that Carlsen founded.
“I believe that the evidence presented by Carlsen and Chess.com is not conclusive," Harikrishnan told the St. Louis Record. “Chess is a game of strategy, tactics, and psychology. It is a game that requires deep thinking, problem-solving skills, and the ability to read your opponent's mind. "
The International Chess Federation (ICF) regulates the game. ICF, also known as the Fédération Internationale des Échecs (FIDE), consists of national chess organizations in 200 countries and has been recognized by the International Olympic Committee as an official global sporting organization.
Judge Fleissig reasoned in her decision that Niemann has not been banned from participating in the entire competitive chess market.
“That market includes professional chess tournaments operated by the admittedly independent entity, FIDE, and there is no indication that Niemann has been banned by FIDE,” Fleissig wrote in her June 27 opinion.
Niemann also alleged a violation of antitrust laws when Carlsen and Chess.com merged online playing platforms, which reportedly kept him from playing in tournaments. However, Fleissig decided that Niemann failed to plausibly allege an antitrust injury.
“Niemann defines the Competitive Chess Market as 'professional chess tournaments and online recreational chess platforms,'” Fleissig wrote. “But Niemann’s alleged injuries are not connected to any harm to competition in this market. Indeed, Niemann does not even compete in this market as he operates neither a professional chess tournament nor an online recreational chess platform.”
As previously reported in the St. Louis Post Dispatch, Niemann defeated Carlsen at the Sinquefield Cup in St. Louis in Sept. 2022, which ended his highest-ranked chess player in the world record.
At the time, Carlsen withdrew from the tournament after accusing Niemann of cheating.
“Even assuming without deciding that Niemann has plausibly alleged that Chess.com’s decision to ban Niemann from its platform and Carlsen’s decision not to play against Niemann were the products of a conspiracy among all Defendants (the basis for Niemann’s § 1 claim), the injury allegedly resulting from this conspiracy is an injury to Niemann alone, not to competition within the Competitive Chess Market," Fleissig added.
Niemann did not respond to requests for comment.