Reflections on Hans Niemann vs Magnus Carlsen Match
Reflections on Hans Niemann vs Magnus Carlsen Match
The now-concluded 2024 Speed Chess Championship semifinal between Magnus Carlsen and Hans Niemann was a highly anticipated event, fueled by allegations, and a past legal battle.
While I believe this ongoing saga is a sad chapter in chess history, it’s clear that in the current landscape of chess—particularly with Ding Liren’s subdued debut as world champion where he has been battling with mental health issues and poor play—creates a vacuum where controversy seems to flourish.
Hans Niemann’s pre-match interview with Levy Rozman offered insight into his mindset. Kramnik is now his life coach (Niemann’s own words). Niemann positions himself as a victim of a system controlled by Chess.com which is maybe where Kramnik’s teachings fit in. While Niemann has legitimate claims against Chess.com. The missteps during its merger with The Play Magnus Group and its now near-monopoly status in online chess could have slowed Niemann’s ascent, but the situation is more nuanced. Despite Chess.com's efforts to reintegrate him into high-profile events, Niemann seems intent on prolonging the conflict.
Niemann has embraced this martyr-like role, much like Bobby Fischer did in his fight against the Soviet chess establishment. Niemann appears to be channeling Fischer's spirit, seemingly drawing inspiration from, if not actively emulating him.
“Karpov, Kasparov, Korchnoi have absolutely destroyed chess by their immoral, unethical, prearranged games. These guys are really the lowest dogs around, and if people knew the truth about them, they would be held in more contempt than Ben Johnson, the runner, and they're going to know the truth when I do this book!” — Press Conference, September 1 1992 [5]
While historical context and interviews add to our understanding of the players and the game, today's focus seems to have shifted. The daily debates on r/chess now revolve more around off-board drama than the game itself. This shift suggests chess may be evolving from a pure game, sport if you will, into a form of entertainment, mirroring boxing's trajectory. Ob this trajectory, personalities, and controversies overshadow the game itself to generate hype.
Niemann’s attacks on Carlsen and Chess.com are anything but subtle. Carlsen remains calm while trying to avoid playing Niemann when he can. Niemann is in contrast loud and provocative, at least before the match he was. Niemann’s claim that Carlsen is “broken” from their 2022 clash was a major claim building the hype before the match.
“I think he’s (Carlsen) already broken…I broke him in the Sinquefield Cup. As long as I can look him in the eye and understand that there is absolutely nothing that he can do to even enter my mind space, I believe victory will be mine..” — Hans Niemann1
His play could however not match his verbal attacks on Carlsen. This made Carlsen share this GIF on Twitter after defeating Niemann.
For those not into basketball it might be worth describing the context. It is Lance Stephenson blowing into LeBron James' ear during the 2014 Eastern Conference Finals. Stephenson later explained this unusual tactic as an attempt to get James 'mad' and 'frustrated,' though it ultimately backfired as James and the Miami Heat won the series.
“I was really trying to get him mad -- like, really trying to win the game, get him unfocused, and I was trying anything.” — Lance Stephenson2
The comparison suggests that while such tactics may grab headlines, they fail to win titles. Something Carlsen still excels at.
Historically, rivalries like Fischer vs. Spassky or Kasparov vs. Karpov carried a deeper meaning rooted in chess history or as a fight for first between No. 1 and 2 in the world. This brings me to Ding Liren and the missing interest around him as a player and world champion.
Ding Liren, the reigning World Champion, is a quiet, friendly figure—a noticeable contrast to Niemann. Yet his time as world champion so far has left a vacuum at the top, with little narrative around his games to engage fans. Without a charismatic and well-playing champion like Carlsen actively defending the title, there’s a lack of compelling stories in chess.
Would Ding’s reign feel more exciting and create more coverage if he had a rival pushing him while he was defending the No. 1 spot on the rating list, as with Kasparov and Karpov?
Magnus Carlsen’s decision to leave the World Championship reflects this tension. Despite being the best, Carlsen is unwilling to engage fully with modern classical chess. This also disallows chess fans to fully believe in the battle-for-first-narrative, since most know that Magnus still is the best, also at classical chess if he wishes to play.
This leaves chess in a strange situation, where we have to live with being asked by non-chess-playing-coworkers, why there is a subheadline in a major Danish news outlet that states: “The Anal Balls from Hell”. It's questionable whether this is a direction the chess community should continue to pursue.
Not that it is Ding’s fault, but to my eyes it seems like a consequence of both Magnus withdrawing without a strong new clear world No. 1 taking his place, the quiet personality of Ding combined with his poor results, and Chess.com seeking engagement, that has given space for Hans Niemann.
Maybe it is also unfair to Niemann to say he is attention-grabbing since it was Carlsen who was the one to start this mess by withdrawing from Saint Louis with unbacked (unspoken)-claims of cheating. However, the drama will continue in 2025 when Netflix is airing a film about the cheating scandal.
Going back to what happened on the chessboard in the SCC Semifinal. While watching the games progress, I found myself caught in a paradox: the high production value and surrounding narratives did draw me in. Yet, I had a feeling that the actual games and results had become secondary to the off-board spectacle.
This highlights the dilemma.
It will be interesting to see if the Olympiad, that starts today, will shift focus towards the play on the board again. I’m at least looking forward to following.
/Martin