Chess | Hans Niemann responds to claims he ‘hate-watched’ Magnus Carlsen’s loss: ‘If you think … ‘ | Chess News

Hans Niemann (Freestyle Chess/Lennart Ootes)

American Grandmaster Hans Niemann has responded to critics who accused him of “hate-watching” Magnus Carlsen’s surprising elimination on the Las Vegas leg of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour.“If you think I was hate watching yesterday, what would you call what I’ve experienced the past three years?” Niemann posted on X, referring to the controversy that has shadowed his profession since 2022.The opening day in Las Vegas delivered a bombshell: world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen, co-founder of the Freestyle Chess format and chief in general standings, failed to make it previous the group stage. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Carlsen completed fifth within the White Group with simply 4 factors after three defeats, together with losses to India’s R Praggnanandhaa and American GM Levon Aronian, who beat him within the fourth-spot tie-breaker.ALSO READ: Despite being advised ‘Can’t invite you to Las Vegas’, Hans Niemann turns up, awaits Magnus Carlsen in ‘Battle of Baddies’This format, in contrast to earlier legs, options 16 gamers break up into two teams, with the highest 4 advancing to the knockout rounds. Carlsen’s early exit, particularly after dominating in Paris and Karlsruhe, the place he scored an ideal 9/9, was nothing in need of surprising.

Niemann, competing within the Black Group alongside Hikaru Nakamura, Fabiano Caruana, and Arjun Erigaisi, didn’t conceal his feelings whereas commentating on Carlsen’s decider towards Aronian. “There are very few pleasures in life that compare to this feeling,” he remarked after Aronian took the lead in Game 1 of the tie-break.The response isn’t shocking given Niemann’s turbulent historical past with Carlsen. The two have been embroiled in a bitter feud for the reason that 2022 Sinquefield Cup, when Carlsen accused Niemann of dishonest. Niemann later filed a $100 million lawsuit towards Carlsen and others, which was finally dismissed after an out-of-court settlement.