Chess star Hans Niemann sues over cheating allegations

Chess grandmaster Hans Niemann alleges in a federal lawsuit that chess world champion Magnus Carlsen and others destroyed his career by accusing him of cheating

A 19-year-old chess grandmaster is seeking $100 million in a federal lawsuit alleging a rival chess player and others destroyed his career with false accusations of cheating, elevating a controversy that has roiled the chess world since September.

Hans Niemann filed the lawsuit Thursday in U.S. District Court in St. Louis against chess world champion Magnus Carlsen, who has suggested Niemann cheated during his upset win over Carlsen at the Sinquefield Cup tournament in St. Louis.

Niemann is seeking damages from Carlsen; Carlsen's company Play Magnus Group; online chess site Chess.com; Hikaru Nakamura, an American grandmaster who is an influential streaming partner on Chess.com; and Chess.com executive Danny Rensch.

It alleges the defendants worked together to defame and libel Niemann after his Sinquefield Cup win.

“Despite the falsity of the Defendants’ accusations, Defendants' malicious defamation and unlawful collusion has, by design, destroyed Niemann’s remarkable career in its prime and ruined his life,” according to the lawsuit.

Niemann says tournaments have banned him, matches have been canceled and reputable chess schools won’t hire him over the false accusations.

The lawsuit contends Carlsen is seeking to preserve his status as the “King of Chess” and to complete a deal with Chess.com to acquire Play Magnus for nearly $83 million.