2022 Sinquefield Cup

[LawrenceCooper]

Yasser Seirawan reports that David Sedgwick has tightened security at the venue. The live feed has a 15 minute delay and there was a thorough search of Hans Niemann before today's game.

[Tim Harding]

Wesley So and Nepo scanned with wands again after their quick draw.

[Kevin Thurlow]

I did find the sentence, "(His classical rating has been rocketing skyward: in January 2021 he was just 2484, and he’s up to 2702.3 on the Live List.)" interesting. That is an amazing leap - nearly 220 points in 18 months.

Anyone know about this? https://livestreamfails.com/post/84343

I do know they're a bit random at times.

[LawrenceCooper]

I did find the sentence, "(His classical rating has been rocketing skyward: in January 2021 he was just 2484, and he’s up to 2702.3 on the Live List.)" interesting. That is an amazing leap - nearly 220 points in 18 months.

Anyone know about this? https://livestreamfails.com/post/84343

I do know they're a bit random at times.

Hikaru mentioned on his stream that he was aware of Hans Niemann not playing any prize money events on chess.com for a period of six months. Coincidentally, he also mentioned that chess.com have a policy that if you admit guilt you are allowed to play again after a ban is served.

[Tim Harding]

A lot of heavy innuendo going on here. Has Magnus actually made an accusation about Niemann?

[Paul Cooksey]

No accusation, just this:

I've withdrawn from the tournament. I've always enjoyed playing in the
@STLChessClub, and hope to be back in the future If I speak I am in big trouble Meme

[Stephen Westmoreland]

It is going to be very interesting how this plays out. Was shocked by the pull out.

[LawrenceCooper]

It is going to be very interesting how this plays out. Was shocked by the pull out.

It's a very sad situation whatever the truth of it is.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

It is going to be very interesting how this plays out. Was shocked by the pull out.

It's a very sad situation whatever the truth of it is.

Agreed. I wonder whether how the chess public and journalists will react to this and the inevitable fallout over the next few days/weeks? And how other top players are reacting?

[David Sedgwick]

Yasser Seirawan reports that David Sedgwick has tightened security at the venue. The live feed has a 15 minute delay and there was a thorough search of Hans Niemann before today's game.

The fifteen minute delay on the move transmission and the commentary will apply for the remainder of the tournament.

As Yasser has reported, a number of other security measures have been introduced.

Beyond that, I don't feel able to say anything, other than to mention that for much of today I was working behind the scenes in an unsuccessful attempt to forestall the outcome which has now transpired.

It's a very sad situation whatever the truth of it is.

Absolutely.

I feel very down. However, tomorrow is another day.

[NickFaulks]

No accusation, just this:

I've withdrawn from the tournament. I've always enjoyed playing in the @STLChessClub, and hope to be back in the future

He'd better hope they find something, or it's hard to imagine that he will be invited back.

[NickFaulks]

Yasser Seirawan reports that David Sedgwick has tightened security at the venue.

Not enough, obviously. Niemann drew with Firouza.

[NickFaulks]

Bad loser.
My respect for Magnus is approaching zero.

You don't get to be World Champion if losing doesn't annoy you.

[Matt Mackenzie]

But this isn't not liking losing, its insinuating cheating.

[Tim Harding]

But this isn't not liking losing, its insinuating cheating.

Quite. Whatever your opinion of Niemann, it must have been very hard for him to play today knowing that the World Champion has in effect accused him of cheating.
An open accusation by Magnus would be actionable slander, I suppose, but if he was not prepared to put up he should have shut up.