As the controversy in international chess deepens, the World Chess Federation’s (FIDE) Fair Play Commission (FPL) has announced that it will set up an investigatory panel to investigate world chess champion Magnus Carlsen’s contention that American Hans Niemann cheated during a tournament last month in St Louis Missouri.
Carlsen, the 31-year-old Norwegian champion and the 19-year-old American Niemann had played a game in the classical mode of the St Louis, Missouri, Sinquefield Cup. Niemann was the lowest-ranked player in the tournament. Yet he managed to counter Carlsen’s moves and pull off a win. Carlsen was undefeated in 53 games in classical chess and had the advantage of moving the white pieces first in the said game. Soon after the game Carlsen had uncharacteristically withdrawn from the tournament without explanation although there were six rounds remaining. Afterward, Carlsen expressed his dissatisfaction with the game.