“I have never cheated in an over-the-board game” - Hans Niemann fires back at Piers Morgan’s "an*l beads" accusation

Chess grandmaster and part-time streamer Hans Niemann has once again stepped back into the limelight to confront the past allegations of cheating that had him in hot water. He recently appeared on Piers Morgan Uncensored show, where he had to face the music regarding the cheating scandal that set off a legal battle lasting a year and pitted him against Magnus Carlsen and Chess.com.

While the legal matters have been put to rest and resolved, Hans Niemann still finds himself in the midst of ongoing controversy. When questioned about the notorious an*l beads scandal, which remains unproven and merely alleged, Hans asserted:

"I have never cheated in an over-the-board game”

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"You can ask the an*l bead people" - Hans Niemann's lawyer shuts down Piers Morgan's question

In September 2022, Hans Niemann secured a significant victory over Magnus Carlsen at the $350,000 Sinquefield Cup tournament in St. Louis.

However, Carlsen withdrew from the tournament the following day, sparking rumors of a potential cheating scandal. Some media outlets even sensationalized the story, suggesting Hans might have used vibrating an*l beads to receive covert move instructions.

Although this theory remains unproven, Piers brought up this story during his interview with Hans, questioning how he intends to debunk or refute it. Hans responded by stating:

"How can I disprove a negative? That was never a serious thing. That was something that the media caught up. If you look at the consensus, the consensus among chess players, the consensus among experts, it is an unequivocal fact that I have never cheated in an over-the-board game."

(Timestamp: 14:35)

Piers, however, remained unsatisfied with Hans's initial response, doubling down on his queries. Seated by Hans's side, the lawyer finally stepped in to attempt to set the record straight:

"You wanna ask him about the an*l beads, something he never said or ever did. We don't know the answer to that question, Piers. Maybe you can ask the an*l beads people."

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Recently, Hans Niemann found himself embroiled in a feud with fellow chess grandmaster and former world champion Vladimir Kramnik. The seasoned chess player made waves by announcing that he was boycotting Chess.com, leaving a cryptic message accusing the website of being riddled with "cheats" and "crooks."

During Piers Morgan's interview, Hans emphasized that Vladimir had privately contacted him via email, expressing a desire for Hans to travel to Amsterdam and engage in a face-to-face chess session.