"I would have been unfairly eliminated" - Hans Niemann almost gets knocked out of Puzzles World Championship 2024 due to apparent glitch

Hans Niemann almost gets knocked out after Chess.com glitch (Image via X/HansMokeNiemann)
Hans Niemann almost gets knocked out after Chess.com glitch (Image via X/HansMokeNiemann)

Chess Grandmaster and Twitch streamer Hans Niemann, also known as "GMHansN," recently took to X to reveal how a glitch on Chess.com nearly disqualified him from the just-concluded Puzzles World Championship 2024. After losing to Andy Woodward in the first round, Niemann faced Raunak Sadhwani in the losers' bracket. However, he encountered a rather unusual malfunction.

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Niemann disclosed that during his Twitch broadcast, his screen displayed a streak of 50, which should have secured his qualification. However, the Chess.com stream and website indicated that he only had a score of 44, resulting in a momentary disqualification before he raised the issue. He said:

"I would have been unfairly eliminated."
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"Thankfully, I was streaming, and they watched it" - Hans Niemann's Twitch stream saved his Puzzles World Championship 2024 run

Hans Niemann, who finished eighth in the qualifiers standings at the Puzzles World Championship 2024, faced Raunak Sadhwani in the first round of the losers' bracket (his second opponent of the day at that point). However, a glitch in Chess.com's website resulted in him getting eliminated momentarily.

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Niemann revealed:

"Today I was playing in the Puzzle Rush World Championship and the losers' bracket. I was playing against Raunak Sadwani, and we tied 2-2 and on tie-breaks, he beat me by one point."

He continued:

"And then as I was streaming, my viewers told me that I actually, on my third run, my score was 50 and not 44. So I checked the Chess.com video and it showed 44. I checked the Chess.com website, it said 44. But then I checked my stream, and on my stream, it showed me getting to 50 meaning that I would move forward."
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Niemann explained how his Twitch stream saved him from a potential elimination by serving as proof of the glitch that took place:

"Essentially what happened is that, once I scored 50, as soon as the round ended it automatically glitched back to 44 and I was limited. So thankfully I was streaming and they watched it but this is a very unfortunate thing to happen."
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He also posted a video revealing his stream, which clearly showed that he had scored 50:

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Despite the glitch, Hans Niemann progressed to the next round but lost to Pranav V. Ultimately, GM Ray Robson secured his fifth consecutive Puzzles World Championship title.

Twitch streamer and Grandmaster Hikaru "GMHikaru" also competed in the event, only to be knocked out. Shortly after, Niemann mocked GMHikaru's elimination in a livestream.

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Edited by Rachel Syiemlieh
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