The controversial grandmaster Hans Niemann has to endure a bizarre humiliation. At the American Chess Championships, opponent Samnuel Sevian grabs the 19-year-old's king, loosens his crown and then places the piece on a different square.
Hans Niemann does not have it easy. The US grandmaster, who is under massive pressure because of allegations of cheating by chess giant Magnus Carlsen, is once again at the center of a great deal of excitement. This time, however, the 19-year-old is not in the role of the supposed villain, but is exposed in a bizarre way. In his game on Tuesday evening in the 12th round of the US Chess Championships.
What a bizarre scene that was: Niemann's opponent Samuel Sevian suddenly grabbed the board and "decapitated" Niemann's king. The 19-year-old was just thinking about how to play his 45th move when his opponent, who was two years his senior, grabbed the king. As if that weren't enough, the grandmaster from Corning, New York, played with the piece in his hands and then removed the cross before placing the monarch back on the board - albeit in a completely different position.
In a video released by the Saint Louis Chess Club, Niemann's utterly surprised reaction is clearly visible. "Peak of disrespect reached. Sam beheaded Hans' king," wrote American-Italian superstar Fabiano Caruana on Twitter. Sevian, after his odd outburst, gave a thumbs-up motion that he wanted to sort things out outside. Only after a short discussion did he put the king back on the original position b3 and tried to clamp the loose cross on the piece again.
Niemann had already stopped the clock and turned to the referees. The rules state clearly: A player may not touch any pieces in his opponent's time. After the brief interruption, the game resumed. In the end, Niemann prevailed against his opponent in a rook and pawn endgame, which eliminated him from the title race. After the game, the trouble was forgotten. Sevian only wanted to glue the broken king together, Niemann tried to calm things down. This is how his thumb movement was to be interpreted, as he explained in an interview: "There is no drama."
