The world of chess took another strange turn when Magnus Carlsen resigned after just one move during his much-anticipated rematch with Hans Niemann.
2
The two men met at the Sinquefield Cup earlier this month with Niemann triumphing over the world number one, which was then followed by Carlsen’s sudden withdrawal.
3
Carlsen’s comment immediately after, along with a short clip of Jose Mourinho's infamous "If I speak, I am in big trouble,” quote, fuelled speculation over cheating.
4
This was followed by claims by Hikaru Nakamura that Niemann had likely cheated during their match-up also - a claim Niemann strongly denied.
5
Niemann has admitted that he had cheated during games in the past but maintains he now plays clean - even offering to compete naked to prove it.
6
This is not the first time chess has faced such controversy. In 2005, the so-called ‘Toiletgate’ erupted when Veselin Topalov accused Vlad Kramnik of analysing moves in the bathroom.
7
Though there has not been any substantiated evidence of cheating by Niemann, controversy has continued to swirl, with support coming down on both sides of the debate.
8
The latest online match at the Julius Baer Generation Cup gave Carlsen the perfect opportunity for revenge.
9
But after just one move, Carlsen’s screen went blank and it was announced that he had left the game without any explanation. This is one debate that isn’t likely to end anytime soon.