Hans Niemann, the American grandmaster who was within the eye of the storm not too way back after being accused by former world champion Magnus Carlsen of dishonest in video games, has discovered himself in one other controversy. This time, he has been banned by the influential St Louis Chess Membership from collaborating in any invitational occasions it organises in 2024.
“After consideration of current occasions, the Saint Louis Chess Membership has made the tough resolution to not prolong an invite to GM Hans Niemann to take part in any invitational tournaments organized by the membership in 2024,” an announcement launched by St Louis Chess Membership (STL) reads. “This resolution was primarily based on GM Hans Niemann’s demonstrated inappropriate behaviour together with damaging non-public property, impolite feedback and an uncooperative perspective leading to a failure to satisfy contractual obligations.”
Niemann had brought on harm to his lodge room after a sport.
There was loads of conjecture on-line about what Niemann had finished to his lodge room, with some claims that he had broken mirrors and tiles on the Chase Park Plaza, the place he was staying. There was additionally a declare that he was banned by the lodge for the harm.
— Saint Louis Chess Membership (@STLChessClub) February 2, 2024
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The American grandmaster, ranked 53rd on the planet in the intervening time, posted a sequence of tweets, together with a 21-minute-long video refuting the claims. In a single tweet, he admitted to inflicting some harm to his lodge room, however vehemently refuted different expenses.
“I did break TV remotes, a lamp, an ironing board. Moreover, the glass body of a portray was shattered which based on the lodge pierced the sofa and brought on harm,” Niemann mentioned in a tweet.
“(However) No mirrors, tiles, or marble tables have been broken. I used to be informed by the supervisor of visitor relations on the Chase Park Plaza that have been was a 99 % probability that I might be allowed again and that official affirmation could be despatched by way of e-mail the subsequent day. Stunning, three days later, my request was denied they usually haven’t replied to me since. I’ve apologized many instances to the membership and lodge, I assumed I might put this behind me.
I’ve totally addressed all the claims made by the STL Chess membership of their letter, addressed their non-public letter to me and given context to my historical past with the Membership. Let’s make one element completely clear, I obtained 0 invites to STL Occasions, earlier than I regretably brought on… pic.twitter.com/nKbHvqG5C5
— Hans Niemann (@HansMokeNiemann) February 2, 2024
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“However let’s not neglect that I obtained 0 invites from the STL Chess Membership earlier than this incident. They’re attempting to make this about my supposed “sample of behaviour”, when that is simply their try at protecting how they haven’t invited me to a single match in all of 2023 and gained’t in 2024.
“For the whole thing of 2023, STL ignored calls, emails and didn’t invite me to quite a few tournaments that I might normally be invited to primarily based on my score. This exhibits that earlier than any incident with the lodge, that they had made up their thoughts about blacklisting me and that is solely their latest excuse. They nonetheless have offered 0 motive for his or her motion in 2023,” he added.
It should be famous that the Saint Louis Chess Membership hosts the Sinquefield Cup, one of many world’s most prestigious tournaments, since 2013. It was right here that in 2022 that Carlsen had pulled out after shedding to Niemann, which had later escalated right into a $100 million lawsuit.
The STL additionally organises the US Chess Championships.
Referring to Carlsen’s withdrawal mid-tournament in 2022, Niemann mentioned: “I bear in mind when one participant didn’t fulfill their contractual obligations after which accused a participant of dishonest and proceeded to try to damage their total chess profession primarily based on a vendetta. Was that participant ever punished for all the harm they brought on? See you on the US Championships. I’ll be certain to indicate my finest chess there, contemplating what number of alternatives I’ve been robbed of. It’s time to let the chess communicate for itself and rise above all of the noise.”