Hans Niemann responds as Netflix sets release date for chess scandal documentary

Hans Niemann has responded after Netflix confirmed the release date of its forthcoming Untold documentary examining his 2022 chess controversy with Magnus Carlsen.

The episode, titled Chess Mates, will debut on April 7 as part of four new instalments of the Untold series, beginning March 31.

The documentary revisits the fallout from the Sinquefield Cup in St. Louis, where Niemann defeated then world champion Carlsen. Carlsen withdrew from the tournament and later stated he believed Niemann had cheated, prompting widespread debate across the chess community.

Chess.com subsequently published a report alleging Niemann had likely cheated in more than 100 online games, including prize-money events, while noting there was no conclusive proof of over-the-board cheating against Carlsen. Niemann denied cheating in person and filed a $100 million lawsuit against Carlsen, Chess.com and others, which was settled in 2023.

Following Netflix’s announcement on February 24, Niemann issued a statement addressing the controversy and his future ambitions. “When the world piled on smear campaigns, coordinated attacks, strategic silence: no one stood with me. Not a single institutional ally. False narratives spread across major platforms tested my reputation and my career at the highest level,” he said.

He added: “Others had state machines, endless sponsors, safety nets. I had grit, intellect, and the unshakeable American spirit inside. I rose, anyway.”

Niemann also suggested the documentary would alter public perception. “Before the Netflix spotlight shifts the narrative, I will select one premier American company as my long-term partner: securing the necessary resources to become World Champion. American greatness deserves American enterprise behind it,” he said.

Netflix’s synopsis states the film will follow Niemann’s efforts to clear his name and pursue a rematch with Carlsen. Carlsen has not publicly commented on the documentary.