On Monday, GM Magnus Carlsen stunned the chess world by asserting that he was withdrawing from the 2022 Sinquefield Cup, tweeting his resolution originally of spherical 4.

I’ve withdrawn from the match. I’ve all the time loved enjoying within the @STLChessClub, and hope to be again sooner or later https://t.co/YFSpl8er3u

— Magnus Carlsen (@MagnusCarlsen) September 5, 2022

At the beginning of the spherical, Carlsen’s clock was began towards GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, however Carlsen by no means confirmed as much as the board and was forfeited after the 10-minute arrival window expired.

The begin of the spherical 4 of #SinquefieldCup #grandchesstour #chess #stlchessclub pic.twitter.com/HfSsNulsn8

— Saint Louis Chess Club (@STLChessClub) September 5, 2022

Carlsen was on 1.5/3 after dropping within the earlier spherical with White towards Hans Neimann. According to the match rules, as a result of he did not full 50 p.c of his video games, Carlsen’s earlier outcomes will likely be annulled from the match standing; nevertheless, the FIDE ranking changes from these three video games stand.

This is first time that Carlsen has withdrawn from a significant occasion, and lots of commented that such a withdrawal from a match in progress for something aside from well being causes is nearly unprecedented in top-level chess. To discover a precedent, one could look way back to the 1967 Sousse Interzonal the place Bobby Fischer withdrew after 10 rounds because of arguments with the organizers.

Online chess followers and commenters have been fast to invest. GM Hikaru Nakamura voiced specific hypothesis that Carlsen withdrew as a result of he suspected GM Hans Niemann of dishonest of their recreation the day gone by, saying: “I believe that Magnus believes that Hans most likely is dishonest.”

In an interview after the sport, Niemann talked about that he ready primarily based on Carlsen’s use of the g3 Nimzo-Indian towards GM Wesley So in London 2018. However, this recreation doesn’t exist, and Chess.com has not been in a position to find another trendy recreation by Carlsen on this line. 

In his post-game interview, GM Ian Nepomniachtchi shared his ideas on the Carlsen-Niemann recreation, calling it “greater than spectacular.”

Ian Nepomniachtchi on his recreation as we speak towards Wesley So, in addition to his response to the information of Carlsen’s withdrawal: #Sinquefield pic.twitter.com/a3Sp75Df6g

— Grand Chess Tour (@GrandChessTour) September 5, 2022

After the spherical started, the Grand Chess Tour introduced that they’re taking further anti-cheating precautions, together with a 15-minute broadcast delay and elevated radio-frequency identification (RFID) checks. 

As requested by anti-cheating arbiter David Sedgwick, a 15-min broadcast delay was applied for as we speak’s spherical, in addition to elevated RFID checks. #SinquefieldCup

— Grand Chess Tour (@GrandChessTour) September 5, 2022

Asked for remark, Chess.com Chief Chess Officer Daniel Rensch acknowledged: “Chess.com doesn’t focus on Fair Play issues publicly, and as such, we decline to touch upon the happenings at Sinquefield Cup and/or any speculations made by the neighborhood.”

Team Carlsen declined to remark. 

Coverage of the 2022 Sinquefield Cup