Outrageous chess documentary about player accused of cheating his way through competitions using a sex toy leaves Netflix viewers gasping 'I didn't realise they were this wild!'
An outrageous chess documentary about a player that was accused of cheating his way through games using a sex toy has left Netflix viewers in shock. Last week, the streaming giant released new feature-length documentary, Untold: Chess Mates, and it has since climbed up the most-watched charts. The documentary tells the story of two warring chess players, Grandmaster and long-term world number one, Magnus Carlsen, 35, from Norway, and young up-and-coming player Hans Niemann, 22, from New York. It takes a deep dive into Hans' rise in the chess world from his early fame in 2020 during the pandemic through his online chess-playing videos, to him competing in competitions around the world against top-level players. Hans began playing chess in early childhood, and recounts in the documentary about 'sacrificing his childhood' and facing relentless 'bullying' to master chess. Unlike many of the world's top players, he wasn't an early prodigy, and his rating in the chess world only began climbing in his teens, earning a Grandmaster title in 2021. An outrageous chess documentary about a player that was accused of cheating his way through games using a sex toy has left Netflix viewers in shock (pictured: Hans Niemann) Last week, the streaming giant released new feature-length documentary, Untold: Chess Mates, and it has since climbed up the most-watched charts (pictured: Magnus Carlsen)However, it was later revealed that Niemann had been known for cheating during some of his early online games as a teen, something that would later come back to bite when he was accused by competitor Carlsen of foul play. The duo went head to head for the first time in Miami, USA, at the FTX Crypto Cup, in an in-person computerised game that was streamed live around the world. Carlsen, at the time among the best players in the world holding a number of elite titles, was beaten by Niemann, who went viral for his response to the game, telling fans: 'The chess speaks for itself.'The duo would go head to head again in 2022 at the Sinquefield Cup in St. Louis, where Carlsen was once again beaten by the young player. However, suspicions soon arose when Niemann, during his winner's interview, told fans he had coincidentally studied what Carlsen had used as his opening move the same morning before the match in what he called a 'ridiculous miracle'. While it didn't prove that Niemann had cheated, it planted doubt in the minds of many of the world's top chess players and commentators - including Carlsen. The Grandmaster withdrew from the competition, and took to social media with a cryptic message alleging that Niemann could have been cheating, admitting feeling that 'he was not playing a human' during the documentary. He later went on to be part of a group, that included chess website Chess.com, that alleged that Niemann had been cheating during his recent online games, raising further suspicions of the young player. The duo went head to head for the first time in Miami, USA, at the FTX Crypto Cup, in an in-person computerised game that was streamed live around the world.But with no clear indication on how the young player could have cheated, the internet went wild with theories - including one bizarre thesis that spread worldwide.Given top chess tournaments have metal detectors and anti-cheating checks, as well as close monitoring from adjudicators, fans were soon theorising on Reddit and X, formerly Twitter, that Niemann was using hidden devices. It was then that Niemann was accused by social media users of using a 'vibrating' anal sex toy to receive communication on moves to make, based on a chess computer calculating the games live using AI. The bizarre claim was soon spreading around social media and beyond, as chess fans alleged that the vibrating toy could make it past the strict security checks. The chess star was even quizzed about the theory appearing on UK screens, when he sat down with Piers Morgan who asked him: 'Have you ever used anal beads while playing chess?' in a clip that went viral. He reacted in the documentary: 'Of course they had to make a mockery of me, they just had to humiliate me... I just knew that I was going to be f***ed for a while.''My entire life and career have been destroyed, I'll have to live with the fact that every conversation I have about chess, we'll eventually discuss anal beads,' he added. Popular chess site Chess.com later launched an investigation and major review, that concluded that Niemann had likely cheated in a number of online games that saw him banned from the platform and events. The extensive investigation into Neimann's online play found he likely broke the rules in tournaments as recently as 2020, noting 'many remarkable signals and unusual patterns in Hans' path as a player', according to a 72-page report. The document alleged Niemann likely received assistance in more than 100 online games using illegal computer aids. However, there was no evidence to be found that he had cheated in any on-board games, including those against Carlsen. Niemann was accused by social media users of using a 'vibrating' sex toy to receive communication on moves to make in a theory that spread around the worldNiemann launched a $100million lawsuit against his rivals, including Chess.com and Carlsen, for defamation and collusion to ruin his career. The case was dismissed by a judge and settled privately. Fans tuning into the documentary were left shocked by the story, and took to X, formerly Twitter, to react to the theories shared in the documentary. One penned: 'I just watched chess mates on Netflix… didn’t realise the chess community was this wild,' as another chimed in: 'It’s a must watch! Cheating, anal beads and lawsuits all in one documentary about chess.'A third added: 'Just finished Untold: Chess Mates on Netflix. Man, I sat there the whole time like “Nahhh this Magnus vs Hans beef is about to turn into Tupac and Biggie 2.0… chessboards instead of streets, but same energy.'A fourth agreed: 'So much of this documentary was unbelievable,' while a fifth joked of the allegations of cheating: 'Should have remained untold.''I’m surprised with the lack of hype around this,' someone else wrote on Reddit, as another added: 'I am enthralled by the messy world of chess.''Also… what rock have I been living under that I completely missed the anal beads chess drama??' someone else asked, as concluded: 'This chess doc is wild!'Untold: Chess Mates is available to stream on Netflix now.
