How a top US chess player became the victim of a bizarre rumor that he used a sex toy to beat a world champion

• A chess grandmaster has become the victim of an online rumor that he used a sex toy to defeat the world champion.
• Hans Niemann, 19, beat Magnus Carlsen in a stunning upset earlier this month, sparking baseless cheating rumors.

American chess grandmaster Hans Niemann has become the subject of a bizarre online rumor that he used a sex toy to beat Norweigan world champion, Magnus Carlsen.

Unsubstantiated rumors have spread online suggesting that Niemann might have used wireless anal beads that vibrated to signal what moves he should make.

Niemann, 19, defeated Carlsen in a stunning upset in the Sinquefield Cup on September 4. He ended Carlsen's 53-game unbeaten streak despite having begun the tournament as the lowest-rated player.

Carlsen sparked speculation when he withdrew from the tournament the following day and tweeted a cryptic video of Portuguese soccer manager José Mourinho saying: "I prefer really not to speak. If I speak, I am in big trouble."

Many observers, including Japanese grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura, interpreted Carlsen's message as suggesting that Niemann cheated during the tournament.

Niemann later admitted to having cheated in online tournaments when he was 12 and 16 but said he had since reformed and vehemently denied having cheated against Carlsen.

"If they want me to strip fully naked, I will do it. I don't care. Because I know I am clean," Niemann said in an interview after his win. "You want me to play in a closed box with zero electronic transmission? I don't care. I'm here to win, and that is my goal regardless."

He also fired back at Nakamura on Twitter, accusing him of making "frivolous insinuations."

The chief arbiter of the Sinquefield Cup later released a statement that said there was "no indication that any player has been playing unfairly" in the tournament.

Despite this clarification and no evidence that Niemann used anal beads or any other cheating method, speculation has continued online.

Anal beads theory spread on social media

Rumors spread on social media that Niemann might have used anal beads to cheat.

A Reddit post on r/Chess, which has been removed, went into detail theorizing about Niemann's use of anal beads.

Despite the post's tongue-in-cheek tone ("He's always had anal beads up his butt, maybe for the past ten years," it said), the theory gained momentum online.

Canadian grandmasters Eric Hansen and Aman Hambleton discussed the anal beads theory during a Twitch live stream, and Tesla CEO Elon Musk posted a since-deleted tweet joking about it.

In what will undoubtedly be a closely watched tournament, Carlsen and Niemann are due to come face-to-face again in the Julius Baer Generation Cup, with the pair matched up to play on Monday, according to Chessdom.