GM Hans Niemann stated he has withdrawn from a beforehand agreed-upon polygraph take a look at, popularly often called a “lie detector take a look at,” following his loss towards GM Daniil Dubov, citing the Russian’s “disrespectful” conduct.
The 18-game blitz match befell in Moscow, Russia, final week. Dubov narrowly gained with a 9.5-8.5 rating. As a part of the problem, the loser was anticipated to reply a single query whereas hooked to a polygraph take a look at. The match was meant to settle a dispute after the 2024 World Blitz Championship, the place Dubov didn’t present up for his or her encounter, and Niemann gained by forfeit.
Nevertheless, Niemann declared in a video on his YouTube channel that he wouldn’t take the take a look at attributable to what he described as Dubov’s “fixed disrespect.”
“I’ve no intention of giving somebody like Dubov, who behaved like a toddler, the consideration of asking me a query on the lie detector, which is pure pseudo-science, when I’ve nothing to show,” Niemann stated.
“Regardless of all of the issues which have been achieved to me, I’ve continued to carry out. I’ve nothing left to show. The onus is on them to show. These are horrible individuals who tried to destroy a 19-year-old child’s life due to a private and sick vendetta.”
In accordance with the 21-year-old, Dubov disturbed him by chatting with him throughout the match, refused to shake fingers, and exited the enjoying room, dismissing the occasion as a “clown present.”Â
“It is simply mindboggling the extent of disrespect from the chess world and chess gamers,” Niemann stated. In accordance with Niemann, Dubov demanded the take a look at to be performed in Dubai at his expense. “I am not going to pay for a whole journey and put up Dubov in a pleasant lodge only for this.”
Whereas declaring within the video that the take a look at was off the desk, Niemann appeared extra open to the likelihood in a follow-up publish on X, saying it might be achieved in a “impartial setting” with “honest choices.”
My rejection of Dubov’s polygraph situations was concerning his demand to do it in Dubai and for me to cowl the prices. One mustn’t overlook that he left and not using a handshake and referred to as the match a clown present on his means out. It have to be achieved in a impartial setting, I’m exploring…
— Hans Niemann (@HansMokeNiemann) March 18, 2025
Dubov has not but publicly commented on the accusations. The 28-year-old additionally didn’t reply to Chess.com’s requests for a remark.
In an interview with a Russian information web site, the 28-year-old stated he already knew the query he would ask: “Have you ever cheated over the board?” When requested to be extra particular, he stated he would ask whether or not Niemann has cheated “over the previous 5 years” or not.
Niemann completed eighth within the Aeroflot Open in Moscow, gained two score factors, and climbed to world quantity 20 with a score of 2736. He continues to make makes an attempt to prepare matches privately, not too long ago issuing a $100,000 problem to GM Ian Nepomniachtchi. The World Blitz Co-champion didn’t reply publicly to the invitation.
The American grandmaster’s subsequent occasion is the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Paris, the place he was given a shock wildcard final month.
