Speed bumps

‘I don’t think it will be decided on the chessboard… I broke him in the Sinquefield Cup… as long as I can look him in the eyes and understand that there is absolutely nothing he can do to even enter my mind space then I believe that victory will be mine.’ Thus spake Hans Niemann in a recent interview with the YouTuber Levy Rozman (aka GothamChess), referencing the notorious game in which he beat Magnus Carlsen in St Louis two years ago. He was anticipating his clash against Carlsen in the semi-final of the Chess.com Speed Chess Championship, which took place in Paris last week.

Niemann’s bombast proved premature. Carlsen won with a convincing 17.5-12.5 score, and the margin was even greater at one point, though Carlsen admitted he was ‘going through the motions’ in the latter stages of the match. (Like a football game, it was played over a set number of minutes, rather than to a specific number of games.)