Magnus Carlsen to Face Hans Niemann in Grudge Rematch in Paris: Chess Championship Semi-Final

The highly anticipated grudge rematch between Magnus Carlsen and Hans Niemann is set to take place in Paris later on Friday in the semi-final of Chess dot com’s Speed Championship. The two chess grandmasters have a history of acrimony stemming from their feud at the 2022 Sinquefield Cup, which had led to unsubstantiated cheating allegations against Hans Niemann and a $100m lawsuit from the American against the Norwegian.

The tournament’s previous rounds were played online, but the semi-finals and the final will be held in a hybrid event where the opponents will sit opposite each other but play on separate computers. The other semi-final will feature American GM Hikaru Nakamura facing off against French-Iranian star Alireza Firouzja.

Magnus Carlsen, the reigning world blitz champion and favorite heading into the match, expressed his thoughts on his opponent, stating, “He’s playing quite well. But if I have a decent day I’ll probably win without too many issues.” On the other hand, Hans Niemann is looking forward to the match, saying, “This whole thing started on a chess board and it should end on the chess board.”

While Magnus Carlsen is ranked No 1 in the world across various formats, Hans Niemann is No 16 in classical. The match will consist of 90 minutes of 5+1 blitz, 60 minutes of 3+1 blitz, and 30 minutes of 1+1 bullet.

The rematch between Carlsen and Niemann is sure to be a thrilling and intense battle, with both players eager to prove themselves on the chessboard. Stay tuned for the results of this highly anticipated match.