“Technical Glitches Plague Chess.com Championships: Caruana, Niemann, and Kramnik Speak Out”

Technical Glitches Mar Chess.com Championships: Caruana, Niemann, and Kramnik Speak Out

March 19, 2026, 13:03 IST

In a dramatic turn of events at the Chess.com Championships, top players including Fabiano Caruana, Hans Niemann, and Vladimir Kramnik have voiced their frustrations over significant technical glitches that have disrupted the tournament.

Caruana, a leading contender, revealed that he was penalized for a disconnection during the eighth round of the 90-player Swiss format qualifier. Despite a stable internet connection on his end, he was abruptly forfeited, leaving him with a zero-point bye. “The Chess.com platform disconnected me and forfeited my game without any time penalty,” Caruana lamented. “This happened in a crucial round where only two players qualify, and everyone is within half a point of each other. I’m sure I’m not the only one affected by this bug.”

Fellow American player Hans Niemann echoed Caruana’s sentiments, highlighting the impact of unreliable connections on participant numbers. He recounted how a disconnection led to Russia’s Maxim Matlakov losing a game against Nodirbek Abdusattorov, allowing the latter to level points with Niemann and Wesley So. “Chess mafia strikes again,” Niemann remarked, expressing his frustration at narrowly missing a chance to qualify for the next stage.

Kramnik also weighed in, sharing his own experiences with the platform’s technical issues. “I’ve lost four games due to being suddenly disconnected during rapid events,” he stated. “The most outrageous incident was in the last round when Matlakov lost on time in a completely winning position due to a proctor failure. It’s pure coincidence, but it’s affecting the integrity of the game.”

As the tournament progresses, the players are calling for improvements to the online chess experience. Niemann noted, “Thankfully, Endgame will start hosting big tournaments. Chess professionals are sick of playing on laggy, unreliable platforms. The decrease in participation speaks for itself.”

With the stakes high and tensions rising, the Chess.com Championships continue to unfold amid growing concerns over the reliability of online chess platforms. As players demand accountability and improvements, the future of online chess tournaments hangs in the balance.

For more updates on this developing story, stay tuned.