The trickle of information about the cheating scandal wracking elite chess turned into a deluge Tuesday night, when Chess.com said it believes Hans Niemann, a 19-year-old grandmaster, cheated in more than 100 games.
The report — which runs to 72 pages with supporting documents such as email conversations — is sending a fresh jolt through the chess world. It's intensifying interest in the U.S. Chess Championships that begin in St. Louis on Wednesday, where Niemann and 13 other players are vying for the title.
The tournament, streaming games on YouTube and Twitch, has $250,000 in prize money at stake. Play begins each day at 2 p.m. ET and will run for the next two weeks. In his first match, Niemann is slated to face 15-year-old Christopher Woojin Yoo.
When contacted by NPR, neither Niemann nor tournament organizers offered a comment on Wednesday.