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This is Defector, a new sports blog and media company. We made this place together, we own it together, we run it together. Without access, without favor, without discretion, and without interference.

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Defector

NYC: Come To Our WNBA Comedy Show On May 16

10-minute-quarters-3-2-fix (1)

Live Event

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Ben Tippett

ASTANA, KAZAKHSTAN - APRIL 29: Grandmaster Ding Liren (L) of China shakes hands with grandmaster Ian Nepomniachtchi of Russia during the 2023 World Chess Championship at the St Regis Astana Hotel on April 29, 2023 in Astana, Kazakhstan. (

FIDE World Chess Championship

Chess

Ding Liren Made A Legendary Move To Become World Chess Champion

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Patrick Redford

Ding Liren of China reacts while playing against Dommaraju Gukesh of India during the Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2023 in Wijk aan Zee, the Netherlands, Jan. 14, 2023. (Photo by Sylvia Lederer/Xinhua via Getty Images)

NETHERLANDS-WIJK AAN ZEE-CHESS TOURNAMENT

Ding Liren’s Preparation Oopsie Throws World Chess Championship Into Chaos

Grandmasters Ian Nepomniachtchi (L) from Russia and Ding Liren from China attend the first game of a 14-game match to decide who will be the new 17th World Chess Champion in Astana on April 9, 2023.

CHESS-WORLD-FIDE

Haymakers Are Flying At The World Chess Championship

Carlsen cries out in anguish after the misclick

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Magnus Carlsen Crashes Out Of Final Tournament As World Champion With Hilarious Blunder

MADRID, SPAIN - JULY 5: Russian Grandmaster competing under the FIDE flag Ian Nepomniachtchi receives the award as the winner of the competition (2nd from L) with Ding Liren of China, FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich, Teimour Radjabov of Azerbaiyán and Jan-Krzysztof Duda of Poland during the 2022 FIDE Chess Candidates Tournament closing ceremony on July 5, 2022 in Madrid, Spain. (

FIDE Chess Tournament Closing Ceremony In Madrid

The World Chess Championship Begins On The Edge Of The Unknown

Norways Magnus Carlsen (R) gestures during his round 9 game against the Indonesias team at the 44th Chess Olympiad 2022, in Mahabalipuram on August 7, 2022. (Photo by Arun SANKAR / AFP) (Photo by ARUN SANKAR/AFP via Getty Images)

CHESS-IND-OLYMPIAD

Magnus Carlsen’s Lawyers Call Hans Niemann’s Lawsuit A Big Dumb Publicity Stunt

US international grandmaster Hans Niemann waits his turn to move during a second-round chess game against Jeffery Xiong on the second day of the Saint Louis Chess Club Fall Chess Classic in St. Louis, Missouri, on October 6, 2022. - Niemann said on October 5 that he "won't back down," after the chess platform chess.com reported he has "probably cheated more than 100 times" in online games. (Photo by Tim Vizer / AFP) (Photo by TIM VIZER/AFP via Getty Images)

CHESS-USA-SPORT-NIEMANN

Hans Niemann Hits Back At Magnus Carlsen And Other Foes With A Big Civil Lawsuit

Niemann giving an interview after Round 10

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Hans Niemann Is Having Fun At The U.S. Championships Playing Some “Absolutely Psychotic Chess”

Hans speaking after his win at the U.S. Chess Championships.

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Hans Niemann Remains Defiant

Niemann flying high after defeating Carlsen

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Report: Hans Niemann Cheated More Often, More Recently Than He Admitted

An engraving depicting Robert Houdin's automaton - chess player. 19th century. (Photo by: Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

An engraving depicting Robert Houdin’s automaton – chess player

A Non-Exhaustive History Of The Theory And Practice Of Cheating In Chess

<p>Staff Writer</p>
<p>Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.09</p>


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Chris Thompson

Magnus Carlsen Finally Just Says It

Carlsen gives his surly interview to Chess24

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Magnus Carlsen, While Refusing To Accuse Hans Niemann Of Cheating, Basically Accuses Hans Niemann Of Cheating

Hans and the commentators reacting to Magnus quitting.

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Magnus Carlsen Escalates Conflict With Hans Niemann By Resigning After One Move

A Slippery Cheating Accusation Has Rocked One Of The Biggest Tournaments In Chess

Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2021

Who Wants To Be World Chess Champion?

Rey Enigma taking on legendary chess player Garry Kasparov

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Rays Week

Meet Rey Enigma, Anonymous Spanish Chess Wizard

Iranian-French chess grandmaster Alireza Firouzja looks on during the first day of the chess Candidates Tournament FIDE 2022, in Madrid on June 17, 2022. - Eight of the world's top chess players are in Madrid to decide who will challenge Norway's grandmaster Magnus Carlsen for the world title. (Photo by Pierre-Philippe MARCOU / AFP) (Photo by PIERRE-PHILIPPE MARCOU/AFP via Getty Images)

CHESS-ESP

Prodigal Chess Teen Loses Crucial Match After Staying Up All Night Playing Online Chess

BERLIN, GERMANY - MARCH 10: Sergei Karjakin is seen playing the first round at the First Move Ceremony during the World Chess Tournament on March 10, 2018 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Sebastian Reuter/Getty Images for World Chess)

World Chess Tournament 2018 – First Move Ceremony

Chess Has A Russia Problem

David Aleksander Toska, the alleged leader of a group who allegedly carried out an April 5, 2004 raid in central Stavanger on a branch of Norway's central cash service from which they stole 58 million kroner (7.1 million euros, 9.1 million dollars), appears in court in Stavanger 04 September 2006.

david-toska-chess

Norway’s Most Successful Bank Robber Now Also Norway’s Most Controversial Chess Analyst

Iranian chess prodigy Alireza Firouzja (L), 17-years-old, plays against Norwegian chess grandmaster who is the current World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen, 30-years-old, in the first round of the international chess tournament TataSteel Chess Tournament 2021 in Wijk aan Zee on January 16, 2021. (Photo by Remko de Waal / ANP / AFP) / Netherlands OUT (Photo by REMKO DE WAAL/ANP/AFP via Getty Images)

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Magnus Carlsen Says He’ll Only Defend His Title Against Teenage Genius Alireza Firouzja

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Magnus Carlsen And Ian Nepomniachtchi Brought Classic Sports Drama To Chess

Russia's grandmaster Ian Nepomniachtchi and Norway's grandmaster Magnus Carlsen play game nice during the FIDE World Chess Championship Dubai 2021, at the Dubai Expo 2020 in the Gulf emirate, on December 7, 2021. (Photo by Giuseppe CACACE / AFP) (Photo by GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP via Getty Images)

It’s All Gone To Hell For Ian Nepomniachtchi At The World Chess Championship

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The World Chess Championship Has Given Us The Best And Worst Of Classical Chess

Carlsen going through it as the game crosses over into history.

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Magnus Carlsen Wins Longest World Chess Championship Game Of All Time