The Saint Louis Chess Club has banned GM Hans Niemann for the remainder of 2024, citing alleged inappropriate behavior and damage to private property. The grandmaster has dismissed the accusations as “blatant disinformation.”

The influential chess club released a statement on social media today saying the world’s number 53 ranked chess player is no longer welcome in the club due to allegedly damaging private property, making rude comments, and what they call an “uncooperative attitude.”

“After consideration of recent events, the Saint Louis Chess Club has made the difficult decision not to extend an invitation to GM Hans Niemann to participate in any invitational tournaments organized by the club in 2024,” the statement says.

“This decision was based on GM Hans Niemann’s demonstrated inappropriate behavior including damaging private property, rude comments and an uncooperative attitude resulting in a failure to fulfill contractual obligations.”

While the club did not provide specific details about the alleged incidents leading to the ban, it emphasized that the decision was not taken lightly.

“We hope this serves as an opportunity to experience personal reflection and growth. We will reevaluate this determination for events in future years, assuming notable progress is achieved.”

Niemann took to X/Twitter to respond to the statement 41 minutes later, dismissing it as “inaccurate.”

I’d just like to immediately clarify how completely inaccurate this is. I will be posting a full detailed video going through the entire timeline since Fall 2022 and how the Saint Louis Chess Club has treated me since then. In all of 2023, I received 0 invitations to tournaments… https://t.co/VQBBuOUi4m

— Hans Niemann (@HansMokeNiemann) February 2, 2024

“I received 0 invitations to tournaments and could not even get a response to an email or call for months on end. I was assured shortly before the U.S. Championships that I was not “blacklisted” by the club and would receive invitations in 2024.  I was assured that my relationship with the club was fine and was never made aware of any “inappropriate behaviour or rude comments,” he says.

Niemann calls the claim about not fulfilling the contractual obligations “ridiculous,” explaining that he refused to do an interview after a draw in the U.S. Championship.

“This is only an excuse that they have now conjured up for their decision to blacklist one of America’s brightest talents.”

“After weeks of ignored emails and calls they have gone ahead and posted this letter after I have tried to resolve the situation privately. They seem to be committed to ruining the career of one of America’s brightest talents.”

—Hans Niemann

Niemann says he will not let “blatant disinformation” continue and intends to address everything later.

“I have been attacked and blacklisted from absolutely every angle. I will not be silenced, and I will ensure that the truth prevails.”

Funded by billionaire Rex Sinquefield, Saint Louis Chess Club is perhaps the world’s most influential chess club. The club has hosted the U.S. Chess Championships since 2009, and the Sinquefield Cup, one of the world’s most prestigious super tournaments, since 2013. 

The club gained worldwide attention in 2022 when GM Magnus Carlsen pulled out of the Sinquefield Cup after losing to Niemann. The former world champion later published a statement expressing that Niemann had cheated more often and more recently than he had admitted, which was followed by a $100 million lawsuit from the American against Carlsen, Chess.com, Play Magnus Group and GM Hikaru Nakamura.

The defamation lawsuit was dismissed in June last year. Two months later Carlsen, Niemann and Chess.com concluded their dispute, with the former world champion saying he was open to playing Niemann again. The two played a game against each other for the first time this week, during Titled Tuesday. It ended in a draw.

Niemann has not played in the Saint Louis Chess Club since finishing 9th in the 2022 U.S Championship. His next scheduled event is Djerba Chess Festival in Tunisia from February 17-25.