The Netflix documentary “Untold: Chess Mates” delves into the contentious world of chess, scrutinizing how lurid online gossip spiraled into a high-stakes lawsuit, widespread conspiracy theories, and a bitter rivalry. Regrettably, the film offers little in the way of novel revelations.
“Every discussion I engage in about chess,” states Hans Niemann, “inevitably circles back to anal beads.” While such a remark might seem entirely out of place in most contexts, it is strikingly pertinent within the ongoing narrative surrounding Niemann.
For those unfamiliar with the controversy, Hans Niemann, a promising chess prodigy, was accused in 2022 of cheating against the reigning world champion, Magnus Carlsen. Allegations, some wildly speculative, suggested he employed a vibrating sex toy to receive clandestine signals during play, purportedly leading to his unexpected, and perhaps “shocking” (pun intended), victory. As preposterous as this theory sounds—the kind of outlandish plotline that would likely be dismissed even in a “Black Mirror” writers’ room—it quickly gained considerable traction online and in the broader media.
This standalone Netflix special extensively utilizes archival media clips that lampoon the incident, featuring a range of commentators from Piers Morgan to Trevor Noah, the latter humorously quipping that, with anal beads, “even if you lose, you still kinda win.”