Checkmate

‘Mezrich’s books are the sort of engrossing reads you pick up in the airport then find the blockbuster film on the plane’ – Evening Standard

In September 2022, the chess world watched in disbelief as Magnus Carlsen, widely considered the greatest player in history, faced an unthinkable defeat against the nineteen-year-old American upstart, Hans Niemann. When Carlsen withdrew from the prestigious Sinquefield Cup and subtly accused Niemann of cheating, shockwaves hit the chess community, igniting the biggest scandal in the sport's history.

Checkmate dives deep into this modern-day drama, tracing the parallel rises of Carlsen, the stoic virtuoso, and Niemann, the fiery disruptor. Niemann denied the accusations, even as past online cheating incidents surfaced, while powerful entities like Chess.com, a billion-dollar online arena, became entangled in the escalating controversy. As the scandal went viral, it became clear that more was at stake than a single game.

Checkmate is a story of ambition, genius and greed set against the backdrop of a once-niche game exploding into a global, multi-billion-dollar phenomenon. It's a compelling exploration of a world where tradition collides with innovation, and a new generation, forged in the digital age, threatens to upend everything.

About the Author

Ben Mezrich is the New York Times bestselling author of The Accidental Billionaires (adapted by Aaron Sorkin into the David Fincher film The Social Network), Bringing Down the House (adapted into the number one box office hit film 21), The Antisocial Network, and many other bestselling books. His books have sold over six million copies worldwide.