Checkmate : Genius, Scandal and the Billion-Dollar Rise of Chess

‘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

From the bestselling author of The Accidental Billionaires and Bringing Down the House comes this cinematic true story about the biggest scandal in modern chess.

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. Within days, Carlsen accused Niemann of cheating – a bombshell allegation that rocked the chess world. As the scandal spiralled, Chess.com – the dominant force in online chess – launched a high-stakes investigation igniting a global media firestorm.

But Checkmate is about more than a cheating scandal. It’s the story of a teenager willing to risk everything to rise to the top; a reclusive genius suddenly fighting to protect his legacy; and a centuries-old game transforming into a billion-dollar industry fuelled by streaming, sponsorships, and Silicon Valley power players.

With exclusive access to the central figures, Ben Mezrich takes readers deep inside the weird, wild, and cutthroat world of competitive chess – where genius collides with ambition, and the wrong move could be your last.

''Fast-paced and compelling, Mezrich brings the black and white squares of the chess world into full technicolour. Even the non-chess players among us can''t fail to be hooked by this remarkable story'' – Katie Prescott, author of The Curious Case of Mike Lynch