Credit: Netflix

Chess enthusiasts on Netflix, you might want to hear this – a new feature-length documentary in the Untold anthology series, Chess Mates, is set for release in April.

While the episode marks the franchise’s first focus on chess, it is expected to be released hot on the heels of Untold: The Death & Life of Lamar Odom, which is scheduled to premiere globally on March 31st.

Directed by Thomas Tancred and executive produced by Chapman Way and Maclain Way, Untold: Chess Mates explores the heated controversy surrounding Hans Niemann’s win over Magnus Carlsen at the Sinquefield Cup in September 2022.

The outcome triggered Carlsen’s eventual withdrawal from the tournament, sparking a series of public allegations and counter-statements while escalating into one of the most prominent conflicts in modern chess.

Niemann joined the competition as a late replacement, securing a win against Carlsen in round three. The next day, Carlsen withdrew from the tournament, sharing a cryptic message on social media. It was then widely understood and interpreted as voicing concerns over the bouts of fair play. Untold: Chess Mates recounts the immediate consequences that followed, including the heightening of surveillance and security within the venue and, of course, the public reaction within the community.

The next time they played against one another online, Carlsen played just one movie before quitting the game. Subsequent developments included Hikaru Nakamura’s public allegation that Carlsen suspected Niemann of cheating, a report by chess.com claiming extensive online rule violations by Niemann, and a civil lawsuit filed by Niemann against Carlsen, chess.com, Play Magnus Group, Daniel Rensch, and Nakamura in October 2022, seeking damages of at least $100million.

In August 2023, the matter was settled with an out-of-court agreement between chess.com and Niemann.

Scheduled to drop on April 7th, Untold: Chess Mates also sheds light on Niemann’s efforts to reclaim his reputation and the probability of a future rematch with Carlsen. The controversy is framed within the bigger picture of the meteoric growth of online chess, which has raised challenges surrounding the governance of trust in the sport.

The official Netflix synopsis of Untold: Chess Mates reads, “Magnus Carlsen – widely regarded as the greatest chess player of all time – is challenged by rising star Hans Niemann, who capitalises on the meteoric growth of online chess. Niemann’s ascension culminates in an epic, controversy – shrouded in victory over Carlsen, eventually leading to allegations of cheating. Determined to clear his name, Niemann fights his way back to the top of the chess world, setting the stage for a high-stakes rematch with Carlsen.”