Hans Niemann calls out Hikaru Nakamura for wearing headphones during prize money events

USA Grandmaster Hans Niemann questioned compatriot Hikaru Nakamura’s integrity for wearing headphones during prize money tournaments. Apart from playing competitive chess, Nakamura is also a famous chess streamer with his subscriber count reaching millions. Taking a dig at Nakamura, Niemann called out the World No. 2, saying Nakamura is getting an unfair “competitive advantage and double standard for the chess mafia’s brand ambassadors”.
A controversial figure in the chess world, Niemann has never shied away from expressing his opinions, nor has he remained out of the spotlight for long. He took to X (formerly Twitter), venting out his frustration saying, “Why is Hikaru allowed to wear HEADPHONES during prize money tournaments while others aren’t. Clear competitive advantage and double standard for the chess mafia’s brand ambassadors.”

Why is Hikaru allowed to wear HEADPHONES during prize money tournaments while others aren’t. Clear competetive advantage and double standard for the chess mafia’s brand ambassadors.
— Hans Niemann (@HansMokeNiemann) May 2, 2025
Niemann previously cited chess.com, Magnus Carlsen and Nakamura as part of the chess mafia, lobing against him.
In the following post, he wrote, “In any real sport, giving a competitive edge to someone you’re financially invested in would spark a scandal. In chess, it’s business as usual. Silence reigns when power is centralised and accountability is absent. Monopolies don’t last forever, alternatives always appear.”
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Earlier, Niemann was back in action at the Grenke Open last month after his mysterious last-minute pull-out from the Paris leg of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour. Niemann was supposed to play at the Paris event of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour, but had withdrawn without offering an explanation just two days before the event started. The organisers had found a last-minute replacement in Nodirbek Abdusattorov.
Jan Henric Buettner, who is the force behind the Freestyle Chess Tour, had told the Take Take Take app that Niemann had refused to respond to his texts or emails and instead opted to write an email to another member of the organising committee to announce his withdrawal due to “personal reasons” without explaining anything.
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