Chess: Hans Niemann struggles in US championship amid beefed up security

Hans Niemann, the controversial 19-year-old named as a probable cheat by the world champion, Magnus Carlsen, made a fast start at the $262,000 US championship in St Louis, but then fell back, and was next to last after eight of the tournament’s 13 rounds.

The teenager won in round one, calling it “such a beautiful game that I don’t need to describe it.” He should have won in round two as well, emerging as White against the French Defence with an extra passed pawn. It would have made him the clear championship leader on 2/2, but a blunder at move 25 cost both the pawn and the win.

Since round two it has been mostly downhill for Niemann, who lost to the former world No 2 Fabiano Caruana in round four, was crushed by Ray Robson’s counterattack in round six, and went from an even position at move 20 to resignation at move 28 in round seven before a round-eight draw on Thursday against the out-of-form Levon Aronian.

Caruana, who leads the table with 6/8, half a point ahead of Robson, is a St Louis resident and says people often recognise him in the street and “ask about beads”. The championship continues daily (7.30pm start) and is live online.

Awonder Liang, 19, used the 19th century Scotch Gambit to defeat Aronian, while a 10-mover was one of the shortest wins at a US Championship (Leinier Domínguez Pérez v Elshan Moradiabadi: 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nf6 3 Nxe5 d6 4 Nf3 Nxe4 5 d4 d5 6 Bd3 Be7 7 0-0 Bf5 8 c4 0-0? 9 cxd5 Qxd5? 10 Bxe4 1-0 If 10...Bxe4 11 Nc3 or 10...Qxe4 11 Re1 wins at least a piece). The shortest win ever record remains intact, however (Kamran Shirazi v Jack Peters, US Championship 1984: 1 e4 c5 2 b4 cxb4 3 a3 d5 4 exd5 Qxd5 5 axb4?? Qe5+ 0-1).

The St Louis organisers paid several thousand dollars to strengthen their