Checkmate: Genius, Scandal and the Billion-Dollar Rise of Chess
Jun 2026 · Pan Macmillan
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About this ebook
‘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
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
‘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 ...
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About the author
Ben Mezrich is the New York Times bestselling author of over a dozen books, including Checkmate, The Accidental Billionaires, which was adapted into the Academy Award-winning film The Social Network, and Bringing Down the House, which became the hit movie 21. His books have sold over eleven million copies worldwide, and he is one of the world’s leading business narrative writers.
Ben Mezrich is the New York Times bestselling author of over a dozen books, including Checkmate, The Accidental Billionaires, which was adapted into the Academy Award-winning film The Social Network, and Bringing Down the House, which became the hit movie 21. His books have sold over eleven milli...
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