Magnus Carlsen Advances to Speed Chess Final

Magnus Carlsen defeated Hans Niemann 17.5-12.5 in the Speed Chess Championship semi-finals, marking their first encounter since Carlsen accused Niemann of cheating two years ago. Carlsen won the longer format decisively and drew in the quicker segments, leading to Niemann's complaint about technical issues during the match. Niemann, who had filed a $100 million defamation lawsuit against Carlsen and Chess.com, saw the case dismissed by a U.S. judge last year, and all parties have since resolved their disputes. Alireza Firouzja also advanced to the finals, defeating Fabiano Caruana 14.5-8.5. The event is being held in an arena in Paris with strict regulations on mobile phone usage. The matches have garnered significant attention, reigniting discussions about the previous cheating allegations in the chess community.