Checkmate

Genius, Lies, Ambition, and the Biggest Scandal in Chess

De: Ben Mezrich

Narrado por: Adam Verner

"The best black-and-white drama this side of Chess on Broadway." - Vanity Fair

From the bestselling author of The Accidental Billionaires and Bringing Down the House comes the cinematic true story about the biggest scandal in modern chess.

In September 2022, the unthinkable happened: nineteen-year-old American chess prodigy Hans Niemann defeated world champion Magnus Carlsen in a stunning face-to-face match. Within days, Carlsen accused Niemann of cheating—a bombshell allegation that rocked the chess world. As the scandal spiraled, 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 fueled 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 meets ambition, and every move could be your last.

Reseñas de la Crítica

"It’s the best black and white drama this side of Chess on Broadway."—Vanity Fair

"An epic, swirling melodrama of hubris, money, and tech."—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Mezrich pieces together interviews and extensive research with cinematic flair to create an enticing and entertaining story of burgeoning egos fighting for supremacy and legitimacy in a game that has fascinated players and enthusiasts for over 1,500 years.”
—Booklist

Previous praise for Ben Mezrich

"The reigning cowboy of creative nonfiction."
—The Oregonian

Praise for Dumb Money

"Mezrich can conjure a scene so vivid that you not only feel like you know the people on the page, but feel as if you’re in the room with them."
—Porchlight

"Undoubtedly one of the most entertaining stories of the year, and Mezrich brings new life to the whole thing in this look at the outrageous personalities and corporate drama that fueled it."
—New York Post

Praise for Bitcoin Billionaires

"(Bitcoin Billionaires) has all the trappings of a classic adventure: wronged underdogs, party scenes, partners who flip, and, of course, a few villains."
—Vanity Fair

"The book is written with a slick beauty...as an introduction to the rise of cryptocurrencies and the modern tech world generally, it is as painless and novelistic as could be imagined."
—The Guardian

"Uproarious...Stimulation enough to keep even an unmedicated narcoleptic awake."
—Washington Post

Praise for The Accidental Billionaires

"High-octane page-turners, replete with sex, skullduggery, and plot twists worthy of James Patterson."
—New York Times

Excellent

Loved the story and the narration was excellent. You don't even need to like chess!

My favorite book in many years

This book is riveting and the reader is amazing. I love this story of Hans Neiman. I thought of him as a cheater and a villain before I read the book; now I think of him as a completely redeemed hero! I enjoyed this real life story of the underdog cheater who redeemed himself to became the 12th ranked grandmaster in the world. Beautiful story! "Every wrong I did turned me to a better kid, so alright""Never let it in, especially since we're getting rid of all lies""But redemption will come for you so
Guess I'll just call it a feeling
Tonight I'll just comfort you so
Maybe you can start to believe it" I loved this audible book!

Breathless superlatives

Too many dramatic proclamations of “billionaires”, “scale”, Champagne, “obscene valuation”, celebrity name dropping; the list goes on. The tidbits of substance are too often occluded by hyperbole