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Gonna start using this example when kids ask about cheating. Cheating at 12 and 17 on chess.com seems pretty harmless but is coming back to haunt Hans now. Man, that's tough, but there are some things that follow you forever even if you were a stupid kid when you did them. Doesn't even matter if he actually cheated this time, people already think he's a cheater.
He is a cheater. Did it when he was 12 and dumb, okay, first time offence. Did it again when he was 17, still dumb but he should have known better. And now, as you say, he's 19, pulled off a spectacular upset, and because he was stupid enough to do it again when he was 17, a whole lot of people think he cheated this time again.
And maybe he did, maybe he didn't, but the weighting due to the two previous instances of cheating are leaning towards "did it again". This is one reason why cheating, or lying is bad - even being a cynic about it, only bad if you're caught - because now you are a cheater or a liar, and now people will be inclined to believe accusations of "he cheated/lied yet again" because of prior experience.
A man is not guilty without proof. Doesn't matter if the whole world thinks he cheated if he is on camera showing that he is playing a fair game.
There are only two theories left, anal vibrating beads, or previously knowing the prep game. Anal beads is almost certainly not the case. Previously knowing the prep game has a small chance but it would only be the case if someone from Magnus inner circle gave up the goods beforehand. If no mole is found in Magnus circle then we can assume that no cheating took place.
That is true, and a principle I don't want to see tossed.
On the other hand - let us say there are two people participating in an event, Honest Hank who has never, ever, done anything wrong in his life ever, and Lying Larry who nobody would trust as far as they could throw him.
It is discovered that someone has cheated in this event. Now, who is it more likely that people will suspect - Hank or Larry? Sure, Larry could be innocent and it could be Hank who is the guilty party this time. But you can't say it's unreasonable that people would suspect Larry first off.
If you don't want the reputation of being a cheating cheater who cheats, don't cheat.
What you said makes sense in the scenario you created.
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Incorrect. It is perfectly possible for both of the following statements to be true...
Player A cheated
Player B is unable to prove that Player A cheated.
...and this is why things like established patterns of behavior matter.
And innocent until proven guilty matters to make sure you do not get the wrong guy based on your opinions.
In their individual lives yes, to pass judgement onto others outside their direct experience no.
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At 17 and even younger Niemann was playing in high-level chess tournaments. Basically all GM and even IM players started playing high-level chess tournaments from a young age. Niemann and any high level chess player at that age should know better, even if it's just online matches in chess.com (if he's willing to cheat in low stakes, why not high stakes when winning actually matters?)
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