Hans Niemann’s Playing Style: Unstable Genius, Relentless Pressure

Hans Niemann might be the hardest player to define in modern chess. Ask David Howell and he’ll give you numbers, a solid attacker (87), a quick and efficient time manager (90), and a decent calculator (86). But even Howell had to admit there’s something elusive about him. Anish Giri went further: “Hans is the hardest player to decipher.” His words echo what many grandmasters sense. Niemann is unpredictable, emotionally volatile, and, at his best, a very dangerous opponent.

A Tension-Builder by Nature

Fabiano Caruana, having faced Niemann multiple times, described the experience as exhausting, not because of anything unfair, but because Hans plays with constant tension. “You have to constantly be vigilant when you play him,” Caruana said. “He’s a very energy-consuming player, probably for himself and for his opponent.” Like Caruana himself, Niemann doesn’t rely on effortless harmony like Magnus Carlsen; instead, he creates pressure, uncomfortable, edgy positions where any misstep could be fatal.

Time Pressure Without Crumbling

What Niemann does exceptionally well, according to both Howell and Giri, is time management. He moves quickly without noticeably dropping quality: a rare skill. “It doesn’t just mean pressing on the clock fast,” Giri pointed out. “He’s able to do it without compromising too much on his level of play.” Giri even suggested bumping Niemann’s time management score above 90, calling it “really really good.”

This ability allows Hans to maintain a high pace without collapsing, most of the time. His weakest area, according to Howell, is defense (78), and even Giri agreed that when Niemann starts tilting, his play can fall apart. Still, Giri felt that even Niemann’s lowest scores should be above 80, recognizing that his instability isn’t a sign of weakness, but of volatility, he can fall, but he can also explode.

Style or No Style?

Carlsen famously said Niemann didn’t seem to have a clear style. “He could just switch from tactical to positional play very easily.” That’s not necessarily a critique, it’s an observation of flexibility. But Carlsen also made clear that the ambiguity bothered him: “It didn’t smell good to me.” Whether that’s about style or suspicion is open to interpretation.

The Attitude Problem

Wesley So and other players have also weighed in, not so much on Hans’s playing style, but on his attitude. So didn’t mince words, calling Niemann “probably the most disrespectful teenager in chess.” From brash post-game interviews to calling other players “idiots,” Niemann’s personality doesn’t sit well with everyone. But even So admitted: “It doesn’t really matter… There’ll always be other games.”

Final Score? You Can’t Reduce Hans to a Number

Howell’s overall score for Hans Niemann was 82. But even Giri pushed back: “You can’t reduce Hans to one number. He’s much, much bigger than that.” Unstable? Yes. Hard to prepare for? Definitely. Dangerous? Without a doubt. Hans Niemann doesn’t always play beautiful chess, but he makes sure you never feel comfortable, and that alone makes him one of the most interesting players on the circuit today.

FIFA-Style Scores by David Howell:

• Attacking: 87
• Calculation: 86
• Strategy: 82
• Time Management: 90
• Intuition: 84
• Defense: 78
• Overall: 82

But really, he’s unrateable. And maybe that’s exactly what makes him Hans.

XB

I’m Xuan Binh, the founder of Attacking Chess, and the Deputy Head of Communications at the Vietnam Chess Federation (VCF). My chess.com and lichess rating is above 2300, in both blitz and bullet. Follow me on Twitter (X).