So cheating online is rife, but there have been instances of cheating in over-the-board competitions, apparently with a vibrating device in shoes having been found before (and people taking mobile phones into the bogs and checking your game)
the theory is you get a coach with the computer analysis to send the signal when you put your hand on the piece that the computer says is the best move
the beads theory was just someone speculating on social media and then went viral – whether Neimann is actually cheating I don’t know, but it’s got people talking about chess so that’s a good thing