Cheating in chess

[LawrenceCooper]

For rating purposes that seems to make sense

I couldn't agree less. A game between two players, one of whom is cheating, adds no information regarding how good either of them is at chess. Lest we forget, that is what the rating system is supposed to be about.

I suspect, possibly wrongly, that the point was that if you give points to the opponents after the event then those players will have received easier pairings (or at least faced those on lower scores) than would otherwise have been the case. That said, it pales into insignificance when compared to the seriousness of someone cheating.

[NickFaulks]

I suspect, possibly wrongly, that the point was that if you give points to the opponents after the event then those players will have received easier pairings (or at least faced those on lower scores) than would otherwise have been the case. That said, it pales into insignificance when compared to the seriousness of someone cheating.

The question of whether results should be changed for prize purposes is a difficult one, which I deliberately stay clear of.

The question of whether games should be rerated as wins for the loser is not difficult. They should not be.

[LawrenceCooper]

I suspect, possibly wrongly, that the point was that if you give points to the opponents after the event then those players will have received easier pairings (or at least faced those on lower scores) than would otherwise have been the case. That said, it pales into insignificance when compared to the seriousness of someone cheating.

The question of whether results should be changed for prize purposes is a difficult one, which I deliberately stay clear of.

The question of whether games should be rerated as wins for the loser is not difficult. They should not be.

I agree 100% with Howell-Feller being the prime example in my mind

[LawrenceCooper]

http://chess-news.ru/node/23084?_utl_t=vk

A far from perfect translation:

Natale Zhukovoy banned for three months to play in any tournaments . And then: "The punishment is suspended for one year, provided that Zhukov is again caught in an irresponsible and unjustified prosecution of any of the other players in the course of this year."

Ukrainka was the main driving force behind the protests in Chakvi, but at the end of the championship said that to issue a request in writing by the chief judge asked her, or any measures it did not intend to take:

"Maybe they were hoping that I would not want to spend time on the preparation of the text. In fact, I'd love to prefer only to prepare for the party, but, alas, I have no choice."

2-10 chess player announced a reprimand and a warning of the consequences if this persists.

11-15 chess players - those who subsequently withdrew their signatures - issued a warning.

Unjustified accusations someone of cheating - serious prestulenie, - stated in the document continues - but in this case the punishment decided to soften for two reasons: firstly, it is noted illiterate conduct of officials during the conflict, and, secondly, take into account that after the incident had been a long time.

Disagree with the conclusions of the commission may file a protest until May 10.

[Chris Rice]

On the FIDE site it seemed to indicate that the findings of the Ethics commission were provisional:

"The ETH also arrived at provisional findings in case 3/2015 (M Sandu / 15 other players) relating to false accusations of cheating that were allegedly made in the 2015 European Individual Women’s Chess Championship. The final verdict will be announced soon once the players have had a chance of making further representations."

So perhaps not a done deal but it seems the intent is to slap the wrists of those involved in the witch hunt of Ms Sandhu. This does not seem appropriate punishment and a precedent could have been set here rather than just saying the officials were idiots.

[Roger de Coverly]

The FIDE site mentions the cases of Tetimov and Ricciardi

A hearing was necessary in the cheating cases 8/2015 (I Tetimov) and 2/2016 (A Ricciardi) to receive the expert evidence of two computer science and mathematics experts in the persons of Prof Kenneth Regan (USA) and Dr Mark Watkins (AUS). Also present was Mr Israel Gelfer, the chairman of the FIDE Anti-Cheating Commission. The two accused players chose not to attend. Relying in part on the expert evidence of an extremely high statistical probability of cheating, based amongst other things on move matching with the best moves as suggested by a number of chess engines, the ETH found both players guilty of cheating and sanctioned them with a 2 year ban each.

This is one of the reports on the Tetimov case
http://chess-news.ru/en/node/18966
and the Ricciardi case
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-34184940

Additional evidence was supplied by an engine matching process.

[LawrenceCooper]

"The ETH also arrived at provisional findings in case 3/2015 (M Sandu / 15 other players) relating to false accusations of cheating that were allegedly made in the 2015 European Individual Women’s Chess Championship. The final verdict will be announced soon once the players have had a chance of making further representations."

http://www.fide.com/component/content/a ... adrid.html

[Chris Rice]

ChessBase report which concentrates on the role of Zhukova as ringleader in the false cheating allegations against Sandhu.

[Stewart Reuben]

There was a tournament in Britain where a player complained their opponent must have been cheating, 'The moves were too strong for any other explanation.' This gave the arbiters a considerable amount of work, including checking the moves against a computer.
Eventually the complainant was banned from future participation in the event. There had been another, similar, protest at another event, not involving any of the same participants.

Following that Britain were pioneers in delay in move transmission. Not because we thought people were cheating, but to help allay fears of this possibility. Unfortunately (in my view) Makro spoke against this. He thought it ridiculous players might have finished and be leaving the tournament hall, while spectators online, or in the commentary room, did not know the result. The delayed transmission idea somewhat faded away.

In a lecture Kenneth Regan made it clear that engine matching by itself was insufficient evidence of cheating. It provides a pointer and further measures may need to be taken.

I think it was Nick Faulks who pointed out some time ago that you could throw people off the scent by deliberately playing sub-optimal moves on occasion.

[NickFaulks]

There was a tournament in Britain where a player complained their opponent must have been cheating, 'The moves were too strong for any other explanation.'

Did the complaint come during the game or afterwards?

[Stewart Reuben]

I think it was after, but I'm not certain.

[Richard Bates]

Hastings 2009?

[Stewart Reuben]

As is obvious, I have no intention of pin-pointing the incident.

[LawrenceCooper]

Taken from the "No more cheating in chess!!! Respect+Be fair!" Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/groups/1415533 ... 3412421196

CHEATING INCIDENT in THESSALONIKI !

First of all to say few things about chess and how I see it: I think that chess culture and fair-play, should be above result, and that respect for the game, and for opponent should be on some decent level. If that is not the case, then we will have more and more cheaters, who are destroying chess. And, that is why, I am for severe punishment of all proved cheaters, so that we try and stop cheating in chess, once and for all...

I played in an OPEN tournament Triandria in Thessaloniki, from April 17th till 23rd. In round 4 I played against strange player, rated 2155, Papasimakopoulos Alexandros, born in 1996. We played the game on board 4, and it was live transmission on chess24 (and probably on some other sites). Chess24 is very useful, because there you can also check for yourself, how much time was spent for each and every move! Chess24 shows, that my opponent was late for the game 2min. and 13 s.

And then... He plays the whole game verrry fast! Too fast! For almost all moves, he spent around 10 seconds or less. Few times he spent 1 min. or so...He was slowly but surely outplaying me with ease, and I was fighting not to lose such hard game! I felt like I am playing against somebody so strong, tooo strong.
Maybe rated 3000+ ?

According to my notes (and if you don't believe me, please do check on chess24 - Triandria tournament, round 4), he had 1 hour and 28 min. left, after move 27, and I had only 18 min. After 32nd move, he had 1hour and 25 min. and I had just 3 min. left! And I was almost lost! How is that possible, that such player, rated 2155, (or for any player in general, including some strong GMs), plays so fast, and so strong? I would say, it is impossible. Also, he never calculated any variations, and played so easy, without any problems...He knew something, of course, or he was simply using some outside help, supported with some electronics?

Here are times for his moves:

1.d4 (2min. 13 s) 11.cd5 4 s 21. h3 3min. 9s
2.c4 4 s 12.Bd8 6 s 22. bc3 4 s
3.Nc3 3 s 13.Bh4 4 s 23. Rac1 14 s
4.Qc2 4 s 14.Bf2 6 s 24.Be2 15 s
5.a3 2 s 15.Bd3 33 s 25.Bg3 1min. 21 s
6.Qc3 3s 16.Ne2 27 s 26.Rf1 1min. 15s
7.Bg5 5 s 17.0-0 4min.13 s 27.c4 46 s
8.f3 5 s 18.fe4 3 s 28.a4 3min. 29s
9.Bh4 4 s 19.Bc4 3 s 29.Rb1 1min. 6s
10.e3 5 s 20.Nc3 5 s 30.a5 28 s

31.ab6 2min. 12s 41.Bh6 1min. 9
32.ed4 12 s 42.Re3 14 min. 31
33.Rb4 2min. 46s 43.Be3 2 s
34.cd5 1min. 1s 44.d6 3 s
35.Rb6 4 s 45.h5 3 s
36.Be5 1min. 4s 46.g4 1min. 27s
37.Bg7 1min. 5s
38.Kh2 4 s
39.Rf6 1min. 8s
40.Re6 2s

Who plays like that?

In the end, he gets into winning position (according to an engine), and then...He didn't win! Why? How? Did I make draw against engine? Probably so. Thing is that engine shows, until the end that white wins easily, but without TB (Table base), engine doesn't know that opposite coloured B, with g-h pawns up is well known, theoretical draw! And that was first line, first choice of engine! Only then, when he realised that, did he spend (only time in the whole game), 14 min. 31 s, for his move, searching for any chance to win, or at least make some final trick. I was of course again low on time (second time control). And I managed to find 1-2 only moves, to save draw. My opponent, was angry and upset, soooo ANGRY, that he didn't win that game! I thought that he will explode from anger! And probably, most of those 14 min. 31 s, he used to calm down, before the game ends, not to explode from anger!

Immediately after the game, I tried to speak with my opponent, and asked him several questions like: Wow, you play so strong, like you are 2800 rated, and you outplay easily GMs, do you play always like this? Etc. He was very silent, signed the score-sheet, and left the playing hall, very fast, too fast, almost running...Suspicious? Of course! I had no time to ask the main arbiter for official search for any hidden electronics, he might have had. And of course, that was the only time, when he left the playing hall so fast, other days, (when he probably didn't cheat), he stayed always after the game...You might ask me, if he was cheating against me, why he didn't repeat it again? Maybe he wanted to destroy my tournament, and/or maybe he was just scared, when I mentioned that he was very suspicious, and his play...So, maybe he decided to lay low in this tournament...

Immediately after the game, after he (my opponent) left running, I spoke to the main organizer Mr. Betsakos Vasileios and to some arbiters (names irelevant), about the game. I expressed my suspicions about regularity of my opponents play, and I said that he could be cheating in some way. But, because he left running, it was not possible to ask him or check him! How convenient! I remember, I asked the arbiter if this guy plays always so fast and so good, and he said something like no. So, only against me then?

And Mr. Betsakos Vasileios is special story. He says to me something like: "Misa, my friend, listen to me, I know this guy, he is my very good friend, and he never cheats, I guarantie for him!" When I asked him, how is it possible, that such player, played so fast and so impossibly good, he said: "Listen, he told me before the game, that he has some appointment, he has to be there before 20.00 h (and the game began at 17.30 h). So, you see, he told me that he would play very fast against GM, and try to be there on time..." Haha. What do you think about that? And of course, to my horror, when I got back to my hotel, and switched on engine, what could I see?

According to my check, 44 out of 46 game moves, were engine moves (first and second line), played by famous Papasimakopoulos A. 96 % of engine moves (ok first and second line), but if you like, you can check for yourself, how many of those he played by first line, and was it close to 90 % ? Just to mentions, that best players in the world, rated above 2800, have around 58-60 % of moves matching those of engines (and of course, they spend some time in their games, right? They do not play high quality games in under 5 min, right?).

So, what do you think? Is that suspicious? Did he cheat? Is that enough of evidence?

I also sent e-mail to the main organizer and to the arbiter, mentioning chess-culture and fair-play, but they never reacted. No asnwer, simply. Main guy, Mr. Betsakos Vasileios, also tried to scare me, calling me different names, and telling me that I am very rude, arrogant, etc...And that in addition he will inform all organizers of chess tournaments, in whole Greece, what kind of bad, and rude guy am I, and that I can never play in Greece again... Charming no?

What to say more? He (Papasimakopoulos A.) played next day against player rated 1969, on board 12 (without live transmission), and he spent almost all of his time, and was totaly lost, saving the game by miracle only. This time without outside help, maybe? Until the end of the tournament, he didn't try to cheat (probably), because he was scared of my reaction, where I said publicly that his play against me was verrrry suspicious...

I asked that my games should be switched off from live transmission until the end of the tournament, and I didn't leave, but maybe I should have...Especialy, considering behaviour of Mr. Betsakos and his friends...

I played until the end of the tournament under tremendous pressure from Mr. Betsakos, and his "friendly" arbiters, and no wonder scored only 6.5/9. I just want to inform whole chess world, about these guys, and that anybody who wants to play in that and in similar tournaments, should be extremely careful!

GM Misa Pap


Good evening ladies and gentleman, my name is Alexandros Papasimakopoulos and as you can see I am accused of having cheated in the tournament of Thessaloniki, held at the end of April. At first, let me introduce to you my chess career so far. I am I player who has not worked so much on reading many books of theory and strategy and tactics, but I am a player who like to play to game and that’s why I have around 30.000 blitz and bullet games played in the internet. Taking that into consideration, I have lots of playing experience and lack in other aspects of the game. Not quite bad at tactics, but I would say that my strong point is the understanding of the game. My standard rating is 2155(highest 2271) but as you can see in the fide rating list, my rapid rating is 2307 and my blitz rating is 2284. Also, it should be mentioned, that I had the 2nd place in the 6th Rapid Chess Festival and the 1st place in the 8th Rapid chess Festival held in the phillipeion Hotel in Thessaloniki October 2016. In this last tournament, I made an 9/10 and made great victories over Super-GMs like Kyril Georgiev. I don’t want to say more about myself. All I am trying to prove is that I am not a random 2100 player as many of you may have said. That’s all you need to know about me for now.
Going back to Thessaloniki, you can see in the tournament pairings that I didn’t participate in the morning round and I had some serious personal problems and that’s why had to leave as soon as possible from the playing hall at the evening round. In fact, all I wanted was not to lose by forfeit. Taking that into consideration, I should play a really quick game, as I play every day in the internet. It was a really challenging opportunity for me and although I was quite sure that I would probably lose the game, I had some faith in myself. So let’s start with the game where we have a typical Nimzo-Indian Defence with Theory till move 14 (I knew till there). After that, you can see my comments about what I thought in the game and you can make your conclusions. (you can see my analysis in the pgn file)
Let’s talk about the environment of the game. During our game, Mr Pap spoke to the Arbiter and talked about my quick play, although I don’t think that he can do such a thing ?! You do what ? You tell the arbiter that a player is playing quickly ? Would you say the same if a player would be playing to slow ??? He has no right to say so! The only thing is has to claim, is to check me if I have any device on me that proves that I’m cheating, something he never did….. Why ? Was he afraid ? Did he know that I had nothing to hide ? Obviously, it is the easiest thing, to say to your friends that you played with a cheater, the difficult thing is to PROVE that. The game was not even a win for me !?!??!
Let’s continue to his behaviour….. After the end of the game, where I realized that it was a draw, we shaked hands and his first words were:
- are you happy now ?
- yes, of course
- how do you play like that? Why do you play like 2800 ? Why don’t you play with carlsen in the world championship?
After those words I signed , took my paper and walked quickly out of the playing hall ,because as I have mentioned earlier I was in a hurry ( I was NOT furious ,but a little disappointed because I thought that somehow I could have won this game… my behaviour can be mentioned from all participants that played nearby)
MEANWHILE, in this dialog Mr Pap was almost SHOUTING in a chess playing hall, showing of course his character, and a player from the next table told him to be quite and his response was…. You are his friend aren’t you …. ?
We are talking about a Grandmaster who should be an example for all chess players and instead of that, everybody who was close saw a really disrespectful behavior, that really ashamed the whole image of chess. Because , if grandmasters behave like that…. I don’t know what I can expect from weaker players.
To conclude, I would like to ask some last questions…..
1) WHY should I use an engine in this game ? ( purpose… why ? money ? to risk my whole chess career for 1000 euros ? )
2) If I had used an engine HOW could I have drawn this game, as it would be extremely easy for an engine to win!? (Be5?! in the game) IT DOES NOT MAKE SENSE!
As I have nothing to hide I CHALLENGE all of you to ask me EVERY question you like !
After that, I require a public apology from Mr Pap for :
1) his disrespectful behavior at the game
2) his non-proffesional treatment of the case
3) the defamation of my name

[Roger de Coverly]

Taken from the "No more cheating in chess!!! Respect+Be fair!" Facebook page

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 O-O 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. Qxc3 b6 7. Bg5 Bb7 8. f3 h6 9. Bh4 d5 10. e3 Nbd7 11. cxd5 Nxd5 12. Bxd8 Nxc3 13. Bh4 Nd5 14. Bf2 f5 15. Bd3 e5 16. Ne2 Rae8 17. O-O e4 18. fxe4 fxe4 19. Bc4 Kh7 20. Nc3 N7f6 21. h3 Nxc3 22. bxc3 Nd5 23. Rac1 Rf5 24. Be2 Nf6 25. Bg3 Rxf1+ 26. Rxf1 Kg6 27. c4 c6 28. a4 Ba6 29. Rb1 c5 30. a5 cxd4 31. axb6 axb6 32. exd4 Rc8 33. Rb4 Nd5 34. cxd5 Bxe2 35. Rxb6+ Kf5 36. Be5 e3 37. Bxg7 Rc1+ 38. Kh2 Bc4 39. Rf6+ Ke4 40. Re6+ Kd3 41. Bxh6 Re1 42. Rxe3+ Rxe3 43. Bxe3 Kxe3 44. d6 Be6 45. h4 Kxd4 46. g4 Ke5 ½-½

This is a critical position.
[FEN "8/6B1/4R2p/3P4/2bP4/3kp2P/6PK/2r5 w - - 7 41"]

The stockfish at the chessbomb site claims that the flashy Rxe3 is the winning method, but that may not be so as indicated above.