Cheating in chess

Discuss anything you like about chess related matters in this forum.
David Sedgwick
Posts: 5249
Joined: Mon Apr 09, 2007 5:56 pm
Location: Croydon

Re: Cheating in chess

Post by David Sedgwick » Sun Jul 08, 2018 1:26 pm

Stewart Reuben wrote:
Sun Jul 08, 2018 11:41 am
Nick. No, it is just evidence that each chess encounter should be one game with white and one with black. That would make chess a lot fairer.
Michael Farthing wrote:
Sun Jul 08, 2018 12:05 pm
Perhaps with the added twist that remaining time from the first game is carried across to the second?
The World Boku Championship at the Mind Sports Olympiad is played under precisely those conditions. Players have ten minutes on the clock to play two games, one with each colour.

http://boku.bandoodle.co.uk/story.php

Stewart Reuben
Posts: 4542
Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2007 11:04 pm
Location: writer

Re: Cheating in chess

Post by Stewart Reuben » Sun Jul 08, 2018 4:10 pm

Michael >Perhaps with the added twist that remaining time from the first game is carried across to the second?<

Would that not make it two separate rated games and thus not in the same series? It would be OK for rapid play and possibly blitz.

Kevin Thurlow
Posts: 5822
Joined: Wed Apr 30, 2008 12:28 pm

Re: Cheating in chess

Post by Kevin Thurlow » Tue Jul 10, 2018 1:05 pm

I am grateful to "Chess Arbiters Association" Newsletter for this comment from the head of the "Anti Cheating Commission",

" “A player is allowed to ask for protection from an arbiter. Of course he can. There are two things he cannot do: write on every wall that XXX is a cheater (as this will likely lead to a sanction from both Ethics and/or a civil court) AND file a report where all he says to support his claim that the opponent cheated is “ XXX played too well for his rang”. This is a manifestly unfounded accusation. However, turn that “XXX played too well for his rang” into "XXX was scarcely concentrating, was walking all the me, going to the toilet, wore a cap and a wig AND played like a computer as is shown by the following evidence [data follows]” and the accuser will never be prosecuted, even if ACC cannot find the player guilty for whatever reason.” "

This is all fair enough, and I did encounter a player (before guidelines were in place) saying that his opponent must be cheating because he wasn't strong enough to get a good position against the accuser! But the first sentence is really great. "A player is allowed to ask for protection from an arbiter." This implies the arbiter is a threat (which may be the case of course)!

The author didn't have English as a first language, so I do sympathise with any confusion.

Stewart Reuben
Posts: 4542
Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2007 11:04 pm
Location: writer

Re: Cheating in chess

Post by Stewart Reuben » Tue Jul 10, 2018 1:32 pm

kevin ." “A player is allowed to ask for protection from an arbiter.,

Of course that would be better phrased as, A player is allowed to ask an arbiter to help with protection from possible cheating.

NickFaulks
Posts: 8453
Joined: Sat Jan 02, 2010 1:28 pm

Re: Cheating in chess

Post by NickFaulks » Tue Jul 10, 2018 1:47 pm

Kevin Thurlow wrote:
Tue Jul 10, 2018 1:05 pm
I am grateful to "Chess Arbiters Association" Newsletter for this comment from the head of the "Anti Cheating Commission"
Israel Gelfer?
If you want a picture of the future, imagine a QR code stamped on a human face — forever.

David Sedgwick
Posts: 5249
Joined: Mon Apr 09, 2007 5:56 pm
Location: Croydon

Re: Cheating in chess

Post by David Sedgwick » Tue Jul 10, 2018 3:19 pm

NickFaulks wrote:
Tue Jul 10, 2018 1:47 pm
Kevin Thurlow wrote:
Tue Jul 10, 2018 1:05 pm
I am grateful to "Chess Arbiters Association" Newsletter for this comment from the head of the "Anti Cheating Commission"
Israel Gelfer?
No, Yuri Garrett. Kevin's reference to " the head" was imprecise.

NickFaulks
Posts: 8453
Joined: Sat Jan 02, 2010 1:28 pm

Re: Cheating in chess

Post by NickFaulks » Tue Jul 10, 2018 4:36 pm

David Sedgwick wrote:
Tue Jul 10, 2018 3:19 pm
No, Yuri Garrett.
Thanks, I thought it read like him. I'm not sure that Gelfer would even agree with the sentiments expressed.
If you want a picture of the future, imagine a QR code stamped on a human face — forever.

LawrenceCooper
Posts: 7176
Joined: Tue Dec 20, 2011 8:13 am

Re: Cheating in chess

Post by LawrenceCooper » Wed Jul 11, 2018 10:50 am


Kevin Thurlow
Posts: 5822
Joined: Wed Apr 30, 2008 12:28 pm

Re: Cheating in chess

Post by Kevin Thurlow » Wed Jul 11, 2018 6:32 pm

"No, Yuri Garrett. Kevin's reference to " the head" was imprecise."

Yes - sorry, I posted too quickly...

Roger de Coverly
Posts: 21301
Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2008 2:51 pm

Re: Cheating in chess

Post by Roger de Coverly » Wed Jul 11, 2018 6:39 pm

My friend received a tip that someone in his section, a front-runner, was cheating by using a phone between his legs. I'm not sure if I should name the "alleged" cheater by name here - it feels like an improper venue so I won't, and I believe in the right to face one's accusers.

During one of his games, my friend walked up right behind this player and looked down, over his shoulder, and saw the phone, in plain sight. He didn't yell "phone!" right then as perhaps he should have (though of course it's very hard to bring yourself to do this in a silent tournament hall, no matter how right it is), and wanted to get back to his game, but he alerted a CCA tournament director.
I'm not sure what UK arbiters would expect a spectator to do if they spotted an in use mobile phone, but in a UK tournament a mobile phone in possession (as opposed to on the table or in a bag) would result in a loss. That doesn't leave room for arguments that the player was only reading their emails, checking train times etc.

Ian Thompson
Posts: 3551
Joined: Wed Jul 02, 2008 4:31 pm
Location: Awbridge, Hampshire

Re: Cheating in chess

Post by Ian Thompson » Wed Jul 11, 2018 6:53 pm

Roger de Coverly wrote:
Wed Jul 11, 2018 6:39 pm
I'm not sure what UK arbiters would expect a spectator to do if they spotted an in use mobile phone ...
I'd hope they'd expect the spectator to follow the rules (Law 12.7) - "If someone observes an irregularity, he may inform only the arbiter. Players in other games must not to speak about or otherwise interfere in a game. Spectators are not allowed to interfere in a game."

The more interesting question is how far the arbiter would go in attempting to find the phone if an initial search failed to find it - assume the spectator was wrong, or even deliberately making false accusations, and do nothing more, or proceed with a search of the player's "clothes, bags, other items or body" (Law 11.3.3).

Chris Rice
Posts: 3418
Joined: Thu Nov 08, 2012 5:17 am

Re: Cheating in chess

Post by Chris Rice » Mon Aug 06, 2018 9:21 am

A very difficult situation arose yesterday in the 2018 US Open when a player died during play. The announcement from the USCF hasn't said who it is yet until the family have been fully informed.

Paul Truong said on FB "Due to this unexpected and tragic event, play was stopped for hours and it was just resumed at 8 pm local time. What is the rule for play stoppage of an entire event? How can cheating be avoided if players were free to leave the playing hall? I honestly do not know what is the right, sensible, and fair way to handle something like this."

To be honest I found his remarks about cheating quite disgusting given that someone had died. I must admit I have been at events, quite a while ago now, where players have collapsed and after a bit of a commotion play, just carried on, which in retrospect seems entirely heartless. However, Truong's main point, asking what the rules are in such situations, or what the tournament directors/arbiters should have done is a valid one. This was the last round as well.

NickFaulks
Posts: 8453
Joined: Sat Jan 02, 2010 1:28 pm

Re: Cheating in chess

Post by NickFaulks » Mon Aug 06, 2018 10:00 am

Chris Rice wrote:
Mon Aug 06, 2018 9:21 am
To be honest I found his remarks about cheating quite disgusting given that someone had died.
Agreed, quite unnecessary. It should be remembered that Paul Truong and the USCF are on very bad terms.

I believe the great majority of players who cheat arrive at the tournament with the intention of doing so, and they do not come with a contingency plan for the event of someone dying.
If you want a picture of the future, imagine a QR code stamped on a human face — forever.

Brian Towers
Posts: 1266
Joined: Tue Nov 18, 2014 7:23 pm

Re: Cheating in chess

Post by Brian Towers » Mon Aug 06, 2018 10:32 am

Chris Rice wrote:
Mon Aug 06, 2018 9:21 am
I have been at events, quite a while ago now, where players have collapsed and after a bit of a commotion play, just carried on
Indeed, English sang froid is legendary.

A few years ago in a club match my opponent made his move and then said "My friend on board 5 is having a heart attack. Would you mind agreeing a draw? I'd like to keep him company until the ambulance arrives." Play continued as normal on the other boards.
Ah, but I was so much older then. I'm younger than that now.

User avatar
JustinHorton
Posts: 10364
Joined: Mon Aug 04, 2008 10:06 am
Location: Somewhere you're not

Re: Cheating in chess

Post by JustinHorton » Mon Aug 06, 2018 10:49 am

I'm thinking that outside the chess community, people might use some different terminology, with some of the words the same length as "sang".
"Do you play chess?"
"Yes, but I prefer a game with a better chance of cheating."

lostontime.blogspot.com