English Chess Forum

Andy Stoker wrote: ↑

Sun Aug 11, 2019 8:36 pm

"In many ways Boons is a far more typical cheat than Rausis, a teenage, overconfident, but weak player who wants to prove that they are cleverer than everyone else. (Australia has seen two.)"

And who, like a lot of people who think they are being clever, wasn't clever enough to ask himself why it might not be so easy as he thought.

A further article on the Boons incident by Peter Doggers. It includes the explanation given by Boons:

Chess.com reached out to the player, who was willing to provide comments.

"I knew I was not allowed to carry a phone, but I didn't know it would be so serious," he said. "I thought I would only get a warning. That was very naive."

Asked why he kept the phone in a special pocket inside his pants, he replied: "I thought it would disturb people if they would see it." He denied having carried a phone with him in the other rounds or at earlier tournaments.

He finished by saying: "I apologize for creating so much mayhem."

article from schaaksite.nl wrote: ↑

Mon Aug 12, 2019 8:09 am

His visit to the toilet increased to about 15 times per game, alternating with the three available toilet blocks. He often stayed there for 5-12 minutes, sometimes standing, mostly sitting (the toilet doors allow the feet to be visible). And I don't want to know from anyone how he or she sits on the toilet, but with one leg crossed over the other, so that there is only one foot on the floor ...? I have a picture of it.

HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE GOING AROUND CHESS TOURNAMENTS, FOLLOWING PLAYERS IN THE TOILETS AND TAKING PICTURES?

Probably not enough

https://beauchess.blogspot.com/

If I saw anyone taking a photo of me over a toilet cubicle in England it would be citizen's arrest (committing an offence - indecent photographs) and straight on the phone to the police. They can explain in a police interview at the police station why they thought they had a legitimate reason to do that.

Just make sure you haven't anything suspicious in your hands

https://beauchess.blogspot.com/

Matt Bridgeman wrote: ↑

Wed Aug 14, 2019 9:09 pm

If I saw anyone taking a photo of me over a toilet cubicle in England it would be citizen's arrest

How many people actually carry out citizens' arrests?

Having carried out several hundred police arrests it personally wouldn't worry me, but I know what you mean.

Matt Bridgeman wrote: ↑

Wed Aug 14, 2019 9:51 pm

Having carried out several hundred police arrests it personally wouldn't worry me, but I know what you mean.

Someone sat in a cubicle analysing a chess game on their mobile. tablet or computer isn't going to restore their reputation in the chess world by arresting the collector of the evidence that they were doing this.

Match captains and chess tournament organisers usually retain the right to decline to select a player or refuse them entry to competitions. That's regardless of any sanctions imposed by national or international chess bodies.

I was more putting myself in their shoes and imagining someone falsely suspected and being snapped sat on the loo. In the current climate it seems only a matter of time before someone is in England.

Matt Bridgeman wrote: ↑

Wed Aug 14, 2019 10:29 pm

In the current climate it seems only a matter of time before someone is in England.

I might hope there were limiting conditions. One being present at the board for most of the game or at least in view and the other not producing moves allegedly far above the rating. The latter is subjective though and losing titled players have been known to make accusations.

At sometime FIDE might feel inclined to ask that players feeling the need to visit the facilities more than two, three or four times a game be required either to withdraw or default on ill health grounds or produce some form of medical certificate.

"One being present at the board for most of the game or at least in view and the other not producing moves allegedly far above the rating. The latter is subjective though and losing titled players have been known to make accusations. "

Yes - I have to walk around a bit (or at least stand) as I have a bad back, but I try to keep myself visible and only talk to whomever is selling tea/coffee! I did find myself worrying when I actually played quite well recently that people might get suspicious. I was arbiter at an event a year or two ago where an angry 200 was complaining that he was losing to a 160 who was obviously cheating. A glance at the score-sheet showed that the 200 had played the opening like a 100.

I take Matt's point, but you have to be fairly big to start carrying out "citizen's arrests" (or "citizens' arrests", maybe). And of course you risk being accused of assault...

Matt Bridgeman wrote: ↑

Wed Aug 14, 2019 9:09 pm

If I saw anyone taking a photo of me over a toilet cubicle in England it would be citizen's arrest (committing an offence - indecent photographs) and straight on the phone to the police. They can explain in a police interview at the police station why they thought they had a legitimate reason to do that.

Wouldn’t you have to actually be using the toilet, trousers round your ankles etc, for it to qualify as “indecent”? Would the Rausis photo qualify, for example?

It would be banded in category C, the least serious I would think, but would still meet the definition of the offence. There’s also an offence of Voyeurism. Possibly the points to prove are an even better fit. Photographing someone in their underwear would be enough. And even if it was because you felt they might be cheating your actions might still fall into the second (non-sexual) element of the offence, in that you were causing humiliation, alarm or distress. It’s an either way offence with up to 2 years imprisonment.

There's also -

"... The invasion of privacy, a tort based in common law allowing an aggrieved party to bring a lawsuit against an individual who unlawfully intrudes into his or her private affairs, discloses his or her private information, publicizes him or her in a false light, or appropriates his or her name for personal gain."