Cheating Scandal at the Botvinnik Memorial Open

[John Upham]

Oh dear!

Another cheating scandal: http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=7481

[Paul Cooksey]

From the report:

But let us return to our hero: we do not know exactly what happened after game six, but surfing the Russian chess blogs seems to reveal that the authorities, suspicious of Klimentiev's extraordinary performance, did not allow him to bring along his briefcase or use the pen he had used that far. In addition he had to play on-stage, where spectator access was restricted. This was his next effort:

Polivanov,Anatoliy (2435) - Klimentiev,Sergey (1698) [C57]
M.Botvinnik Memorial 2011 St. Petersburg (7), 18.08.2011
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Nxd5 6.Nxf7 Bg4??

The Feller case threatens the integirty of top level chess and really worried me. But this one just makes me laugh.

[Simon Dixon]

Apparently he did not even know the names of the openings he played...

LMAO, I bet there were a few GM's and IM's wondering what hit them, having been beaten by a duffer.

[Adam Ashton]

I doubt you'd be amused if you were one of the people who had their tournament ruined by this guy.

[Roger de Coverly]

It might be best not to say too much about how the stunt might have been done. It does look as if events vulnerable to this kind of activity might have to start not only supplying the score-sheets but also the pens. Some do (supply pens) anyway, but (the arbiters would) require players to use them.

(edit) words added for clarity

[Kevin Williamson]

It takes the lucky pen debate to a new level.

http://www.ecforum.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2477

[Simon Dixon]

I doubt you'd be amused if you were one of the people who had their tournament ruined by this guy.

You need to chill out, he was disqualified, players scores and ratings would not be affected. The up side is he won't be allowed to play in any tournaments for a very long time. With any luck he will be banned for life.

[Adam Ashton]

I'm sorry but I have great sympathy with the people he played in those early rounds. Of course the players are affected even if it doesn't end up rated(Norm chances gone for a start). Given the effort and expense people put into chess I don't really see the funny side.

[Sean Hewitt]

I'm sorry but I have great sympathy with the people he played in those early rounds. Of course the players are affected even if it doesn't end up rated(Norm chances gone for a start). Given the effort and expense people put into chess I don't really see the funny side.

I agree with you Adam. We'll have to wait and see what happens re ratings as the tournament has not been submitted for FIDE rating yet.

According to the official tournament website this guys results still stand (at the moment) http://www.totalchess.spb.ru/kalend/2011/B100c/

[Roger de Coverly]

According to the official tournament website this guys results still stand (at the moment)

Unlike the player in the German Championships, I don't think they actually caught him in the act. All they were able to do was to set a playing environment where his alleged method didn't work. You wonder how much of his rating is really his. Surely every Russian amateur player would know a main line in the Two Knights?

[Simon Brown]

Adam is competely right of course. If I had had my tournament ruined by a cheat I would expect my entry fee and expenses returned at least. Wouldn't get them, of course.

[Paul Cooksey]

Adam is competely right of course. If I had had my tournament ruined by a cheat I would expect my entry fee and expenses returned at least. Wouldn't get them, of course.

My first reaction was amusement. I found the incompetence of the perpetrator funny. But agree entirely it would not be funny if it happened to me. I was and am assuming sanctions with deterrent severity will be imposed.

[Jon D'Souza-Eva]

You wonder how much of his rating is really his. Surely every Russian amateur player would know a main line in the Two Knights?

The British players I know with a FIDE rating of around 1700 are about 120-150 ECF and I can't imagine any of them playing that horrible 6. ... Bg4 blunder against the Fried Liver.

[Alex Holowczak]

You wonder how much of his rating is really his. Surely every Russian amateur player would know a main line in the Two Knights?

The British players I know with a FIDE rating of around 1700 are about 120-150 ECF and I can't imagine any of them playing that horrible 6. ... Bg4 blunder against the Fried Liver.

This may be somewhere I can help, being a sub-1700-rated player!

I often get into the Fried Liver as white, but I've never seen 8...Bg4. The line I normally get involves a King on e6, a Knight on d5, and I have lots of pieces attacking it, including a bishop on c4 pinning it. I'm a Knight for a pawn down at this stage, but it's usually winning...

[Jon D'Souza-Eva]

I often get into the Fried Liver as white, but I've never seen 8...Bg4. The line I normally get involves a King on e6, a Knight on d5, and I have lots of pieces attacking it, including a bishop on c4 pinning it. I'm a Knight for a pawn down at this stage, but it's usually winning...

Yes, that's just a normal Fried Liver position which Black should never knowingly get into. In my sub-150 days I had a 20/20 record with White after 6. Nxf7. A few strong players told me that 6. d4 (the Lolli Attack) was even better, but I never bothered to look at it because the Fried Liver worked so well for me.

So what was Black thinking of when he played 6. ... Bg4? I can only imagine he thought the game would progress 7. Nxd8 Bxd1 8. Kxd1 Rxd8, but it doesn't take much chess ability to find a couple of ways for White to improve on that line.

Maybe Black was getting mixed up with the Traxler, where Bg4 sometimes traps White's queen.