Player disqualified from German Championships

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Roger de Coverly
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Re: Player disqualified from German Championships

Post by Roger de Coverly » Thu Jan 31, 2013 10:35 am

Paolo Casaschi wrote: It is also assumed that the cheating mechanism included an earplug and "unusual" glasses as seen used by the player during the games.
I've never seen them in practice, but similar glasses are available to purchase.

A Google search unearthed these:-
http://www.clifford-james.co.uk/buy.cfm ... /yes/57626

They would be ideal perhaps for a league game in a poorly lit church hall or back room of a pub. You could however see the possible scope for modification or a similar style to include a camera and transmission mechanism, perhaps even a chess engine.

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Greg Breed
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Re: Player disqualified from German Championships

Post by Greg Breed » Thu Jan 31, 2013 10:39 am

Roger de Coverly wrote:
Paolo Casaschi wrote: It is also assumed that the cheating mechanism included an earplug and "unusual" glasses as seen used by the player during the games.
I've never seen them in practice, but similar glasses are available to purchase.

A Google search unearthed these:-
http://www.clifford-james.co.uk/buy.cfm ... /yes/57626

They would be ideal perhaps for a league game in a poorly lit church hall or back room of a pub. You could however see the possible scope for modification or a similar style to include a camera and transmission mechanism, perhaps even a chess engine.
How cool :idea:
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abi&timadams
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Re: Player disqualified from German Championships

Post by abi&timadams » Thu Jan 31, 2013 1:02 pm

Please accept my apologies if this belongs in a new thread.

In the current climate it seems that whenever there are unusual results it is easy to assume that all may not be straightforward. In the Gibraltar Masters Paulo Pinho (2128) has achieved a 9-round IM norm with some very impressive performances. He also played in both Challengers events, and in the second had a performance rating of 2405 with 4/5. In the first he had a rating performance of 2241 and 3/5. I am of course not for a minute trying to discredit the gentleman's good name, and I congratulate him. I was following his last round game against Charlie Storey with Fritz (I do this usually) and there was hardly any correlation between moves. The point is I raised an eyebrow when I saw the norm gained, which is sad when in reality we should be cheering for him, and striving to emulate his achievement. When does a result become suspicious? Can comparatively low-graded players improve dramatically? In this case Paulo clearly has.

Roger de Coverly
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Re: Player disqualified from German Championships

Post by Roger de Coverly » Thu Jan 31, 2013 1:19 pm

abi&timadams wrote:When does a result become suspicious? Can comparatively low-graded players improve dramatically?
I would suggest it's when there's the plausibility of external advice being sought. So players leaving the board frequently, strange glasses and earpieces, clothing which could conceal devices, seconds or accompanying persons acting strangely. I don't believe that playing the same moves as a computer engine is primary evidence of anything although if you had suspicions and the player wasn't playing computer styled moves, that could be a presumption of innocence.

A grade or rating reflects your results over a number of a games. Nothing precludes playing above that, either temporarily or permanently, indeed the lower the standard you start from, the more likely it is to be possible.

Stewart Reuben
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Re: Player disqualified from German Championships

Post by Stewart Reuben » Thu Jan 31, 2013 1:46 pm

All players vary considerably in their strength each move. The variance per game is considerable. Even the variance per tournament.
John Nicholson achieved 5 IM norms, but his rating never reached 2350 so he never achieved the IM title.
Two quite low rated players achieved IM norms this year in Hastings.
Bill Goichberg, now the President of the USCF achieved a rating of 2530 in his first FIDE Rated event. Arpad Elo refused to publish it, stating that it was 100/1 against his achieving such a 9 game result and Bill was also the organiser. Arpad's position was absurd. of course something that is 100/1 comes up once every 100 times!
There are two threads:
1. How to diminish cheating. The ACP is calling on FIDE to look into the problem. You can sign the petition, but would probably have to join.
2. How to reduce people's anxieties or, if you prefer, their paranoia.

A 5 minute delay on transmission of moves would help.
Barring people having electronic devices completely in major events is practical.
Metals detectors at every entrance in major events is practical. Hastings there are 3 entrances to the tournament hall.
Policing players' frequency of leaving the ournament hall in major events is practical.
Playing in the nude is not practical and anyway only desirable in women's tournaments.
Hair not covering the ears could be inssisted on.
By the way I have an electronic device implant. It is a defibrillator.

David Gilbert
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Re: Player disqualified from German Championships

Post by David Gilbert » Thu Jan 31, 2013 2:12 pm

Stewart Reuben wrote:Arpad Elo refused to publish it, stating that it was 100/1 against his achieving such a 9 game result and Bill was also the organiser. Arpad's position was absurd. of course something that is 100/1 comes up once every 100 times!
Does that mean that if the odds were 1/2 - two-to-one-on - then it would come up twice every once?

Roger de Coverly
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Re: Player disqualified from German Championships

Post by Roger de Coverly » Thu Jan 31, 2013 2:20 pm

David Gilbert wrote: Does that mean that if the odds were 1/2 - two-to-one-on - then it would come up twice every once?
Isn't the sequence 2 to 1 33.3%
evens 50%
2 to 1 against 66.7% ?

Strictly speaking 100-1 is 1 out of 101

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IM Jack Rudd
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Re: Player disqualified from German Championships

Post by IM Jack Rudd » Thu Jan 31, 2013 2:44 pm

Stewart Reuben wrote: Playing in the nude is not practical and anyway only desirable in women's tournaments.
It'd be a good way to ensure media coverage, mind. :lol:

Stewart Reuben
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Re: Player disqualified from German Championships

Post by Stewart Reuben » Thu Jan 31, 2013 2:53 pm

David Gilbert >
Does that mean that if the odds were 1/2 - two-to-one-on - then it would come up twice every once?<

2 to win 1 means it is considered to be 66.67% probable. Thus in every 3 occasions, it will come up twice for every one that it doesn't.
Roger is quite correct 100/1 does indeed mean it will come up once in every 101. I approximated as I doubt Elo ment precisely 100/1.

Terry Pratchett, I forget which book, 'If an event is precisely 1 million to 1 against, it always come up.'

Anytime a player wins a game against an opponent 400 rating points higher than himself, it is approximately 100/1. 800 points is calculated also to be 100/1 for rating purposes. Rightly or wrongly, that was basically my idea.

David Gilbert
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Re: Player disqualified from German Championships

Post by David Gilbert » Thu Jan 31, 2013 3:35 pm

Stewart Reuben wrote:Terry Pratchett, I forget which book, 'If an event is precisely 1 million to 1 against, it always come up.'
A couple of references from the Disc World in the Light Fantastic he comes up with “Million-to-one chances crop up nine times out of ten.” and from Mort “Scientists have calculated that the chances of something so patently absurd actually existing are millions to one. But magicians have calculated that million-to-one chances crop up nine times out of ten.” And there's also something about the Lady - the God of million-to-one chances.

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Paolo Casaschi
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Re: Player disqualified from German Championships

Post by Paolo Casaschi » Tue Apr 23, 2013 1:01 pm

Paolo Casaschi wrote:
Paolo Casaschi wrote:I believe Italian chess federation (FSI) has so far only announced the ban of the player, that is already effective. However, the player is asking for a review of the decision, according to the process of the FSI in these cases. This might explain the lack of full details from the FSI at this point. Their communication was in fact aimed to chess arbiters and tournament organizers, for them to be aware of the ban coming into effect for the player.
Correction: I have seen now a lengthier document from FSI explaining the decision, confirming that the facts refer to three games from the Italian team championship and that the investigation was prompted by reports from the player's team mates. It is also assumed that the cheating mechanism included an earplug and "unusual" glasses as seen used by the player during the games.
PS: for people not familiar with lower sections of the Italian team championship, it might be worth noting that no referee is usually present, the two team captains acting as referee; this might explain why no immediate complain with the referee was raised during the games.
Further developments on the case of Loris Cereda. The court of appeal of the justice and ethics commitee of the Italian chess federation overtunred the inital conviction and acquitted Loris Cereda of all charges; official motivations for the ruling should be published shortly.
http://www.federscacchi.it/doc/notcom/d ... sitivo.pdf

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Christopher Kreuzer
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Re: Player disqualified from German Championships

Post by Christopher Kreuzer » Wed Apr 24, 2013 1:05 am

Fascinating. I missed this earlier this evening, so bumping it. How many countries has this sort of thing happened in now?

Roger de Coverly
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Re: Player disqualified from German Championships

Post by Roger de Coverly » Wed Apr 24, 2013 1:19 am

Christopher Kreuzer wrote:Fascinating. I missed this earlier this evening, so bumping it. How many countries has this sort of thing happened in now?
The Bulgarian guy has now performed really well in Blitz events. It's not casual cheating like consulting an engine every so often, but something better organised, assuming something is going on. My speculation would be an assistant, a hidden camera and a hidden earpiece, but yet to be proved.

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Paolo Casaschi
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Re: Player disqualified from German Championships

Post by Paolo Casaschi » Wed Apr 24, 2013 11:48 am

Christopher Kreuzer wrote:Fascinating. I missed this earlier this evening, so bumping it. How many countries has this sort of thing happened in now?
Well, as much as you might like to speculate, according to the latest ruling, "this sort of thing" did NOT happen in the Italian case.

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Christopher Kreuzer
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Re: Player disqualified from German Championships

Post by Christopher Kreuzer » Wed Apr 24, 2013 11:54 am

Paolo Casaschi wrote:
Christopher Kreuzer wrote:Fascinating. I missed this earlier this evening, so bumping it. How many countries has this sort of thing happened in now?
Well, as much as you might like to speculate, according to the latest ruling, "this sort of thing" did NOT happen in the Italian case.
By "this sort of thing" I meant a full legal or quasi-legal process regardless of the end result. It happened in France, IIRC. In other countries, there seem to be, um, less regulation or actual reports being published. This thread originally referred to an incident in Germany. Was a full report published there?