Cheating in chess

[Ian Thompson]

I have never ever had any inkling that an opponent has cheated. Its casual chess, so why should they bother.

Why they should bother is an interesting question. If that was known, it might be easier to deter cheating. As far as I'm aware players caught cheating in online casual chess have never explained what motivated them to do it.

[Roger de Coverly]

Why they should bother is an interesting question. If that was known, it might be easier to deter cheating. As far as I'm aware players caught cheating in online casual chess have never explained what motivated them to do it.

There was the Guardian journalist who confessed to this, claiming it was a means of improving his opening play.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfr ... ns-niemann

[Mick Norris]

I have never ever had any inkling that an opponent has cheated. Its casual chess, so why should they bother.

Why they should bother is an interesting question. If that was known, it might be easier to deter cheating. As far as I'm aware players caught cheating in online casual chess have never explained what motivated them to do it.

I'd guess that certain personality types don't see it as being the wrong thing to do; not sure if there's more of them in chess or not

[Roger de Coverly]

[ My perspective was a bit different as I watch his games in real time with an engine and the opening explorer. Mainly so that I can explore alternative ideas working through them while the game was ongoing and trying to identify just the salient ones so I can explore these with my son after the game. And, from time to time I found that the opponent was also finding these same salient ideas with me and in a similar timeframe.

You didn't say at what time control the games were played. At slower time controls, there can be a worry that the opponent is doing this, either by having a separate device following the game in progress and using it for hints or by a third party shouting out suggestions. Even OTB I'm never totally happy when I see family groups outside the playing area with laptops, tablets and phones. You just have to hope there are no chess related communications between the player and the support team. Some detection systems will query games where a player and spectator are both on the same IP address.

That's nothing new, I was once playing OTB a well known arbiter and spotted him away from the board in the distance in conversation with an IM. I would believe they were just discussing conditions for the arbiter's next tournament or just passing the time of day.

[Kevin Thurlow]

[ My perspective was a bit different as I watch his games in real time with an engine and the opening explorer. Mainly so that I can explore alternative ideas working through them while the game was ongoing and trying to identify just the salient ones so I can explore these with my son after the game. And, from time to time I found that the opponent was also finding these same salient ideas with me and in a similar timeframe.

You didn't say at what time control the games were played. At slower time controls, there can be a worry that the opponent is doing this, either by having a separate device following the game in progress and using it for hints or by a third party shouting out suggestions. Even OTB I'm never totally happy when I see family groups outside the playing area with laptops, tablets and phones. You just have to hope there are no chess related communications between the player and the support team. Some detection systems will query games where a player and spectator are both on the same IP address.

I was going to raise the question of watching the game in the same house with an engine running. Lichess could accuse Brian and son... (I'm not accusing them!)

I do recall being told by one arbiter that he noticed a junior at a real event making frequent visits to the analysis room where a fond parent was looking at a laptop. The arbiter casually walked behind the parent and noticed (you probably guessed where this was going) a position very similar to the one the junior had. Arbiter questioned this and was told that the parent was only keeping up with the game and not letting the child see the analysis. Perhaps charitably, the arbiter accepted that and just issued a final warning (then told all the other arbiters he knew).

[Brian Beattie]

[ My perspective was a bit different as I watch his games in real time with an engine and the opening explorer. Mainly so that I can explore alternative ideas working through them while the game was ongoing and trying to identify just the salient ones so I can explore these with my son after the game. And, from time to time I found that the opponent was also finding these same salient ideas with me and in a similar timeframe.

You didn't say at what time control the games were played. At slower time controls, there can be a worry that the opponent is doing this, either by having a separate device following the game in progress and using it for hints or by a third party shouting out suggestions. Even OTB I'm never totally happy when I see family groups outside the playing area with laptops, tablets and phones. You just have to hope there are no chess related communications between the player and the support team. Some detection systems will query games where a player and spectator are both on the same IP address.

I was going to raise the question of watching the game in the same house with an engine running. Lichess could accuse Brian and son... (I'm not accusing them!)

I do recall being told by one arbiter that he noticed a junior at a real event making frequent visits to the analysis room where a fond parent was looking at a laptop. The arbiter casually walked behind the parent and noticed (you probably guessed where this was going) a position very similar to the one the junior had. Arbiter questioned this and was told that the parent was only keeping up with the game and not letting the child see the analysis. Perhaps charitably, the arbiter accepted that and just issued a final warning (then told all the other arbiters he knew).

Normally there is a lot of Lichess use going on concurrently in our house beween me and both my sons. So quite a high likelyhood of someone using an engine or database while the other is playing a game. I am not sure how a chess site could really rectify that. My guess would be that they really don't. That said, when my kids are playing an online tournament (like the British a few years ago) or are playing OTB with live boards where there isn't a forced segregated playing hall I opt to not watch in real time lest there be any possible conflicts. I also try to distance myself from anywhere one of my kids might end up. For example, finding separate toilets far from where the players would typically use.

And, Roger, I had mentioned the time control in the previous paragraph. It was Lichess Classical. As to exact times for the most part 30+20 but not always so. I was just trying to detail that in our experience players who had been banned for cheating in that specific rating ban and time control was around 10-15%. And that is was quite difficult for the player themselves to know they were playing a cheater but more easy for a bystander who had access to database/engines in real time so that they could fully grasp time used and the flow of the game. But, even then, there is likely a significant number of false positives.

[Roger de Coverly]

I do recall being told by one arbiter that he noticed a junior at a real event making frequent visits to the analysis room where a fond parent was looking at a laptop. The arbiter casually walked behind the parent and noticed (you probably guessed where this was going) a position very similar to the one the junior had. Arbiter questioned this and was told that the parent was only keeping up with the game and not letting the child see the analysis. Perhaps charitably, the arbiter accepted that and just issued a final warning (then told all the other arbiters he knew).

At many events, particularly the 4NCL, arbiters would rule the analysis area out of bounds to players, not least if it contained a bookstall.

[Roger Lancaster]

I do recall being told by one arbiter that he noticed a junior at a real event making frequent visits to the analysis room where a fond parent was looking at a laptop. The arbiter casually walked behind the parent and noticed (you probably guessed where this was going) a position very similar to the one the junior had. Arbiter questioned this and was told that the parent was only keeping up with the game and not letting the child see the analysis. Perhaps charitably, the arbiter accepted that and just issued a final warning (then told all the other arbiters he knew).

At many events, particularly the 4NCL, arbiters would rule the analysis area out of bounds to players, not least if it contained a bookstall.

Quite right, too. At a recent 4NCL, one of my team absent-mindedly wandered into the bookstall area and picked up a book. No question of cheating - the book had nothing to do with the position on his board - but he forfeited the game. Tough but no complaints as the rules are 100% clear.

[Paul McKeown]

At the Hogeschool Zeeland tournament at Vlissingen: https://www.schaaksite.nl/2024/08/08/sp ... ktoernooi/.

[Chris Rice]

Allegations of cheating in a Round 4 game at the recent Northumbria Masters which look on the face of it to be GM sour grapes. I haven't seen the Facebook posts by Shkuro but as Jacob Boswell explains his moves were pretty much forced!

I played Shkuro in the 4th round of the Northumbria masters. I simply want to give my side of the story and address this ridiculous accusation. Idc about Shkuro’s opinion of me. This is the game he is talking about link

To summarise the game before the moment Shkuro mentions he played a dubious opening and we quickly reached an endgame where I was slightly better and after some imprecise play I threw away my advantage. Link

This is just before the moment Shkuro mentions. I didn't like my position at this point, he is active and I have weaknesses but there is no immediate breakthrough and I have the bishop pair. I played Rdd1 and offered a draw, I was claiming he couldn't break me down. He has 14 minutes at this point and I wanted to provoke him into taking a long think and get him into time trouble. After a few minutes I see Nxf3, and I was scared of this initially but I calculate and I don't see an obvious mate after the Kf4 line, played in the game. I don't see an alternative to this line. What does he expect me to play after 26...Nxf3? Rgf1 and allow Rxe3? Or give up an exchange for no compensation? After 27.Bxf3 Bxf3, again what does he expect me to play? Rd3/Rde1 and grovel in an endgame where he is active, all my light squares are weak, e3 is weak and I'm clearly in a lot of trouble. 28.Kxf3 is the only reasonable move. Again after 28...Rxe3 he can't seriously expect 29.Kf2/g2 to lose my bishop. 29.Kf4 was not played out of confidence, it is necessary as all the alternatives very obviously lose. I saw no clear mate after Kf4.

Shkuro makes a claim about me "went out into the corridor during their turn", I never get up from the board during my turn unless I am claiming a draw. In another post he says "And he abruptly went out" ... "after an absence (maybe 5 minutes, maybe 7 minutes)" ... "took my sacrificed piece". The moment in the game he refers to is 26...Nxf3 27.Kxf3. I was at the board when 26...Nxf3 was played and I could not have left the board for 5/7 minutes. According to lichess I played 27.Bxf3 in 1 min 33 seconds. Also, when I write down my move I write down how much time I have, my scoresheet confirms lichess clocks are correct.

Why didn't he bring up his suspicions at the time? All he had to do was ask me to analyse the game and give my reasons for going into this Kf4 line. He also chose not to go to the arbiters to raise his suspicions and ask them to take action. The tournament finished 3 days after this game, he had plenty of time to express his concerns at the tournament. If he can't discuss this with me privately, directly or involving arbiters, before making a public statement I have no respect for him. Instead he hides behind his screen and has a tantrum online because of a disastrous tournament. Losing 30 points at k factor 10 is seriously impressive! Shkuro blames me (and others) for his failure.

People like Shkuro, a strong grandmaster accusing much lower rated and improving players of cheating with no evidence is extremely dangerous for chess! He contributes to a very unhealthy environment for chess, something needs to be done about this before he does serious damage to the reputation of more innocent players.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Thanks for this, Chris. Where did Jacob Boswell post the above? Facebook?

[Chris Rice]

Thanks for this, Chris. Where did Jacob Boswell post the above? Facebook?

No problem Christopher, yes they were on Facebook and hope this link works for you.

[Ian Thompson]

I haven't seen the Facebook posts by Shkuro

This appears to be the post.

Cheating in England and other chess problems in England, however, the problems do not end at the chessboard.

The country is so concerned about the rights of people that they did not notice how they were playing too hard and these people were violating the rights of those who were not violating anything!!!

This is how the pun turned outThe horror I encountered:

1) cheating

2) Bottles of juice and bottles of water on the table, and even in games with me , my opponents put water on square a2, and juice on square c8... -

3) drinking alcohol right at the chessboard

4)
some players confuse chess tournament with a zoo and play lifting your legs above his heads

5)eating bananas, snacks, fruits and other things without leaving the chessboard further shows the lack of minimal culture.

6) but the most amazing thing I have seen in my entire career in chess is a chess player who, during a tournament, put on the table a huge dish with pasta, fried eggs, beans, tomatoes and something else quite smelly...

Needless to say, not only was this chess player not given a loss, he was also allowed to finish this game so as not to violate human rights... Although the rights of other people were violated...

For example, mine, I played in the tournament starting from the end of the second day with I had a huge fever, my arms and legs were aching, everything was swimming before my eyes, I couldn’t eat at all for more than a day, I was cutting my stomach without a break... and I didn’t win an important winning game, precisely because of the nausea that was intensified by the stench of the dishes of the tournament participant (who played near me, at the next table, it was not my opponent)

7)I already talked about refereeing in Bolton. For the first 2 rounds , it was allowed to enter the tournament halls with a telephone; the arbiter did not react to obvious violations, refused to give his last name, and in principle did not use a badge. Also, this arbiter allowed himself to hysterically scream, scream and behave like a violent mentally ill person.

The arbiter threatened violence and robbery (and in front of witnesses), being confident that he would get away with anything. And only after receiving a warning about the response, he else screamed hysterically again and ran away... This arbiter did not apologize.

During the decisive game, the young referee intervened and awarded a draw for repeating a position three timesI asked the arbiter his qualifications (because there was no repetition of the position three times!!! and the arbiter , using a computer, could not understand this...) 🫢

The arbiter answered - international arbiterHaving used up my last strength (and I played this game in a very difficult condition: my arms and legs hurt, my whole body ached, my temperature was high, my head was spinning, my stomach was hurting... unfortunately this happened to me at the end of the second game day... although probably the virus was suspected earlier, because from the first round I played with a red and swollen right eye and nose problems)

I was able to file an appeal and the main referees explained the rules to the young referee!!! But this whole process of considering the appeal took a lot of time and I simply switched off, and when they told me about the opportunity to continue the game, I did not have time to gather myself and lost my absolute winnings... Of course, I myself and my state of health are to blame for this...

But How can arbiters who don’t know the rules make such important decisions...

after the end of this game (or rather, already in a really drawn position, when the opponent demanded a draw, based on the 50 zod rule... I just fell asleep while standing... and apparently fell to the floor, but thanks to the main referee, who managed to support me!)

Two Experienced tournament arbiters are not only professionals but also wonderful people.

I think, now the main problem of English chess is cheating. I have not seen any anti-cheat measures in any tournament. Participants calmly walk around with their phones, many retire to toilets, many go down to bars and... Well, you’re not stupid people, everything is obvious here, many players at critical moments abruptly leave the tournament hall and then make difficult-to-create best moves

the referees said: these are talented young people...

well, during a session in Liverpool, against the strongest players of the tournament (winners and prize-winners), I was faced with the fact that one of the most talented players of the club was using an iPhone while playing with me!!!

And he played strongly when I forbade my opponent to use the phone - the game ended very quickly, of course I win this game and win simultaneous game 14-0.

As I wrote in the posts above, in this tournament in the first 4 games I played without errors. Until the disease completely covered me, I worked very well... BUT!!! out of the first four games I only won one!

Well, let’s say in the second round I was just unlucky and the Ukrainian chessplayer played very well, so it’s a draw...

But the opponent from the 1st round, having found himself in an unfamiliar position from the first moves , played without obvious mistakes, left the hall at critical moments, and sometimes during his movein the end it's a very strange draw... it's all very suspicious

but it’s even more interesting with the opponent from the fourth round...

At some point I thought about a combination (not necessary, because my position was no worse), but very tempting, it seemed that White’s king would definitely get checkmate or White would lose the material

The opponent understood which option I think, he began to turn pale, he realized that everything was bad...

And he abruptly went out into the corridor... after an absence (maybe 5 minutes, maybe 7 minutes) he returned to the area calm and confident... took my sacrificed piece, confidently went as a king to meet danger (since the computer clearly indicated that if I am not in perpetual check, then I will lose the game)... but even here you will continue to tell me: are these talented English chess players

We know how the world's top grandmasters boasted about nigels cheating, who sold his soul to dvorkovich and the main country to the aggressor...

Therefore, stop pretending that nothing is happening!!! If in England they continue to be afraid of violating the rights of cheaters, as well as those who behave unworthy of a person, the whole country, including chess tournaments, could turn into a garbage dump...

I really, really don’t want that.

🫶I want England to be an honest, prosperous and successful and cultural country with true respect for the rights of the majority!

Or is it better to continue sailing in this boat and with these “people”?

[John Townsend]

The easy availability of chess computers is adding to both suspicion and, in some cases, actual cheating. A year or two ago, I suggested that use of chess computers, even for private analysis, should be precluded. This may seem draconian and it went down like a lead balloon on the forum, but I still think something along those lines would be a step in the right direction, even if it can't be enforced. It would show that chess authorities consider the future of the game more important than owning a computer. Chess is meant to be a game for humans. Without some radical and determined action, the accusations will just go on ...

[Jon D'Souza-Eva]

That's an excellent description of the game by Jacob Boswell and having looked at it, I completely agree that he had very little choice after allowing 26. ... Nxf3. He didn't need to work out the complications because the alternatives were very clearly losing!