Cheating in chess

[Roger de Coverly]

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!

In a manner similar to the engine matching zealots, it's another example of "you aren't good enough to find the correct move, therefore you had external help".

If someone makes a complaint or sbmission in the appropriate manner, isn't the GM likely to be in hot water with FIDE for making false accusations? Although if made outside and after the tournament would the FIDE Ethics Commission decline juristriction?

[Mick Norris]

I gather the people in Manchester that have met him say that there's obviously a serious language barrier, and they have every sympathy with his situation having had to leave Ukraine, but they have not found him likeable

I can't see that he's actually played any events until the Northumbria Masters according to his FIDE info and he's not on the ECF rating system as far as I can see

[Peter Ackley]

I'll start by saying I wasn't there and know neither players so I can only base comments on what either of the parties have said.

My question, though, is are we not starting to get near to get close to a claim of slander/libel in chess? Having seen the statements on one parties' own Facebook page they do indeed appear defamatory if not true and based on what the other party says there appears ample proof to disprove at least some of them outright (eg clock times).

Or will we never see a claim? My legal knowledge is 24 years old and limited to a small element of my degree. Is the barrier the cost and/or the time? Or is it (as an online search suggests) down to what the definition of "serious harm" is? To my simplistic eye surely an an accusation of cheating is in itself reputationally damaging?

[NickFaulks]

I haven't seen the Facebook posts by Shkuro

This appears to be the post.

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...

Were conditions cramped? Sometimes you don't know where to put a drink.

3) drinking alcohol right at the chessboard

Why is that a problem for the opponent?

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...

If true ( a caveat which clearly must be made with any of Shkuro's comments ), this does sound bad. Would most players put up with it?

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 screamed hysterically again and ran away...

Could this arbiter not have been identified from his first name? Why is Shkuro unwilling to tell us who behaved in this extraordinary fashion, if it really happened?

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

It might be a good start if Shkuro went back home to fight for his own country, about which he feels so strongly.

[Ian Thompson]

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...

Were conditions cramped? Sometimes you don't know where to put a drink.

It's not clear what tournament he's referring to with that comment as there's mention of a tournament in Bolton as well as references to the Northumbria Masters.

If he is referring to the Northumbria Masters then the playing conditions were unacceptably cramped. Look at this picture by Tim Spanton. It looks like there's not quite enough room to put the scoresheets between the boards even if every player on the table is the same handed. If there was a mixture of left and right-handed players there'd be no possibility of fitting all the scoresheets between the boards.

[Peter Ackley]

Slightly frivolously I have to wonder how someone managed to get a bottle of water on c8 and only c8 - most bottles these days would have also been on at least b8 and/or d8. From experience I agree tables can be small but in those events most people just tend to put their bottle on the floor next to them. Also, assuming that this did occur, did he not just think of moving them, or asking his opponent to? I've occasionally had my scoresheet or pen creep onto a board and a simple "could you..." from my opponent is always swiftly met with an apology and them being moved.

With regards to alcohol at the chessboard I know there was a poster vehemently against it (see an old Drunken Knights thread). I don't see alcohol being a problem however if it affects a player's conduct then that is a different matter. There are far more annoying things (and what each individual considers annoying I realise differs by person) than a player having a pint or two. Food if unscented, or non-noisy, doesn't bother me. A full meal, though, is a different matter. I wonder, though, what square the meal was on as c8 was taken by a bottle of water. I also have to wonder what meal the person was having that included that combination of ingredients - closest I can come up with is a full English salad.

As for arbiters it is important to remember that arbiters are people as well. Arbiters will suffer losses in patience, especially given someone of the queries they receive. I can't pretend all my responses to people have been U-rated however in the case of a couple of my "stronger" ones I was praised by witnesses in my restraint. I just can't see any arbiter threatening violence and robbery in front of witnesses and if they did I would want to know what led them to do this - I can't see anything on the lead up and context is key here.

[Roger de Coverly]

If he is referring to the Northumbria Masters then the playing conditions were unacceptably cramped.

The picture looks to show plenty of space in the room, but it could do with a few more tables in the gaps so boards are not on top of one another. That contrasts with the Cambridge tournament which had just about adequate space at the board, but the room was at full capacity of tables and chairs.

[LawrenceCooper]

If someone makes a complaint or sbmission in the appropriate manner, isn't the GM likely to be in hot water with FIDE for making false accusations? Although if made outside and after the tournament would the FIDE Ethics Commission decline juristriction?

The ECF International and Home directors are aware of the comments.

[Alex McFarlane]

When I arrived for the Durham Congress, which was at the same venue, the Centre had the tables laid out as illustrated in Tim's picture then too. The first thing the control team did was to recognise that as a problem and to get more tables. It did involve some extra work in moving some of the tables and certainly in repositioning a number of chairs. However, it did give the players better conditions.

Can I assure anyone who may have been put off entering next year's Durham because of that picture that on those tables there will only be 3 boards. (The centre uses a variety of tables of different styles and lengths.)

[Roger de Coverly]

I can't see that he's actually played any events until the Northumbria Masters according to his FIDE info and he's not on the ECF rating system as far as I can see

The Manchester Summer Congress doesn't seem to have made it to the ECF rating system in its entirety.
https://rating.englishchess.org.uk/v2/n ... ction_no=1
He didn't play in it though.

He should be on the ecfrating list now because of Northumbria, but that only has the invitational.
https://rating.englishchess.org.uk/v2/n ... ction_no=1

[IM Jack Rudd]

I'm perfectly happy to face opponents who are drinking alcohol at the board. More of my opponents should do that.

[Roger de Coverly]

I'm perfectly happy to face opponents who are drinking alcohol at the board. More of my opponents should do that.

Some tournaments orgainsers would ban this and the consumption of food. It's not explicit in the Laws of Chess other than possibly under the annoyance provision.

11.5 It is forbidden to distract or annoy the opponent in any manner whatsoever. This includes unreasonable claims, unreasonable offers of a draw or the introduction of a source of noise into the playing area.

On the subject of consumption of full meals, isn't that an arbiter perogative?

[Nick Ivell]

I like to think that moderate consumption of booze at the board should be fine. I did it myself.

I realise that the days of Steinitz v Chigorin have gone, but any talk of banning the practice strikes me as an encroachment of the nanny state, which has gone far enough already.

[Mick Norris]

I can't see that he's actually played any events until the Northumbria Masters according to his FIDE info and he's not on the ECF rating system as far as I can see

The Manchester Summer Congress doesn't seem to have made it to the ECF rating system in its entirety.
https://rating.englishchess.org.uk/v2/n ... ction_no=1
He didn't play in it though.

He should be on the ecfrating list now because of Northumbria, but that only has the invitational.
https://rating.englishchess.org.uk/v2/n ... ction_no=1

So, if he's not on the ECF rating list, he's not played in a Bolton event then presumably; or was he there in a non-playing capacity?

The Manchester Summer Congress 2023 (at Bolton) was rated, so was Bolton Easter and the Bolton Rapidplay

[LawrenceCooper]

I'm perfectly happy to face opponents who are drinking alcohol at the board. More of my opponents should do that.

I doubt they would have time