Cheating in chess

[NickFaulks]

and not entirely convincing "evidence"

Really? This is a player who achieved a well established rating close to 2400. He has beaten GMs, one quite recently.

https://ratings.fide.com/calculations.p ... 1&rating=0

He played against nine opponents rated around 600 points below his own strength and didn't beat any of them.

https://ratings.fide.com/calculations.p ... 1&rating=0

He played against thirteen opponents rated 300+ points below his own strength and lost every game.

Surely you don't need to invoke Ken Regan's dodgy statistics to be convinced.

[Roger de Coverly]

That (one section only) was tried in Manchester

But only once

The British rapidplay championship is run as all one section. The London Chess Classic has run something similiar. Those had the advantage of being 11 round tournaments,

Most of the all in contintental tournaments have at least 9 rounds. I don't think it works over 5 rounds for tournaments of any size.

In a league match perhaps it doesn't matter for a stronger player to win in a handful of moves with no real contest. I don't think either party wpuld want to spend a weekend doing it,

[Kevin Thurlow]

"Really?"

I said I wasn't entirely convinced and I said it looked fishy. I think you need to avoid miscarriages of justice - there are some of us who still feel that way in this country. After all, the vote was 2-1, which suggests a doubt.

I have no idea if he cheated, but in case he deserves a fair trial.

[NickFaulks]

After all, the vote was 2-1, which suggests a doubt.

Knowing the identities of the three, it suggests absolutely nothing.

In any case it is the Chinese federation which will carry out the actual punishment, and he is toast.

[Kevin Thurlow]

"In any case it is the Chinese federation which will carry out the actual punishment, and he is toast."

I assumed that as they reported it, they wanted him found guilty. Obviously, he's not a favoured player.

[Roger de Coverly]

I assumed that as they reported it, they wanted him found guilty. Obviously, he's not a favoured player.

The accusation was that he was managing his rating downwards to be eligible for rating restricted tournaments or prizes. Did he actually enter any of these?

How "well" do you have to play during a run of bad results to avoid such investigations?

[Joey Stewart]

It seems so random to pick on a mid level player that literally no one in the world has every heard of until this story - what about the names that repeatedly crop up winning minor and major sections in tournaments but managing to just about massage their ratings low enough to keep qualifying, at least start with them and then....

[NickFaulks]

It seems so random to pick on a mid level player that literally no one in the world has every heard of until this story

He is close to IM standard. If this were in England it would be very big news.

edit : Suppose this were Jonathan Rogers ( of this parish, a name chosen solely because he fits the profile of the player under discussion ) and over the course of a few disastrous months he lost constantly against 1800 opposition and his rating fell by 400 points. Would we be seeing the same comments that these things can happen and we shouldn't be too quick to assume that there was more to this than met the eye?

[Ian Thompson]

It looks like FIDE have shown some leniency because of "mitigating circumstances" and not everybody is happy about this.

FIDE

GM Shevchenko admitted to hiding a phone in the toilet and using it to access Lichess but denied that he had “effectively” cheated or that his actions influenced the game. He presented several mitigating factors:

a) He fully cooperated with the investigation.
b) He admitted wrongdoing in a timely manner.
c) He had a clean disciplinary record.
d) He was 22 years old at the time of the offense.
e) His mental state was compromised, as he had been receiving death threats.
f) He demonstrated remorse on multiple occasions.
g) The cheating attempt was not fully executed.

Furthermore, according to the findings of Prof. Regan, there were no significant statistical deviations in the player’s performance during this tournament compared to his usual rating performance.

The EDC Chamber found that GM Shevchenko did, in fact, hide a phone in the toilet at the Spanish Team Championship. It further concluded that he attempted to cheat but was unable to determine, with comfortable satisfaction, that actual cheating occurred.

The EDC panel acknowledged the mitigating factors presented by the Respondent, specifically noting his cooperation with the investigation, his admission of wrongdoing, and his remorse.

As the Respondent had already been provisionally suspended and had not participated in any events since the Spanish Team Championship, the ban will commence on 19 October 2024 and terminate on 18 October 2026, with the suspended portion ending on 18 October 2027. The Respondent’s GM title will not be revoked.

Appeals against the decision were made by both Shevchenko and the FIDE Fair Play Commission. The results of those appeals were published yesterday. Shevchenko's appeal failed. The FPL's appeal succeeded. Shevchenko has now been stripped of the GM title in addition to the previously applied sanctions.

[NickFaulks]

results of those appeals

Who is this Stefan Dox to whom the document repeatedly refers? If these people can't even get a name right, how can they be taken seriously?

[Roger de Coverly]

Who is this Stefan Dox to whom the document repeatedly refers?

This seems to be the context
https://www.chess.com/news/view/stefan- ... idorm-open

https://www.chess.com/news/view/belgian ... ector-scan

https://ethics.fide.com/wp-content/uplo ... 230928.pdf

https://ethics.fide.com/wp-content/uplo ... cision.pdf

etc

[NickFaulks]

This seems to be the context

Indeed. I suppose I should have been clearer by writing "if these people can't even spell a name correctly....".

Not of huge importance in itself, but just goes to support my view that they are an amateur shower.

[Mick Norris]

Appeals against the decision were made by both Shevchenko and the FIDE Fair Play Commission. The results of those appeals were published yesterday. Shevchenko's appeal failed. The FPL's appeal succeeded. Shevchenko has now been stripped of the GM title in addition to the previously applied sanctions.

Does that mean Shevchenko is now an IM, or does it mean he is without a title?

[Ian Thompson]

Does that mean Shevchenko is now an IM, or does it mean he is without a title?

IM, if you look at the bottom right of the page at the "Titles" list and dates.

[Jon D'Souza-Eva]

He must be the highest rated IM ever!