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Blockade Chess Cheaters:
Comments
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Mon, 10 Jul 2006
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World Open 2006: Cheating Hits the Big Time
Two alleged cheaters at this year's World Open --
one who came within a game of winning the Under-
2000 section, the other in the Open section, who
nailed a top-rated Grandmaster among other
victim -- have raised the profile of the computer-
aided cheating threat first spotlighted on this
site late in 2005 after similar incidents at that
year's two biggest-money open
tournaments.
Following the latest World Open incidents, we
augmented the site. (No, we did not have the
assistance of either a $50,000 consultant, nor of
an International Master who can melt chocolate by
looking at it.)
We sense that both organizers and the playing
public are starting to move in the right
direction, of showing less tolerance toward
conditions and behavior that could facilitate
cheating.
Expressions of public support are welcome.
If you would like to help bring about better
safeguards, please do one or more of the
following:
.(1) Speak with or write to the TDs or tournament
organizers you are most personally familiar with
(those whose tournaments you most often play in),
and let them know your feelings.
.(2) Write a letter to the USCF Executive
Director, and/or to Chess Life, saying you
support the anti-cheating letter published in the
January 2006 issue.
.(3) Raise the cheating issue in any chess-
related forum you participate in (whether in
person or on-line), and offer your own thoughts,
whether for or against. Feel free to post the
link to this site, and/or to quote the actual
petition either in whole or in part.
.(4) If you wish to suggest specific rules,
policies or enforcement methods; or have specific
ideas for resolving any issue raised in the
petition or elsewhere on this site; or wish to
dispute any point made in the petition, then post
your comment here. MAKE SURE YOU KEEP IT CLEAN,
CIVIL, AND ON-TOPIC.
Posted 00:21
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5 comments
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Signed statement
I would suggest composing a statement of
agreement to various security measures that
tournament participants would have to sign.
(Probably legal consultation should be used for
the writing of this statement.)
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Practical Solution To Minimize Cheating
There are many standardized exams given
throughout the United States where there are no
bathroom breaks or at most one break. One
solution would be to allow one bathroom break per
game. The longest time controls nowadays lead to
games over in 6 hours. So one bathroom break
should be plenty. Then the cheapest policy would
be to allow a player to take a 15 minute bathroom
break. Even if the player is unescorted how much
can a player cheat in 15 minutes at a single
juncture in the game. Of course use of comps
should still be disallowed so if cheating is
suspected during the 15 minute break it could be
tested using appropriate software. The point is
though that if players are only allowed one 15
minute break cheating would be minimized.
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Please be accurate.
I am with you, I truly am, but aggrandizing facts
in an emotional public statement does NOTHING for
your cause. Smirin, whom you refer to in the
recent World Open scandal article, has never been
rated 2800. His rating at the time and his
history are both readily available (2600s).
I agree with your whole premise, but please
report the facts accurately where you have the
resources to be accurate. Thanks.
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Chess cheats
Your site raises important issues.
Fred Allsbrook's comment re one bathroom break in
6 hrs is not really feasible due to the high
variability in player physiology, fluid
consumption etc.
Cheating in chess has been common and widespread
for a long time. Whole tournaments have been
rigged we are told and even phantom tournaments
"played" to help certain players reach norms.
I have heard impecunious players admit to throwing
games for money.
In correspondence chess computer cheating seems
common. One very strong player I spoke to had
progressed well along the world title cycle. He
admitted to running his moves through a chess
program but "only to check for obvious
blunders"....ho hum.
Once I visited a chess establishment to notice a
group of strong players analyzing a chess
position. I stopped to watch and was stunned to
recognize the position as one of my current game
positions in a correspondence championship....and
yes my opponent was one of the group examing the
position....ho hum...he did look discomfitted to
be caught out so blatantly getting help ie
cheating. I don't know if he had this group help
in all his games but I now suspect so...and yes he
did appear from obscurity and do VERY well in the
tournament....ho hum...
Yes, chess cheating is widespread and has been
around for a long time.
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No
Im a three-decade USCF member who finds the idea
of one bathroom break per 6 hour session to be
ludicrous.
At 54, with no major health problems, even I
would be clutching my pants and hammering at the
bathroom door within a few hours. Not to mention
people who tried the bad fish at the buffet, need
to blow their noses, have to scratch in private
places, or perform God-knows-what all personal
maintenance that perfectly normal people
occasionally do in bathrooms.
Besides which -- is this microscopically-narrow
topic really worth a website? A small forum
thread would seem more appropriate.
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