Cheating in chess

Paul Cooksey · Post by **Paul Cooksey** » Thu Feb 24, 2022 12:58 pm

IN all seriousness, as an IT person, I think I could cheat very effectively with a pen and a pair of glasses that looked perfectly normal.

Making players use an supplied biro probably does close a number risks. But I don't really believe it is possible to close them all, at some point cheating becomes easy enough for people to do I would want to use Ken Regan type analysis, at least to identify players needing monitoring, even if not as proof of cheating.

Roger de Coverly · Post by **Roger de Coverly** » Fri Feb 25, 2022 8:51 am

From the FIDE website
https://www.fide.com/news/1556

This is a program similar in concept to the Monroi device of fifteeen years ago which acts as an electronic scoresheet.

How long will it be before the device is hacked to predict the next move before it has been played? That;s in addition to giving arbiters a nightmare about whether an active tablet is solely being used to record moves.

Tim Spanton · Post by **Tim Spanton** » Fri Feb 25, 2022 9:34 am

Roger de Coverly wrote: ↑
Fri Feb 25, 2022 8:51 am
From the FIDE website
https://www.fide.com/news/1556

This is a program similar in concept to the Monroi device of fifteeen years ago which acts as an electronic scoresheet.

How long will it be before the device is hacked to predict the next move before it has been played? That;s in addition to giving arbiters a nightmare about whether an active tablet is solely being used to record moves.

The current price of the Monroi device is 359 US dollars, according to the company's website - I'd never imagined it was so expensive

Ian Thompson · Post by **Ian Thompson** » Fri Feb 25, 2022 9:36 am

Roger de Coverly wrote: ↑
Fri Feb 25, 2022 8:51 am
From the FIDE website
https://www.fide.com/news/1556

This is a program similar in concept to the Monroi device of fifteeen years ago which acts as an electronic scoresheet.

You can install it and try it if you've got an Android tablet. It's not compatible with iOS devices.

The comments in the Google Play store highlight a potential problem - the game lasts longer than the battery in the tablet.

JustinHorton · Post by **JustinHorton** » Fri Feb 25, 2022 10:00 am

Ha ha brilliant

Tim Spanton · Post by **Tim Spanton** » Fri Feb 25, 2022 10:07 am

From the makers:

Safe and secure in tournament use
When used in tournaments, Clono app runs on a tablet completely controlled by the tournament organiser. The game data is encrypted, securily sent to the Clono Server move by move and the game is broadcasted live with custom set delay. As an increased measurement for anti-cheating the tablet can further be locked to only run Clono, and all other network traffic to and from the tablet can be blocked.

Roger de Coverly · Post by **Roger de Coverly** » Fri Feb 25, 2022 11:16 am

*Chrono (Tim S) wrote: ↑
Fri Feb 25, 2022 10:07 am
When used in tournaments, Clono app runs on a tablet completely controlled by the tournament organiser.

That's not going to work for clun chess, or even in tournaments where the organisers have other issues to deal with.

I've noticed a recent trend of opponents wanting to use their phones to take pictures of sboth coresheets after the game has finished. I don't know whether they are treating that as a digital archive or just a means of inputting the game somewhere else. If playinhg with no increment or just a ten or fifteen seconds, one scoresheet may record more moves than the other.

Kevin Thurlow · Post by **Kevin Thurlow** » Sun Mar 27, 2022 9:19 pm

Not cheating maybe, but I was puzzled by a game tonight, where I had white. 1.e4 Nf6, 2.e5 Nd5, 3.d4 d6, 4.c4 Nb6, 5.Nf3 Nc6(=), 6.exd6 cxd6(=), 7.Be3 1-0

Last time I played him we had a few normal moves, then he put a queen and knight en prise, and marched his king up to get mated.

JustinHorton · Post by **JustinHorton** » Mon Mar 28, 2022 6:09 am

There is a thread devoted to similar phenomena

Kevin Thurlow · Post by **Kevin Thurlow** » Wed Oct 12, 2022 11:07 pm

I offer without comment

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECt6KccJHfs

Matt Bridgeman · Post by **Matt Bridgeman** » Mon Dec 12, 2022 10:07 am

IM Stefan Docx apparently caught on his phone with Stockfish open during a game in the Benidorm Open; https://mobile.twitter.com/vlad_chess/s ... 4275175430

LawrenceCooper · Post by **LawrenceCooper** » Mon Dec 12, 2022 10:56 am

Kevin Thurlow wrote: ↑
Wed Oct 12, 2022 11:07 pm
I offer without comment

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECt6KccJHfs

Belated thanks for sharing this. The norm seeker in question did apply to play in my all-play-all earlier this year so it's a useful video for me to view.

Chris Rice · Post by **Chris Rice** » Wed Dec 14, 2022 8:51 am

Matt Bridgeman wrote: ↑
Mon Dec 12, 2022 10:07 am
IM Stefan Docx apparently caught on his phone with Stockfish open during a game in the Benidorm Open; https://mobile.twitter.com/vlad_chess/s ... 4275175430

I was reading some interesting comments from Belgium GM Luc Winants on FB regarding Docx. Despite being caught multiple times for mobile phone infringements over the years before the Benidorm incident FIDE did nothing principally it seems because the arbiter never checked the phone for engine use. In addition Winants argues that FIDE laws state that if any of the the positions in those games had been such that there was no legal way for the opponent to win Docx would have got a draw. Personally, I would be surprised if that had ever happened or was likely to but he's got a point and there shouldn't be a problem inserting a rule that you get a loss no matter for such an infringement no matter what the position is on the board. I've inserted the games he references in the comments but the mobile went off early in each of the games:

"First check the following games that may be found in most databases:

Feygin-Docx, Belgian team Championship, 1st round, played on 30/9/2007, interrupted after the 10th move when the mobile phone, of Mr Docx rang. Game adjudicated to white (1-0)

Docx-Rezasade, German Oberliga, 5th round, played on 11/01/2015, interrupted after the 14th when the mobile phone, of Mr Docx rang. Game adjudicated to Black (0-1)

Docx-Carmeille, Belgian team Championship, 11th round, played on 24/4/2016, interrupted after the 18th when the mobile phone, of Mr Docx rang. Game adjudicated to Black (0-1)

Now the exact text of the FIDE laws of chess says (article 12.3.b) :
Without the permission of the arbiter a player is forbidden to have a mobile phone or other electronic means of communication in the playing venue, unless they are completely switched off. If any such device produces a sound, the player shall lose the game. The opponent shall win. However, if the opponent cannot win the game by any series of legal moves, his score shall be a draw.

So in fact there is no real punishment and if “the opponent cannot win the game by any series of legal” the man even saves the draw.
To punish a cheater you need to prove that he used a program (or any kind of outside help). That is why the report of the arbiter is so important."

Alex McFarlane · Post by **Alex McFarlane** » Wed Dec 14, 2022 9:11 am

Hi Chris,

The Law that you quote from the allegation is long out of date. The current relevant Laws are:
11.3.2.1 During a game, a player is forbidden to have any electronic device not specifically approved by the arbiter in the playing venue.

However, the regulations of an event may allow such devices to be stored in a player’s bag, provided the device is completely switched off. This bag must be placed as agreed with the arbiter. Both players are forbidden to use this bag without permission of the arbiter.

11.3.2.2 If it is evident that a player has such a device on their person in the playing venue, the player shall lose the game. The opponent shall win. The regulations of an event may specify a different, less severe, penalty.

The last sentence of this Law would certainly not apply if the phone had a chess engine running.

Without judging this case, when an attack on a player contain 'factual' evidence which is so obviously wrong, you have to wonder about the veracity of the other claims.

If those were the Laws in place at the time then there is at least a 4 year gap between the current incident and the one being referred to as recent. The original article gives the impression that he has been getting away with it time after time until now, which is obviously not the case.

Kevin Thurlow · Post by **Kevin Thurlow** » Wed Dec 14, 2022 9:12 am

"(Handy !)"

As "Handy" is German slang for mobile phone, I assume that's an annotation saying the phone rang, rather than it was handy for the opponent...

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