The Henderson Middle School sandbagging case

[JustinHorton]

It appears this case, which caused a scandal in US scholastic chess circles last year, has now been heard and the coach concerned has had his USCF membership rescinded for life.

Elizabeth Spiegel

[Kevin Thurlow]

Good.

[Alex Holowczak]

I thought this paragraph was interesting:

"The committee studied Barela’s entire TD history, going back to 2015, and learned that he has routinely mis-coded events, including many where he would have no incentive to do it deliberately, as they were of no special significance. In fact, he seems to get it wrong more than he gets it right. There are also some strangely designed sections similar to the second 2018 event (UU 1_19_2018), in which there appear strangely distributed unplayed games, byes and half-point byes – and even some instances where players are listed who play no games at all. The overall impression is of a TD who has a very poor understanding of both pairing software and the MSA. It was not unanimous but the majority of the committee concluded that the mis-coding of the tournaments and the unusual section design were the result of simple incompetence. Barela himself suggests that his TD history be referred to the TDCC. The committee accepts that suggestion and will make the referral."

Even I thought that was a blunt way of condemning someone thought to be innocent!

[Roger de Coverly]

Earlier comments from chess.com
https://www.chess.com/news/view/nationa ... r-scrutiny

Are rating restricted school team events relatively less common in the UK? In any event 6 monthly grade makes pre-tournament rating manipulation rather less straightforward. It's a potential problem with the ECF's plans for monthly Elo style ratings that it can make rating manipulation more straight forward.

[JustinHorton]

Earlier comments from chess.com
https://www.chess.com/news/view/nationa ... r-scrutiny

Interestingly, that story gives a lot of space to William Barela, the TD highlighted in Alex Holowczak's posting above. I am not sure I'm totally comfortable with the too-useless-to-see-what-was-going-on defence, to be honest.

[Roger de Coverly]

I am not sure I'm totally comfortable with the too-useless-to-see-what-was-going-on defence, to be honest.

The USCF has a rating rule as to the maximum amount of rating points that can be gained or lost in a match. I rather think that rule was established to prevent or at least reduce rating manipulation. But suppose you reported a match where each player played every other of the opposition as a Swiss?

There used to be a format for Norm tournaments where you had 4 teams of 3 or 4 players who played every member of the three opposing teams, but none of their own. FIDE outlawed this for Norms and it's a bit of a pointless format unless it does count.

It has long puzzled me that those who would bag sand, don't do it by agreeing plausible draws against lower rated opposition. Perhaps they do and it's low enough profile not to be recognised, or perhaps it's not possible below a certain level of competence.

[Kevin Thurlow]

"Even I thought that was a blunt way of condemning someone thought to be innocent!"

Yes, me too!

I think what was particularly bad was that the "fixing" was so obvious. UK game-fixing is usually more subtle. I am sure there are a number of players whose grade is manipulated to just be able to play in a lower section than they should, but they are sufficiently careful to avoid making it obvious. They might even be innocent, but there are a number of players I suspect of doing this, but so far no proof!

I wonder if monthly grading would stop this, as you would not know when the games were going to be graded. Some events will miss deadlines, or just not bother to report the results for a couple of months. Organizers actually have lives too.

[NickFaulks]

I wonder if monthly grading would stop this, as you would not know when the games were going to be graded.

This is a new and interesting argument in support of monthly grading lists.

[JustinHorton]

I think what was particularly bad was that the "fixing" was so obvious.

Well yes

[Brian Towers]

But suppose you reported a match where each player played every other of the opposition as a Swiss?

I give up. What's the answer?

Suppose, for the sake of argument, that you organise a 5 round weekend Swiss tournament and only 8 players turn up, 4 from club A and 4 from club B. Suppose, furthermore, that all 4 players from club A come to you and say "We really don't want to play each other. Can you do that?" and that all 4 players from club B come along and say the same.

What you can do to keep all 8 players happy is to give everyone a bye in round 1 and then put in the 6 forbidden pairings for club A and the same for players from club B. What you end up with at the end of the weekend is something which looks exactly like what you described.