English Chess Forum

World number one demolished by 2500+ GM : https://chess24.com/en/watch/live-tourn ... 2023/2/1/1

I don't feel quite so bad about accepting a draw when I had a one-move win on Monday...

Magnus Carlson on Twitter wrote:1/2 I was completely crushed in my game today. This is not to accuse my opponent of anything, who played an amazing game and deserved to win, but honestly, as soon as I saw my opponent was wearing a watch early in the game, I lost my ability to concentrate.

2/2 I obviously take responsibility for my inability to deal with those thoughts properly, but it’s also incredibly frustrating to see organisers still not taking anti-cheating seriously at all (no transmission delay, spectators walking around the playing hall with smartphones)

I would rather he hadn't posted this, but maybe because I'd rather such things didn't need to be said.

Paul Cooksey wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 12, 2023 4:38 pm

Magnus Carlson on Twitter wrote:1/2 I was completely crushed in my game today. This is not to accuse my opponent of anything, who played an amazing game and deserved to win, but honestly, as soon as I saw my opponent was wearing a watch early in the game, I lost my ability to concentrate.

2/2 I obviously take responsibility for my inability to deal with those thoughts properly, but it’s also incredibly frustrating to see organisers still not taking anti-cheating seriously at all (no transmission delay, spectators walking around the playing hall with smartphones)

I would rather he hadn't posted this, but maybe because I'd rather such things didn't need to be said.

On seeing this I did check the video footage from last week to see if Ravi wore a watch against Magnus

I too saw all the smart phones on the live link and when it looked all over for Carlsen the vultures circled in with their smart phones to capture the moment of resignation. This kind of relaxed attitude under the current climate is hopeless.

In one of the crowd shots a player was looking at a chess position on his smart phone (very possibly a finished game) but these things should not be allowed anywhere near the games. It would be so easy for a plant in the crowd with a phone to feed a move. There is no way it happened in this game v Alisher Suleymenov https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=2589818 Carlsen admits he was crushed and his opponent played well but he should make a complaint...not walk out...make the complaint.

"Carlsen admits he was crushed and his opponent played well but he should make a complaint...not walk out...make the complaint."

Preferably before he loses, as it looks like sour grapes if he only complains after he's lost.

Some of us are still getting used to the idea that a *watch* can be used to cheat at chess.

Matt Mackenzie wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 12, 2023 7:55 pm

Some of us are still getting used to the idea that a *watch* can be used to cheat at chess.

A watch that can receive messages could obviously receive them. Are there watches that can idependently run programs?

But he's right about lax security. There's no particular need to be concerned about plain watches but a combination of real time analysis and spectators walking around with devices capable of following the coverage is cause for concern.

Should the playing area be clear and certainly no phones? A non digital watch should surely not be an issue though.

LawrenceCooper wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 12, 2023 4:23 pm

World number one demolished by 2500+ GM : https://chess24.com/en/watch/live-tourn ... 2023/2/1/1

I think I could have beaten Carlsen today. What on earth was the point in Qb8? And then Knight e8 later. Was it, let's hide on the back rank and not generate any counterplay day or something?

MJMcCready wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 12, 2023 11:10 pm

LawrenceCooper wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 12, 2023 4:23 pm

World number one demolished by 2500+ GM : https://chess24.com/en/watch/live-tourn ... 2023/2/1/1

I think I could have beaten Carlsen today. What on earth was the point in Qb8? And then Knight e8 later. Was it, let's hide on the back rank and not generate any counterplay day or something?

Qb8 looked logical to me. You cover the e5 square without committing to d6 when Rd1 renews the threat of e5. Had he played 16...Ne5 I don't think he's doing badly. As always in the hedgehog, u do have to be careful not to get too cramped which the latter part of the game instructively showed. I expected Ne8 followed by a6 kicking the knight away and then returning to f6. Like Magnus presumably though, I'd underestimated how strong the attack was and assumed he knew what he was doing.

LawrenceCooper wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 12, 2023 11:24 pm

I expected Ne8 followed by a6 kicking the knight away and then returning to f6. Like Magnus presumably though, I'd underestimated how strong the attack was and assumed he knew what he was doing.

The chess24 stockfish reckoned it better to defend the d6 pawn from f8 with .. Ne7-g6. After .. Ne8 it has confidence in White's attack.

Roger de Coverly wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 12, 2023 8:53 pm

Matt Mackenzie wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 12, 2023 7:55 pm

Some of us are still getting used to the idea that a *watch* can be used to cheat at chess.

A watch that can receive messages could obviously receive them. Are there watches that can idependently run programs?

But he's right about lax security. There's no particular need to be concerned about plain watches but a combination of real time analysis and spectators walking around with devices capable of following the coverage is cause for concern.

Yes, plenty of watches could run something. Not sure how strong it would be. A huge obstacle with getting the moves played onto a watch too. But you could run the program remotely and network everything without anyone having a realistic chance to detect that.

What a watch does is to offer an obvious, extremely effective, vector for someone/a computer to signal moves to a player. They just shouldn't be allowed to be worn in a remotely serious game these days. Not really very much scope for debate.

The rest really does sound rather hopeless.

I buy my watches (they last a year or two) for less than £10 on Amazon. It's obviously an electronic device but doesn't act as a device for communication. Should I continue to wear it in tournaments?

Mike Gunn wrote: ↑

Fri Oct 13, 2023 10:59 am

I buy my watches (they last a year or two) for less than £10 on Amazon. It's obviously an electronic device but doesn't act as a device for communication. Should I continue to wear it in tournaments?

I suspect most people would be happy for you to wear it. A few would say:

1. How does anyone know it doesn't have any communications capability, as designed?
2. How does anyone know it hasn't been modified for nefarious purposes?