How Do Players Cheat in Chess?

[Klystron]

Cheating at live card room poker became so ubiquitous back in my playing days that I modified tactics to take advantage of collusion among cheaters including reading their signals and letting the 'loser' team members build a pot for my hidden superior hands. One can only imagine the widespread cheating and collusion playing online money poker outside the purview of a professional casino / card room.

 

[symbolipoint]

Cheating at live card room poker became so ubiquitous back in my playing days that I modified tactics to take advantage of collusion among cheaters including reading their signals and letting the 'loser' team members build a pot for my hidden superior hands. One can only imagine the widespread cheating and collusion playing online money poker outside the purview of a professional casino / card room.

Recalling the title question, How do you even cheat in chess? ; and knowing that Chess is a very competitive INTELLECTUAL skill, so that using ones own mind with the chess skills must be of the highest of goals (so the competitions cannot be about money), we need to ask, "Why even cheat in chess?"

 

[berkeman]

we need to ask, "Why even cheat in chess?"

Money, fame, etc. Duh?

 

[Hornbein]

Recalling the title question, How do you even cheat in chess? ; and knowing that Chess is a very competitive INTELLECTUAL skill, so that using ones own mind with the chess skills must be of the highest of goals (so the competitions cannot be about money), we need to ask, "Why even cheat in chess?"

Many people like to cheat. They enjoy it and will do it even when nothing is at stake. Recently we had a case study in this. During COVID the bridge community moved online to a platform where it was very easy to cheat. About ten percent did so, as was shown via the examination of hand records. This included some famous players, such as one who had been on the cover of Bridge World. One cheating couple really had the name of Toogood.

 

[strangerep]

Recalling the title question, How do you even cheat in chess? ; and knowing that Chess is a very competitive INTELLECTUAL skill, so that using ones own mind with the chess skills must be of the highest of goals (so the competitions cannot be about money), we need to ask, "Why even cheat in chess?"

At high level the competitions are indeed about money. At lower levels, we ask "what is best in life?" Answer: "Crush your enemies, see them pout then weep before you, and hear the lamentation of their queen when you take her." -- Conan [paraphrased].

 

[PeroK]

Chess.com has issued a report on Hans Niemann, with the conclusion that he likely cheated in online games and tournaments up until 2020.

https://www.chess.com/blog/CHESScom/hans-niemann-report

 

[dextercioby]

Beyond ridiculous. Actually, playing "pro" chess on the internet (ok, the s$$ty pandemic, but also before and now, i.e. after) is generally a bad idea in the age of computer software.

 

[PeroK]

Beyond ridiculous. Actually, playing "pro" chess on the internet (ok, the s$$ty pandemic, but also before and now, i.e. after) is generally a bad idea in the age of computer software.

It gives so many more (environmentally friendly) options for top-level tournaments. One option is to have a local official in the room with each competitor. I think it's workable, especially for an elite-level tournament.

The vast majority of serious players don't cheat. It's not even clear that Niemann is still cheating. He didn't do well at the tournament in question.

 

[dextercioby]

I am sorry. A lil obtuse and old-fashioned here. For me, pro-chess is OtB, I do not care about "environmentally friendly" and "cost-saving".

 

[PeroK]

, I do not care about "environmentally friendly"

Some of us do care about trashing the planet!

 

[dextercioby]

The impact of chess tournaments is 0. Look how much China and India pollute. And I stop here. :)

 

[strangerep]

Chess.com has issued a report on Hans Niemann, with the conclusion that he likely cheated in online games and tournaments up until 2020.

https://www.chess.com/blog/CHESScom/hans-niemann-report

Afaik, they didn't do a similar analysis for every player in the world with FIDE rating of, say, 2500 or higher.

 

[fluidistic]

I haven't watched it, but here's how one could cheat at chess using electronics hidden on one's own body.