Irish Cheating Scandal

[Tom O'Donnell]

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/player-hauls-cheating-chess-teen-out-of-toilet-cubicle-29217547.html

BTW, the method the guy used, busting down the cubicle, was really stupid. It wouldn't surprise me if he got sued.

[Zeljko Kitich]

Re: Irish Cheating Scandal

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news...-29217547.html

BTW, the method the guy used, busting down the cubicle, was really stupid. It wouldn't surprise me if he got sued.

What a mess. But at least they used the word scandal correctly. Never a good idea to take matters into your own hands. Like the TD bank customer in Toronto who decided to confront 2 robbers and was shot plus got someone else shot too.

[Gordon Ritchie]

Re: Irish Cheating Scandal

What would you suggest be done to handle situations such as this?

[Tom O'Donnell]

Re: Irish Cheating Scandal

If you suspect your opponent is cheating then ask the TD to watch the player. Someone repeatedly going to the washroom, especially on their own move, would be a red flag, at least to me. Still, there probably isn't much you can do. Consider the implications of adult TDs frisking under-age participants. Not attractive.

Most people are poor liars, in my experience. So direct questioning would probably make it clear if they were cheating, though of course isn't ironclad proof. Unless they confessed.

[Felix Dumont]

Re : Re: Irish Cheating Scandal

If you suspect your opponent is cheating then ask the TD to watch the player. Someone repeatedly going to the washroom, especially on their own move, would be a red flag, at least to me. Still, there probably isn't much you can do. Consider the implications of adult TDs frisking under-age participants. Not attractive.

Most people are poor liars, in my experience. So direct questioning would probably make it clear if they were cheating, though of course isn't ironclad proof. Unless they confessed.

On the other hand, you can hardly hide an android tablet, so it should be pretty easy to see if someone brought his tablet with him to the washrooms (once he gets out).

[Zeljko Kitich]

Re: Re : Re: Irish Cheating Scandal

On the other hand, you can hardly hide an android tablet, so it should be pretty easy to see if someone brought his tablet with him to the washrooms (once he gets out).

You can't hide it by tucking it behind you between your pants and shirt? I'm fairly certain you could. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGPWOKxfKug

[Andrei Botez]

Re: Irish Cheating Scandal

Mr Mirza (47) said he kicked in the cubicle door

Mr Mirza was a professional soccer player in the top division back in his native country Romania.

[Peter McKillop]

Re: Irish Cheating Scandal

What would you suggest be done to handle situations such as this?

1. Have all tournament participants (or parents/guardians as required) execute indemnity agreements/waivers in favour of the CFC and the tournament organizers/directors in the event of any physical or psychological harm to a participant.

2. Each tournament participant must pay a $1,000 cheating security deposit to the organizers, to be returned in full at the end of the last round if the participant has not been caught cheating.

3. The organizers shall a) advertise that a $1,000 reward is payable to any individual or group capturing a cheater and that b) roving bands of non-playing vigilantes are welcome.

[Kerry Liles]

Re: Irish Cheating Scandal

Mr Mirza was a professional soccer player in the top division back in his native country Romania.

I wonder if he used a bicycle kick ... a la Ibrahimovic:

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xv3ejn_s4-2e-www-fasthighlights-com_sport

[Frank Dixon]

Re: Irish Cheating Scandal

Stopping cheating of this form is simple enough. :)

I recommend a three-part strategy.

1) no electronic devices, of any type, for any of the players, would be allowed in the playing hall or adjacent areas;

2) no discussions allowed, on any topic, between players and others, while their games are in progress;

3) players can't leave the playing areas or adjacent areas while their games are in progress.

End of problem. :)

[Kerry Liles]

Re: Irish Cheating Scandal

Stopping cheating of this form is simple enough. :)

I recommend a three-part strategy.

1) no electronic devices, of any type, for any of the players, would be allowed in the playing hall or adjacent areas;

2) no discussions allowed, on any topic, between players and others, while their games are in progress;

3) players can't leave the playing areas or adjacent areas while their games are in progress.

End of problem. :)

Not quite. You have not explained how you would enforce the more difficult of those points - #1 and #2.
In a small round-robin (like the Candidates) it is feasible to have metal detectors/wands to check for electronics etc. and it might also be easy enough to monitor all interactions between the small number of players. That problem becomes much more difficult as the number of players increases.

Lifetime ban for first proven offence is a start, but that leaves a lot of people who are still eligible for their first proven offence.

In the specific case of the Irish tournament report, there was apparently quite a lot of evidence the player may be cheating - the arbiter should have been notified and he/she should have taken care of it (much better than bashing in the washroom stall etc).

[Vlad Drkulec]

Re: Irish Cheating Scandal

Stopping cheating of this form is simple enough. :)

I recommend a three-part strategy.

1) no electronic devices, of any type, for any of the players, would be allowed in the playing hall or adjacent areas;

2) no discussions allowed, on any topic, between players and others, while their games are in progress;

3) players can't leave the playing areas or adjacent areas while their games are in progress.

End of problem. :)

If a tournament banned Monroi devices I would probably skip that tournament but I could live with a ban on everything else (cell phones, tablets, computers). Number two seems a bit draconian. People have to go to the bathroom sometimes. Twenty times in twenty four moves seems a bit much but we have to take into account that the food available at tournaments does not always agree with everyone's digestive system.

[Erik Malmsten]

Re: Irish Cheating Scandal

1. Have all tournament participants (or parents/guardians as required) execute indemnity agreements/waivers in favour of the CFC and the tournament organizers/directors in the event of any physical or psychological harm to a participant.

2. Each tournament participant must pay a $1,000 cheating security deposit to the organizers, to be returned in full at the end of the last round if the participant has not been caught cheating.

3. The organizers shall a) advertise that a $1,000 reward is payable to any individual or group capturing a cheater and that b) roving bands of non-playing vigilantes are welcome.

The CFC should have a page listing players who have been kicked out of tournaments, who have not shown up for games, and who have not paid their entry fee/CFC membership.

It was very hard to get volunteers at the Canadian Opens in Toronto to man the phone/computer holding area. Some players needed to have their phones on for emergencies and that holding person could fetch them in a crisis. During games, players shouldn't have contact with parents with computers and coaches.

I think tournament entries would drop with a $1,000 deposit, but worse would be a strip search and no doors on the washroom stalls.

[Gary Ruben]

Re: Irish Cheating Scandal

If a tournament banned Monroi devices I would probably skip that tournament but I could live with a ban on everything else (cell phones, tablets, computers). Number two seems a bit draconian. People have to go to the bathroom sometimes. Twenty times in twenty four moves seems a bit much but we have to take into account that the food available at tournaments does not always agree with everyone's digestive system.

Maybe he needs one of those chairs with a hole and potty in the bottom. :)

[Jordan S. Berson]

Re: Irish Cheating Scandal

...2) no discussions allowed, on any topic, between players and others, while their games are in progress...

...You have not explained how you would enforce the more difficult of those points - #1 and #2...

Tennis players are not allowed to talk to anyone except to the Chair Umpire during a match. They also get only one bathroom break during a given match for up to three minutes (correct me if I'm wrong on the time limit).

Why not impose the same restrictions on chess players? It shouldn't be too difficult to monitor. Players are not allowed to leave the playing area except to use the washroom, for which they are given a pass. The TD can designate a person to take washroom passes, escort players to the washrooms, and enforce a time limit.

Players caught speaking or communicating with anyone during a game can be given a warning or receive a penalty for doing so.

Jordan