In the noble game of chess there is a minor legacy of fixed games. This is especially true of the suspicious draw by mutual agreement. This is could be considered illegal according to the rules of chess and seldom does anyone question a resignation in a game even if there is no apparent reason for it! The domain of internet chess has opened the game to many more players. While the majority of games are on the up and up, there is small percentage that are not. Cheating in games can fall into several forms.
Computer Use to Cheat in Chess
The most prominent is the use of computers to make the moves. Since some of these program have been used to defeat world champions, their use in this forum is the chess equivalent of nuking your opponent. Good chess players can usually tell if they are up against a computer. It is however difficult to discern the difference between computer analysis and expensive individual study.
Computer based games usually follow opening book lines. Where the book opening ends there is a change in approach. Depending on the program this can include tactical and strategical elements that the player who is using the computer does not comprehend. If one suspects computer use, simply ask the opposing player where you went wrong (assuming you lost!).
Some programs include flawed elements that can lead the player to believe that a won position is a draw. For example some programs hesitate to give up a Bishop pair advantage even if it means possible pawn promotion. On occasion the player who is using a computer "blunders" on the move order and plays a computer generated move but at the incorrect move number!
Game Fixing
The archives of tournament chess are peppered with games that finished in a prearranged fashion. This includes convenient draws and inexplicable resignations. Generally speaking these games can be contested under the following rule for tournament chess.
"2.10 Prior agreement between players as to the result of individual games or of a match shall be penalized with the utmost severity. If any such agreement is proved to have taken place, the points apportioned by it shall be annulled and the matter shall be referred to the Appeals Committee for the fixing of the penalty."
Action is seldom taken when these points are raised and this type of game fixing has become almost acceptable.
The opportunity to abuse the system of fair play has continued with internet chess. There are some aspects of this process that are yet to be discovered but a basic plan is as follows:
- Make a number of bogus Facebook accounts
- Sign them all up for Facebook Chess.
- Establish a Rating
- Have the players play each other.
- Pick a player to get to the top of the ratings and have him/her beat all the other players.
- Boost the rating of the fellow players though the occasional win or draw.
As a result of this process all players can eventually become top ranked. This scheme is not totally original as it is evident from the history of competitive chess that game fixing has been around for a while.
Facebook Chess Fraud Exposed
The tell tale signs of this scheme were evident from the following;
Players with suspicious sounding names reaching the top 20 of Facebook's 37,000 plus chess players. None of these players had photos and they all seemed to be playing each other exclusively. Examination of the games showed that they were not quality players and their games were all short (usually less than 10 moves). In addition, most of the moves were made in less than a minute.
The Protest
Thankfully the makers of Facebook Chess have a "report abuse" link. As a result of this process, the author received the following response from chess.com:
"Yes, I see you are right. This appears to be a clear case of game fixing and rating manipulation. I have immediately forwarded this issue on to the Facebook Chess developers and they will take action against these accounts. Thank you for spotting these accounts."
The experienced player can usually spot signs of computer use and game fixing. Let this be a warning to those who foolishly venture into the battle field of this noble game. Many a war is won or lost away from the actual conflict.
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