Hello everyone. Ok, I'm in the middle of a game and my opponent has changed his style of play. At the start of the game he was predictable and moved frequently, the game was flowing well. Then he didn't move for a number of days and now his game play has changed completely. I suspect a chess program or similar is helping him, what do I do next as I don't want to play against a computer program? Thank you
Please realize that from any single game it would be impossible to prove cheating. It does happen that people play better or worse from their usual pattern based on any of dozens of non-cheating factors. Your rating is 1100 and you may just be getting beat. Whatever you decide to do, don't bring any names or specific games into the forums with an accusation of cheating as that is against RHP TOS.
Originally posted by evilhomer Hello everyone. Ok, I'm in the middle of a game and my opponent has changed his style of play. At the start of the game he was predictable and moved frequently, the game was flowing well. Then he didn't move for a number of days and now his game play has changed completely. I suspect a chess program or similar is helping him, what do I do next as I don't want to play against a computer program? Thank you
Perhaps he's just got fed up with playing and his brother/sister/dad etc has taken over his games or is sat behind him giving advice.
As Monty says it's virtually impossible to prove anyone is using a computer in a single game.
If you have a computer yourself, you could try making your move in the game and on it and see how it responds.If the computers move mirrors your opponents every time for say 10 moves you could send feedback with the evidence.
Originally posted by venda If you have a computer yourself, you could try making your move in the game and on it and see how it responds.If the computers move mirrors your opponents every time for say 10 moves you could send feedback with the evidence.
I would contest that this is bad advice, consulting any third party/software whilst a game is in progress is dodgy ground.
Originally posted by evilhomer Hello everyone. Ok, I'm in the middle of a game and my opponent has changed his style of play. At the start of the game he was predictable and moved frequently, the game was flowing well. Then he didn't move for a number of days and now his game play has changed completely. I suspect a chess program or similar is helping him, what do I do next as I don't want to play against a computer program? Thank you
I was about to say the only way to be sure you are not playing against a computer is to play over the board, but with modern tech I'm not sure even that is true. Playing online either in real-time or on a site like RHP always means it's possible your opponent may be cheating. I don't worry about it too much. If somebody wants to use an engine to beat me, then the engine has beat me, they have not. And there are plenty of players on this site who can beat me without help. So how sad does that make the cheats? A great chess player once said that he learned more from one defeat than from all his victories, so analyse your game after, try to understand where you went wrong, then start a new game against somebody else (and block the player you don't trust to play fair so you don't have to play them again).
Should you suspect someone is cheating you out of a game, by utilising anything not allowed under the 'terms of service', my advice is simple: You can of course mention to the opponent that you may pursue a fair play ticket should he \ she not satisfy your suspicions come end of game 'discussion'... you could also allude to this fact 'elsewhere,' especially if that person doesn't bother to allay your fears by promptly putting you on ignore. But as regards actually sending that FPT to site admin, you may as well know now that you may well be wasting your time further, by pursuing it this far... imho...
Originally posted by evilhomer Hello everyone. Ok, I'm in the middle of a game and my opponent has changed his style of play. At the start of the game he was predictable and moved frequently, the game was flowing well. Then he didn't move for a number of days and now his game play has changed completely. I suspect a chess program or similar is helping him, what do I do next as I don't want to play against a computer program? Thank you
At the start of the game he was predictable and moved frequently, the game was flowing well
Most games do as the opening moves are pretty constant and predictable
Then he didn't move for a number of days
And? Maybe he had to buy Christmas presents, had a few Christmas days out with family and friends.
now his game play has changed completely
Well you are now in the middle game, when more thought should go into moves, why do you think he is may be using an engine because of this?
Rather than suspecting engine use flip the board and play the game from your opponents point of view.
Do you see why he made the moves he did? Did you understand why? Was the move you would have made at that point better?
At sub 1500 play it is pretty unlikely that players will be using engines.
Originally posted by Polenzia I was about to say the only way to be sure you are not playing against a computer is to play over the board, but with modern tech I'm not sure even that is true. Playing online either in real-time or on a site like RHP always means it's possible your opponent may be cheating. I don't worry about it too much. If somebody wants to use an engine to beat me, th ...[text shortened]... e (and block the player you don't trust to play fair so you don't have to play them again).
Thank you, Polenzia; your post soothed my troubled mind. They come from nowhere, playing like Grandmasters, demolishing me. It is frustrating to observe the game in which I am apparently losing by their incredible positional moves... I do not even understand why I am losing. But we cannot do anything about our opponents' cheating, can we? From now on I will remember what you said, trying not to be affected by those unethical people. Thank you, again.
Originally posted by Augustkim Thank you, Polenzia; your post soothed my troubled mind. They come from nowhere, playing like Grandmasters, demolishing me. It is frustrating to observe the game in which I am apparently losing by their incredible positional moves... I do not even understand why I am losing. But we cannot do anything about our opponents' cheating, can we? From now on I ...[text shortened]... remember what you said, trying not to be affected by those unethical people. Thank you, again.
Originally posted by isembard Try playing more " Blitz", pretty hard to consult any outside agencies in that form of chess !
Maybe (but I could still use a separate laptop running an engine to assist my moves at most blitz levels. Admittedly, bullet chess could cause some difficulties, but with a little bit of programming knowledge and some scripting/interface coding it isn't impossible to set up a PC to play the moves online whatever the game time/level is). But that aside, your advice is not really helpful is it? I play on this site because I enjoy the pace of this form of the game. I want to play at this form of the game, preferably against honest opponents. Suggesting that the answer is to play a different form of chess avoids the issue.
Originally posted by Polenzia Maybe (but I could still use a separate laptop running an engine to assist my moves at most blitz levels. Admittedly, bullet chess could cause some difficulties, but with a little bit of programming knowledge and some scripting/interface coding it isn't impossible to set up a PC to play the moves online whatever the game time/level is). But that aside, your ...[text shortened]... st opponents. Suggesting that the answer is to play a different form of chess avoids the issue.
The answer is to select your games carefully after examining your opponents profile.Leave tournament entry until the positions are nearly all filled,and then
look at the other entrants in the tournaments.If there's players in there with a rating of say 1400 but with a 90 day high of say 1900 they are either sandbaggers or have lost a lot of games by timeout.The stats are all there so if you're suspicious -don't enter.The same applies to ladder games although you can't do anything about being challenged.
22 Dec '11 20:02
What do I do if I suspect someone is cheating?
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