Perhaps what we need is a ProAm list somewhere (outside of RHP) so that people can know who the "professional amateurs" playing on casual correspondence sites. Their match-ups to engines and known OTB rankings could also be attached. Every stat would tell a tale i.e
1. Joe Schmo
CC 2530
Fritz Matchup 92%
OTB 1500
ICC 1300
2. AN Other
CC 1600
Fritz Matchup 29%
OTB 1800
ICC 1700
Best to just keep your own personal black list of players you think are cheats. That's what I used to do when I played on here. I still got caught out every now and then, and sometimes there was no choice if it was a league match, but it helped me avoid wasting too much time trying to beat a disguised Fritz.
Trouble with FL's approach is that, by eliminating all assumed engine-users from your play-pool, you radically reduce the number of players that can beat you.
I've taken this route for a while, resigning immediately to 'known' engine-users. Snag is, my rating continues to drift up beyond where it normally might lie - because the normal play-pool in here isn't that strong, and by avoiding the engines, one removes the 'natural' dampening effect of losses to better players; hence, exacerbating upwards drift.
Originally posted by atticus2I have the same issue from the opposite end of the spectrum- I will play anyone, I don't know how I would recognize a computer without using one myself, and I'm not too worried about it.
Trouble with FL's approach is that, by eliminating all assumed engine-users from your play-pool, you radically reduce the number of players that can beat you.
I've taken this route for a while, resigning immediately to 'known' engine-users. Snag is, my rating continues to drift up beyond where it normally might lie - because the normal play-pool in here ...[text shortened]... natural' dampening effect of losses to better players; hence, exacerbating upwards drift.
The net result is that my average opponent is some 200-300 points below me, and I have accumulated lots of points in small increments via wins against lower rated players. My RHP rating is about 30 points over my peak USCF OTB rating, and a good 150 points over my current OTB rating, and I think "drift" is the culprit- although there is certainly something to be said for having books to reference!
I also wonder if the engine use issue is more of a "clan challenge/tournament" issue, as at least there one could rationalize a motive. I don't get why someone would reduce themselves to a data entry role without some kind of reward-based outcome.
Paul