To get the message out to the wider community I have added the phrase:-
‘I plan to analyse any games in which I suspect that a chess computer is being used and report the offender to the site game moderators (cheat police) for action to be taken.’
To my profile, I would suggest others do something similar.
Its a scarecrow and hopefully it will keep the number crunchers away from me as after a meteoric rise to 1700ish, playing lots of lower rated players I am beginning to top out as I reach my level of play and have several games I am about to loose against what appear to me to be genuinely better players. If they were cyborgs, biological front ends to silicon brains would I be irritated? ..... hmmm..... Maybe I would.
Pst ... don’t tell anyone but it is an empty threat as I have absolutely no idea how to spot an engine and I suspect this is the same for 99% of the users of this site.
Which makes me think ... when the rest of the populace is informed will their be guidelines to follow or will reporting cheats be the domain of a few zealous experts and those who have no real idea but are annoyed in some way and 'feel' the other guy MUST have cheated for them to loose... stands to reason don't it guv?
I was just drawn by a P1200 did he use a computer or was I having a bad night?
(Actually we repeated three times as although he had capital piece advantage he really loved his pawns and did not want to loose even one of them and I was being bloody minded, I guess a computer would have stopped this so he is in the clear??)
[b]You know that a p1200 is just a new player, right? For all you know, you could have been playing Kasparov.Oh that would be it then... SOB could have told me he was the world champion...
Wait a minute though.... Hey I drew with the mighty K!!! yo soes that make me number 2 in the world!😀😀😀
Originally posted by GatecrasherIt was meant to add a little light humour.
Ouch... Sometimes I really do wish we could give negative recs.
Although the grammar and spelling are somewhat poor I must admit(ok abysmal) , thats what comes of quickly typing in a box with out a spell checker when you are working.
I presume that was your 'oouch' but I am open to a full and more specific critique.
To show there is no hard feelings I will even recommend your post. Not quite a negative, but a positive or an opposing post is the nearest approximation
😉
Originally posted by DeepfaultSorry, I was probably feeling grumpy, so the humour fell flat for me. In fact, it was painful. Nothing to do with spelling and grammer, which I usually ignore.
It was meant to add a little light humour.
Although the grammar and spelling are somewhat poor I must admit(ok abysmal) , thats what comes of quickly typing in a box with out a spell checker when you are working.
I presume that was your 'oouch' but I am open to a full and more specific critique.
To show there is no hard feelings I will even reco ...[text shortened]... st. Not quite a negative, but a positive or an opposing post is the nearest approximation
😉
Perhaps its the way you tell them.
Maybe try it with an Irish accent. 😉
Originally posted by mrmistA slap on the wrist (being branded with a [c]) will not discourage
Okay, you're saying that they will just get another account if they have a (C). So why wouldn't they do that if they were kicked off the site?
anyone. Getting your IP banned will reduce the likelihood of most
cheaters' return.
Part of the fun of cheating is if it is easy. If Russ makes it hard,
the alure will disapate and they will find easier prey in the form
of another site.
We will never get rid of cheaters, but if we make it as undesirable
and difficult as possible, we can minimize their effect on the community.
Nemesio
Originally posted by nemesioOn this I would agree, but for the fact that a lot of people are on dynamic IP addresses, so cannot be blocked in that way. (It also raises the possibility - however unlikely - of blocking someone who is not banned).
A slap on the wrist (being branded with a [c]) will not discourage
anyone. Getting your IP banned will reduce the likelihood of most
cheaters' return.
Originally posted by nemesioFirst of all you can't ban an IP. I mean you can but taking into consideration the person will probably be on a different IP the next time they sign on it wouldnt matter and if nothing else you will be banning whatever person uses the IP next atleast for the time they are on that IP. The branding with a C thing is good, they would still be members of the site paying their money to help out but no one with any sense would play them, I like it.
A slap on the wrist (being branded with a [c]) will not discourage
anyone. Getting your IP banned will reduce the likelihood of most
cheaters' return.
Part of the fun of cheating is if it is easy. If Russ makes it hard,
the alure will disapate and they will find easier prey in the form
of another site.
We will never get rid of cheaters, but i ...[text shortened]... ndesirable
and difficult as possible, we can minimize their effect on the community.
Nemesio
No Reply to my inquiry as to what software is used for analysis and how you use it.
I read that Fritz is mentioned is that Fritz 8 that appears to be currently available from Amazon? Are there any others?
If so is how do you use it? is it reasonably self evident or are there any tips?
A few more questions if anyone feels like indulging me:-
1. Will accusations be kept secret from the accused until they are proven or will they be informed they are under investication and who accused them? Will they ever know who accused them?
2. I have just brought a book that has a section on computer chess, it has some information on how computers play and suggests techniques for beating them, are there any other books that might be worth looking at.
3. Do chess programs have ratings? I read that Kasparov played some machine called Deep Blue and initially beat it then lost, but this was some kind of super computer, presumably domestic chess engines are less powerful and will have lower ratings. If someone was using a chess engine all the time what would we expect their rating to be?
And finally
4. What would happen if an engine played another engine would it end up being a boring game that ends in a draw?
Thanks.
Df
Originally posted by Deepfault
1. Will accusations be kept secret from the accused until they are proven or will they be informed they are under investication and who accused them? Will they ever know who accused them?
IMO suspects have the right to know they're under investigation and, as #1 pointed out, have the right to prepare a defence. I think they should not know who the accuser(s) was (and, in order to avoid silly vendettas, there might be a requirement on multiple complaints before an investigation is launched) - the last thing you want is an enraged cheater hunting down another player's personal info over the Internet.
4. What would happen if an engine played another engine would it end up being a boring game that ends in a draw?
Not necessarily. Not all engines are of the same strength; I'm sure Fritz 8 would whop my old GNU chess engine quite handily. You wont see any blunders (unless someone has his engine on "Moron" mode) - but the stronger engine should typically build up a stronger position and finish the weaker engine off with forced tactics. Maybe the experts can add more to this.
I think this whole idea is pretty silly..
firstly its going to be next or near impossible to prove that somebody cheated or not. Second, theres no money involved in this, who cares if someone cheats? You still got a good game against them and maybe learned a thing or two.
Its obviously a injured pride thing.
Also i can't really see cheaters cheating for all that long? Whats the point in cheating on this site? You will get a good rating, but the ordeal of having to use a chess engine everytime u want to make a move must be a pain in the hole, and besides, wheres the fun in it?
I just think it'll become a witch hunt and those on the "police" will start getting big heads.
Anyway, the cheats will just become a little more sly about their actions and just use the engine for 70% of their moves, thereby winning lots but losing a few and theres no way anyone can say with certainty if this player is using an engine or not..
Lets just get back to playing chess and stop the sillyness.