Chess Cheating Hackathon!

Discussion of anything and everything relating to chess playing software and machines.

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M ANSARI
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Chess Cheating Hackathon!

Post by M ANSARI »

Obviously, everyone is aware of the chess scandal taking over the internet at the moment. I wanted to see if anyone had ideas on how to best circumvent the present cheating protocols being used at the Sienfield Cup at the moment. They seem to be the most rigorous of all protocols so far, especially after MC left the tournament.

I am guessing they are using a metal detector and then an electronic detector wand. Plus, they added a 15-minute delay in the game broadcast. What would be a good way to try and bypass all that and cheat? Obviously by cheating I mean using an engine to pick and choose a move or choose a line that is not suspicious but still wins or draws.

Here is something interesting I found, maybe someone here can find a better way?

https://www.chess.com/blog/SamCopeland/ ... v%20Ivanov.
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M ANSARI
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Re: Chess Cheating Hackathon!

Post by M ANSARI »

Another interesting article with ideas

https://en.chessbase.com/post/tkachiev- ... r-in-chess
A colleague would be following the game on a notebook outside the playing room and occasionally transmitting a key move to a tiny device hidden in Tkachiev's ear – one he says is very popular amongst certain students (i.e. those cheating in exams). A walk-through airport detector would not find it, and a hand-operated scanner would need to be set to high sensitivity and directly scan the ear.
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towforce
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Re: Chess Cheating Hackathon!

Post by towforce »

Let me state clearly that I'm not accusing anyone of anything. Having got that out of the way, the key question becomes: how close can the accomplice get?

Roughly speaking, domesticated apes (humans) have 5 senses: taste, touch, vision, sound, smell. Of these, vision, touch and sound are probably going to be the most useful. I don't know what the security arrangements at this chess tournament are, but how about:

* flashing lights through the window disguised as emergency vehicle lights

* dim/brighten the room lighting

* tap the heating pipes

* some other sound that could easily be mistaken for background noise

* device hidden in the room before the tournament began

* drill through the floor/roof from the room below/above (easy for someone with building skills)

* vibrating device hidden inside the body (per Elon Musk's suggestion, or maybe in the mouth)

* miniature ear piece

* make the whole room vibrate (not difficult if you have the adjacent room, or room above/below)

In short, unless you're up against a well-resourced security service, very doable.
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towforce
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Re: Chess Cheating Hackathon!

Post by towforce »

Low tech: hide a note in the toilet.
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Damir
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Re: Chess Cheating Hackathon!

Post by Damir »

M ANSARI wrote: Tue Sep 13, 2022 9:09 am Obviously, everyone is aware of the chess scandal taking over the internet at the moment. I wanted to see if anyone had ideas on how to best circumvent the present cheating protocols being used at the Sienfield Cup at the moment. They seem to be the most rigorous of all protocols so far, especially after MC left the tournament.

I am guessing they are using a metal detector and then an electronic detector wand. Plus, they added a 15-minute delay in the game broadcast. What would be a good way to try and bypass all that and cheat? Obviously by cheating I mean using an engine to pick and choose a move or choose a line that is not suspicious but still wins or draws.

Here is something interesting I found, maybe someone here can find a better way?

https://www.chess.com/blog/SamCopeland/ ... v%20Ivanov.
It is very easy to detect cheating in chess. All organizers have to do is ban wi-fi and bluetooth access in tournaments and there will be no more cheating.
It is the way how people cheat and by banning it will restrict people from cheating..
Uri Blass
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Re: Chess Cheating Hackathon!

Post by Uri Blass »

Damir wrote: Tue Sep 13, 2022 2:24 pm
M ANSARI wrote: Tue Sep 13, 2022 9:09 am Obviously, everyone is aware of the chess scandal taking over the internet at the moment. I wanted to see if anyone had ideas on how to best circumvent the present cheating protocols being used at the Sienfield Cup at the moment. They seem to be the most rigorous of all protocols so far, especially after MC left the tournament.

I am guessing they are using a metal detector and then an electronic detector wand. Plus, they added a 15-minute delay in the game broadcast. What would be a good way to try and bypass all that and cheat? Obviously by cheating I mean using an engine to pick and choose a move or choose a line that is not suspicious but still wins or draws.

Here is something interesting I found, maybe someone here can find a better way?

https://www.chess.com/blog/SamCopeland/ ... v%20Ivanov.
It is very easy to detect cheating in chess. All organizers have to do is ban wi-fi and bluetooth access in tournaments and there will be no more cheating.
It is the way how people cheat and by banning it will restrict people from cheating..
I believe it is not the only way that people can cheat.

Do people need wi-fi or bluetooth in order to use some software that is already installed in their mobile phone?
Damir
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Re: Chess Cheating Hackathon!

Post by Damir »

I wish it was that simple, but the majority of cheating cases happened because those involved were somehow online connected to the engine...
If one can restrict these options ( wi-fi and bluetooth) to the players involved, it is also possible to prevent them from cheating..
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M ANSARI
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Re: Chess Cheating Hackathon!

Post by M ANSARI »

I was thinking of something much more sophisticated. Someone with funds and motivation and electronic expertise (or knows someone with electronic expertise). For example ... does the wand they use detect all electronics including passive devices that can be triggered at some later stage? The chessboard is only 64 squares and so you can very easily reduce the identification of which square to which. Or maybe just one square needs to be identified and a piece. The data can be sent via tiny packets that are sent only one milli second every 5 minutes or so ... would be difficult to detect especially if encrypted. I saw some pretty incredible ridiculously tiny devices that could theoretically even be inserted under the skin or under the scalp. Remember we are thinking of someone extremely motivated and will do things most of us would not even think of.
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M ANSARI
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Re: Chess Cheating Hackathon!

Post by M ANSARI »

Check out this!

swami
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Re: Chess Cheating Hackathon!

Post by swami »

M ANSARI wrote: Tue Sep 13, 2022 5:05 pm The chessboard is only 64 squares and so you can very easily reduce the identification of which square to which. Or maybe just one square needs to be identified and a piece.
A GM would not need to know "which square to which", and "which piece and square".

Just a square is all that it takes. Square number 42, and that would click.

That said, I highly doubt if Niemenn is involved in this over the top scheme to dupe the world level contenders. Unless we have a solid evidence, it's all glib. The case seems to have been closed, and he was playing on par with other top players post these drama (despite being a 2600+).