I suggest we be given the option to block people from observing our games in live chess. Not each person, but everyone. I would like to have that option given to me. Simply in the options put a check box with allow observers?  Then I can uncheck it and nobody can watch my games.

 

I say this, because the list of cheaters on this site grows longer every day, and I suspect that using private messages with a friend who is playing someone in a game, while the person is watching the live game could promote unfair advantages to the person playing.

Since people seem to not understand this, take this example. Kasparov is friends with me, and he has a private messaging box up in live chess with me. I tell him I'm about to play a much higher rated player than myself, and he joins to observe the game. As the game progresses, he gives me moves to make through private message away from the sight of the opponent, and voila, I win the game. Fair and square? I think not.

This has been long overdue in my opinion. When I play a real game of chess in person, I know I don't like when someone stands over my shoulder and watches my every move, so like then, I'd like the option of stopping this invasion of privacy.

fair request!

Can you request a spectator to go away in OTB chess? Just wondering.

Of course in real life you have no real say in who watches you are doesn't. Plus if you should have an interesting and close game going, more chess players are going to watch you. if the game isn't that interesting or one sided the fewer will watch. Unless someone is annoying (smoking, talking, making annoying noises etc.) I have no problem with peope observing any game I'm playing as long as their quiet & polite. But I can also understand a lot of beginners feel a little uncomfortable playing in front of other people & may feel a little insecure about others watching. Maybe there should be an option button so that at least people can watch, but the player wouldn't know it.

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nope. but that would be a nice feature :D

Just play bad like me, and no one will watch 

It's interesting to note that simply turning off the notification that someone was observing without actually preventing them from doing so would have the same psychological effect.  The games are all public once they're completed -- is it just the knowlege that someone's observing that throws you off?

I'm not saying this isn't a valid request, but I'm interested in why you'd want to prevent observers.

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DanielleSurferGirl has an excellent solution to this problem. Is it possible for this to be achieved ?   I just learned how to select and watch some games and I find I learn this way, especially form higher ranked players, I would really be very  disappointed to lose this option 

http://www.chess.com/forum/view/community/chesscom---list-of-caught-cheaters

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I loled!!

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 I actually assumed it was because you were uncomfortable with people watching, not that you were necessarily a beginner though.  I get a bit uncomfortable as well, I get the feeling that someone is looking over my shoulder etc.  But we find it's not that you're uncomfortable but that you don't want to give free lessons..a tad arrogant perhaps :-) I have to say that was the last thing that would have entered my mind...

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OK, I'll respect your feelings, I won't watch your games *sigh*.

Back to playing through Kasparov, Fischer, Alekhine.... 2nd best I know, but at least they don't charge.

I'm sorry but this is just an odd request, especially when they could just go to your profile and look anyway. Not to mention the useful feature of being able to kibitz live while higher rated players go at it. Get over it mate, it's just a game... -_-

Agreed -- the games are public domain here bothafter you play them as well as during.  If that's your concern I'm afraid just blocking observation during the game won't address it.

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I've only played on one other site, GAMEKNOT, and you can't observe games there. Your opinion is null now.

 

In their correspondence matches, you can only see up to two move prior, so as to stop people from assisting through other means, via instant messenger, or even via chess.com's private messaging while in live chess.

 

The one thing I can do at this point is simply copy/paste everyone who views my games without my permission and block them.

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I don't mind people looking over my games after I've finished. That's not the point. I mind that they have the same 3 or 4 people coming in to watch specific live games against specific opponents, and I believe are aiding in my opponent's matches through private messages on live chess.

 

It's very possible. You simply click on your friends' names and ask for a private message, then a box comes up where only you and he/she can read the posts. Then they join your games and help you win. It's pretty simple, and I don't understand how nobody else sees it. I'll just go and block them all, but I'm sure those accounts are probably only made for spying, so they can just make another and another. This is cheating on their part; this isn't arrogant on my part.

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Actually, I think we'll weigh in.  This forum is public domain as well after all....

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This seems like it would be a rather foolish way to cheat since Chess.com has access to the messages being sent and could quickly validate any reports unfair assistance via this channel.  I think that the right thing to do in this situation is to report the suspected outside assistance as abuse, however I feel that your concerns are somewhat paranoiac -- especially the part about dedicated accounts for spying on you.

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You have a narrow view of life. Those accounts aren't for spying on me, they're for spying on opponents of their friends. I just happen to be one of them from time to time. I suspect they're in every game, not just the ones against me. That's funny.