In all of the forum headings, there are several threads started every day to discuss cheating; How to prevent it, how to achieve it, who does it, etc. This discussion represents a large percentage of the forum threads, creates clutter, and is uninteresting to many of us.

Personally I think chess.com does a fine job of identifying and dealing with cheaters, and I think that sifting through the chatter in the forums affects my experience here much more than the actual cheaters do.

I suggest that there be a forum heading specifically for discussion of cheating on chess.com. Cheating discussion under any of the other forum headings can be considered off-topic and moved, and the people who are quite interested in the subject can find the discussion all in one place.

What do you think?

Sounds like a good idea. So many people talk about it, why not let then have their own forum section for it?

Totally agree with this idea!

Let them discuss this without cluttering the forum!

Great idea! 

I know how you feel being in the spotlight all the time. I for one hate cheaters,however sometimes they can be really hard to detect.

I totally agree that there should be a discussion forum for the possible cheaters on this site. Sounds like a good idea to me CRShelton.

yep. i'm going to actually create ONE thread on this, answer all of the questions, and then just delete any new topics about it. i'll get to that next week.

Here's my questions - and they're a bit of nonsense so...

Why is everyone so bent about getting help in a game? Is there anyone here that hasn't studied past games, memorized some of good bits and gone online to use them on the unwary? Can't that be regarded as an unfair advantage?

I play here (badly) to help keep my brain working. I often get slaughtered by the computer and some of my live games would put a master on the floor from laughter. I don't care. The more I play the better, and that my friends is a relative term, I get at playing chess. I can't see the point in cheating. Who would be impressed? What possible gain is there?

Erik et al - this is an awesome service. Please keep it up despite the odd and sometimes wacky discussions.

What???

Thanks Erik! I think this will be highly appreciated by all members and then they can move on from this subject.

I personally think cheating is under control here by your team's good work and I believe is not as big as some are pointing in the forum.

One wonders what will be left to talk about.

:))Hilarious!....and true.

Chess maybe? 

We all know it happens but I don't think it will ever be eliminated the only people they really cheat are themselves.

Thanks Erik!

Can you cheat at egg boiling? If you boiled an egg, say in a superheated kettle, would that be cheating compared to boiling in a saucepan?

 There's always spelling and grammar...

Or egg boiling!! 

I think there is one big question: how come that about 200 players here get to play much better than Tal, Carlsen or Anand? Are they the future world champions and we don't know?

 Oh come on, there are several titled players not just GM's who hold their own on the top page against all these "future world champions".  GM Becerra has shot straight up near the top as has FM Nosferatu, Paulinevn, a strong OTB player is also up to the top 30 or so. If they can do it you can be sure that Super GM's would be able to get straight to the top .  You exaggerate the quality of play of most these guys, I've managed to get some results against quite a few people in the top 100 and I'm no genius.

I will grant you that I have played a number of guys who were perfect (by which I don't mean they just beat the hell out of me) but each and every move was computer  perfect.  Some have been banned, some remain and are either undefeated or almost so.  But I truly believe the amount of cheats we have is a lot less than you continually maintain. All the top 200 are not playing at 2800-3000 fide level...which is what you are asserting.

p.s. I have had the amusing experience of playing one person who was in the top ten who didn't understand the principle of the opposition in a K and P ending, we went on and on before he gave me the draw...now that was strange .

He no doubt understood the principle just not the name? I know a few pretty good club players who don't know the names for things they clearly understand!

I don't think I'm exagerrating at all. Compared to some players here, Tal for instance would be a poor pathetic kid, who would be always defeated. It looks quite suspicious to me to be even 2100-2200 and to play perfectly. It looks even more suspicious when you are like 1700 or have no rating at all and play better than a super-gm.

Opposition? But this is a very advanced concept! :)) Check out this game, of a player rated >2600.

http://www.chess.com/echess/game.html?id=7515587