USCL Results Changed Due To Computer Use!!

http://uschessleague.com/wp/2012/10/22/important-announcement-from-the-uscl/

Ouch!!

I know nothing about the USCL and their home page isn't informative. Is this chess via computer or OTB like USCF?

the teams play via ICC

If it was an honest mistake and the genius simply forgot to turn off his Houdini one still has to wonder where the team manager was, these kind of "extreme violations" make the whole team look bad.  Really bad.

 Oh well, even Einstein was famous for being hopelessly absent minded.

splitleaf,  I agree there are a couple questions here:

1) where was the team manager? (and what's the team manager role in these league matches? Do they get together and play or do they play from seperate locations? 

2) Why did he tab out of the ICC interface in the first place? If Houdini wasn't running, leaving ICC would be a rules violation but probably wouldn't have resulted in this reversal.

3) Why was Houdini running in the first place? Simple oversight is assumed and is likely the culprit, but then why tab out of ICC?  Would the ruling be the same if an engine was found running but the player never left the ICC interface?

4) Aside from the standings results, this can't be good publicity for the league. Though in handling it this way so quickly they're probably doing a good job minimizing damage.  

Have a hard time understanding how anybody could fault the league here.  They do the best with they can with the limited resources they have.  Yet there are already two negative comments directed at the league on the announcement page you linked.  

Anyway, I feel for Arizona, and their fans.  Hopefully the team can get things sorted out in a way that restores whatever has been lost.

The comment by Michael Aigner was helpful:

"To a large degree, the league relies on the honor system.  Many players meet face-to-face at bigger tournaments, and socialize together.  I don't think the TD at each site can truly be considered impartial, but rather he or she is a fifth person, considered responsible by the league Prez/VP (and usually a real life TD), who keeps the match going."

USCL stands for United States Cheating League.

I've never had any problems with ICC false positives, and I'm pretty sure I've never had anybody cheat against me there either, so I'm generally  happy with all the measures they take, because they seem to be very effective.

I do think it's just common sense though that you shouldn't have any engine running while playing, even if you don't intend to use it. It would be better though if you were notified to close the other programs when starting a game if they are detected.