I don't get it, why didn't it start yet, do we need an even amount or something?

My rating may not be very high (it isn't) but it's mine, like pmk78 says. I can take pride in that.

After those 700 games here I got my first win vs a player rated over 1800. I can promise you that sweet feeling I got with that was more than a cheater could ever get from his "rating". The fact that I'm getting crushed in some of my games right now and will be shedding points soon? Just part of the game. :)

One of the coolest things I've seen here was someone sending out an all-call to a tourney I was in, saying that he was resigning his remaining games because he had taken advice from a friend on one of his moves. That's integrity and that's someone I'd play ANY time.

Anyway. Only a couple days left! If we could make it to 50% that would be great, but even a third is really pretty impressive. Thanks to all who have joined.

Dan

Why would people cheat at chess? Well, let me first say that I'm positive that 99.99% of all cheating is done with a chess program because it is so much easier to access.

Now, the thing is, (beginning) cheaters will probably think something like "asking Fritz one or two times can't hurt." And they probably become so impressed with the results, they start cheating more and more. Eventually practically all of their moves are influenced by a chess engine's evaluation.

Now comes the trouble for them though: first of all, they will have a sudden extreme rating rise coupled with an enormous improvement in quality of play (specifically an absence of obvious/tactical mistakes). The sudden rating rise means they will attract suspicion from whoever visits their profile and subsequently they will be scrutinized by whatever method chess.com uses to catch cheats. In this period alone (when they are having a huge rating increase) the most cheats are caught.

Secondly, once you pop you can't stop; there would be awkward questions if someone with a high rating suddenly dropped hundreds of rating points and started playing much worse than they once did. And cheating does not make one a better player at all, so cheats thinking they can improve their game while letting Fritz do most of the hard work for them will have to think again. The only thing that happens is that you develop a habit of consulting a chess program whenever a difficult situation arises.


So the summary answer is, by the time most cheats realize the implications of their cheating, they've gone too far to go back to their normal play. They really have two choices: 1) keep cheating and hope you won't be caught and 2) give up 'your' precious high rating, "status", etc. and leave chess.com.

thanks for clearing that up.  NOW i know how to win a game or 2  LMAO!!!

no but in all seriousness,  i know people (certain ones) cheat even at monopoly, for what gain, I'll NEVER know.  Im used to losing at chess, but usually play higher rated players than myself (can you tell im scottish lol) but to me, when i win....im chuffed to bits.  so naieve to think that folk would have something to gain from cheating at chess.  guess some folk like having a high rating!  im happy if im sitting around 1150. to me its just a number, and i feel cheated if i win on time against an 1800er and my rating soars, because....that aint my rating!

how sad though to sit with another programme running in order to win.  wonder how they'd feel to sit at a real board and be left alone with their own intelligence and cunning.  and to all you cheaters...get out there to the library and rent "the art of war" lol.

thanks for clearing this up Dahan.

I've played over 700 games here and there was only once that I wondered (to myself) if someone was cheating. Then again, like Alphastar18 points out, I don't play anyone above 2000 very often (it's not pretty when I do).

Having a 3rd party (whether that is a family member or friend or a chess engine) directly assist you with your games is cheating.

I have seen my share of cheating discussions on another chess site and I'm pretty sure the discussions on chess.com aren't that different. It is important that you don't become too fascinated by it and view anyone who beats you in a paranoid way, that he/she could be a cheater. The chess.com staff is doing enough to catch cheaters and deter people from cheating.

The bottom line is that the vast majority of players with a rating under 2000 will never come across a cheating opponent. It only really becomes an issue from 2100 on..

Looking forward to this, I hope not only to get some good games, but to go through some games afterwards to share ideas and plans about the game.

pmk78,

There are many ways to cheat. There are different definitions as well. Some would say that asking a friend for advice is cheating. I would probably agree, although it's a little gray. Using a Chess engine is cheating by almost any definition. If you use Fritz or Chessmaster, just plugging your game in and asking it to give you the next best move instead of actually figuring it out for yourself, you don't deserve to call yourself a Chess player and should be kicked of the site...IMHO.

Thank you Dahan for setting this up, should be fun!

can i just ask a question.  i've heard about cheating at chess before. 

how is it possible?  i can understand on a real board, but im too much of a novice i think to be thinking sly  =)

Thanks to all who join and remember, no cheating! Feel free to pray as much as you like though... ;)

been looking forward to this one.

cheers and good luck to all.

bless all yer cotton socks    HAH...

Good luck to all!