Too little, too late.

I appreciate what the staff, moderators, and Cheat Detection team do to keep this site cheater-free.  It is, in many ways, an impossible task.  Part of it has to do with the psychology of cheating.

I stated in another blog, and repeat here, that engine users and other types of cheaters in the site, have low self esteem as a common factor.  That, and a sense of entitlement.

The psychological term is "compensation."  By cheating they are compensating for being losers in their daily lives.  Here is the introduction in the wiki entry:

In psychology, compensation is a strategy whereby one covers up, consciously or unconsciously, weaknesses, frustrations, desires, or feelings of inadequacy or incompetence in one life area through the gratification or (drive towards) excellence in another area. Compensation can cover up either real or imagined deficiencies and personal or physical inferiority.

Getting away with cheating is for them, a cheap thrill. You know the stereotypes:  the guy in the monster truck or high powered sport car, who can't otherwise score.  Or the Rico Suave type who puts on a good show to cover up for his ... aah ... inadequacies.

And a few are, of course, just sociopathic.

I have had good luck spotting cheaters, but not as much luck making the case against them.  My own analysis and methodology is sound, but it may not measure up to the demanding, rigorous standards of the sites own standards.

I believe multiple methodologies should be used to expose cheaters.  I also believe that groups who look the other way and host cheaters should be given a "Scarlet Letter" beside their team name.

Informally, a group of like-minded team administrators keep lists and share notes about "cheater teams."  Far too many matches are ruined when cheaters affect the results.

Here is a good example: http://www.chess.com/groups/team_match?id=481882

In that match, not only did the administrators condone the cheating, they were themselves cheaters and were banned.

So, this is why I wrote this blog.  I recently played a person named "maffred2", presumably a Frenchman (by the flag).  As I usually do at the beginning of a match, I review my opponent's stats, tendencies, etc.  Maffred2 jumped out immediately as dirty.

After a thorough review of his recent games, I prepared a first report and submitted it on 16 May 2015.  At the time he had 42 wins, 6 draws, and no losses.  His rating was sky rocketing. (Report available upon request)

I messaged one of the other SA's a few weeks later.  I said to him, "

I think you have a copy of the report I sent you.  It should be a slamdunk.  Can you find any better ammunition?

He soon thereafter submitted a second report.

I played my two games against this "master" very slowly, to give Cheat Detection time to act.  I submitted a third report after 8 weeks, when Maffred's record had grown to  79-10-0.  No reply was forthcoming.  I ended "losing" two close games.  It hurts to know you were playing a cheater.  So it goes.

He told me in chat, "play youre here is no corect".  I'm sure the engine scoring made that abundantly clear!  LOLZ

A few days ago I checked the match and found maffred2 and two of his team mates with cheater badges.  Maffred's last win occurred on 31 July - two weeks after my last game ended with him.  Maffred2 had run his rating up to 2239.

I'm glad he is gone.  I'm glad I helped get rid of him.  And his game archive has some queer game results - leads to other cheaters, perhaps.