Getting Accused of Cheating in Free-for-all Four-Player Chess
Ever been accused of cheating in 4-player chess? If so, then we have something in common. In more than a few of my "free-for-all" games, at least one player has accused the other three of collusion, of working together in a way which goes against the spirit of the game, not to mention the code of conduct rules laid out by Chess.com.
But there is a big difference between cheating and teaming up. If you're nodding your head, please feel free to skip the rest of the post. This message is directed at those who believe that all players must act independently in 4-player chess for a pure experience.
I want to start right there because we can agree that self-interest is at the heart of a good free-for-all game. Players look for opportunities during which to take a loose piece, snap off a check, or deliver a final checkmate. However, some of these opportunities arise precisely because you are playing 4-player chess!
Here is a classic example of teaming up in free-for-all 4-player chess: If the player to your left checks you, there are two other players who make their moves before you can respond to the check. Can you blame these players for chomping down on this golden opportunity? It's a great moment to take the checked player's queen off the board, even if it's guarded, because the checked player has to respond to the check. It hurts, no doubt, to see your pieces go down in flames, but this is hardly a conspiracy. It's built into the game itself!
Cheating is likely something difficult to detect by the average player in a single game. That's because cheating is marked by greater patterns found in dozens of games, not just one. Two people who work together will have a history of games together, but even then it would be difficult to prove collusion. If you suspect some players of cheating, by all means report them [click on the username, then click on the gray circle with the exclamation in it]. But also keep in mind that there's an entirely legal format for people who want to work together in 4-player chess. That is, they can simply choose "teams."
There are lots of reasons you might be targeted by multiple players, and none of them have anything to do with cheating. Here's a list:
-- You have the highest rating at the table.
-- You're the first player to be aggressive.
-- You make a clear mistake.
-- Your king is not well protected.
-- You get checked.
The other day, I had a long-ish conversation with an accuser who said he reported me and others for violating the rules. He had his reasons for believing this, too. He had been the target of group attacks during the game and was subsequently the first player out. Some of the moves people played made no sense to him, which caused him to suspect foul play. He also happened to be the highest ranked player at the table.
While I couldn't speak for the others, I assured him there was no conspiracy. I reasoned that our collective rankings would be much higher, for starters. I also argued that it was in the nature of the game. As soon as someone draws blood, the sharks come out. I told him to shrug off losing and that he'd be the shark in the next game. Then we parted ways on better terms.
I recommend 4-player chess to everyone. It's whacked out crazy but quite a fun ride. It should come with a warning, though: groups of strangers are going to knock the chess snot out of you, and it's going to feel like the world is conspiring against you.
Do what I do. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and come out swinging even harder the next time.
