Chess.com FAQs and Discussion on Cheating

I thought the point was that the instinct or gut-feeling couldn't necessarily be trusted as the definitive indication of whether a player had been cheating or not, but could serve as a trigger to make a report of suspected cheating.  From there, it is up to the chess.com engine detection process to determine definitively whether cheating has in fact occurred.  In the cases you've cited, you may well have been reported, but likely vindicated (all unbeknownst to you) when the Chess.com processes made a closer and less subjective examination.

Suspicion should be grounds to report, but only a high degree of certainty should be grounds to deport.

That looks like another possibility, that the player home cooks some analysis before the game.

I don't want to leave you with the impression that my instinct (or any player's instinct) is error-free. Here is what I believe.

I believe that for every 10 opponents which seem suspicious, quite a few of them will be found to be using assistance.

I also believe that it's a good idea for the website to leverage such instinct via the reporting mechanism.

Good for you that you have found an Easter egg that you can spring on whomever you want, when they play into it.

The end of your post seems to indicate that you don't accept such instinct as valid. But you don't say so explicitly. Without telling a joke with innuendo, what is it that you mean?

Hey jonny:

I always wondered how can you see someone else's tactical training score. Is this a feature that only paying memebrs have or am I just not looking where I should?

Thanks.

Go to the tactics trainer as you would normally. In the box at the top right hand side is an option to view players. This lists all the players in rating order. You can then search for any individual player by typing their name in the box above the list of players. Very handy for checking out opponents, but occasionally quite depressing to realise you're tactically outgunned!

Wow, this is great, thanks a lot, I really appreciate it!

Don't worry, there are enough idiots who cheat in tactics trainer also!

But why?! It's a training tool! What on earth is the point?

And how? I don't think I could setup the position quickly enough in the faster puzzles.

I'm ok not using the word. I defined several red flags in my above posts, including playing "won" positions extremely precisely, finding Easter Eggs in the DB, not being able to converse at a level (or even close) befitting the rating, and having a style not really close to any of the human styles I've encountered.

Again, it doesn't mean that they ARE using a computer, it's just the red flags that together point to a maybe. You know, worth a further check.

Hmmm, yes indeed. I just checked your profile (Richie_and_Oprah) and it says that you would "rather do some hustlin & bustlin with the give-and-take chitter-chatter smack down fast talkin $5/game money players than keep my sphincter tight all weekend like most of the people are choosing to do in the main hall." So which is true - main hall or skittles room?

CM streetfighter, I guess richieoprah is in a stage of focusing seriously on chess. Nothing wrong with that.

Leaving aside the question of how, I think the why is to get onto the top list. Hey, I just checked, I'm #14! Woo hoo!

Richie, you say potato, I say potato. Nothing wrong with being Canadian, eh?

So what's wrong with playing a simul against 25 kids?

Oh - and why is there no title at the front of your name, Lionel Winfrey?

Why do people cheat in TT? Because they can! And they are stupid :))

How do I know they cheat? Very simple. Many of the high rated problems (like 2400+) ask you to find let's say a mate in 6, while ignoring an easy and natural mate in 8 and the hanging queen of your opponent. For me, these problems are impossible, in many cases it's just a matter of calculating spite checks. 

Yes Ozzie, you are 14th in TT. But you haven't solved a problem for a long time. Why don't you try some of the newly introduced problems? :) 

I might fall off the pedastel on which you have placed me.

For once, I'm afraid I have to agree with Costelus.  Anyone near the top of the tactics trainer list with a success rate > 60% is very likely a fraud.

Yes, check out my game with MirceaH. I evaluated the position as much better for white, as long as I can wriggle out of his immediate threats. Um, apparently it's easier said than done. Said threats took 10+ moves of the non-forcing variety.

TT helped me, back when I was using it, it helped me to calculate the complete search tree before making a move. It helped me heed the "when you find a good move, sit on your hands" advice.

Too much TT will ruin your blitz though because you will not trust yourself and you will flag. :-(

I don't get it...why cheat? Anyway, I think this site is great and I respect your means of identifying someone who is cheating. Keep up the good work!

No richie, in TT there are only a few such problems, with multiple solutions. The large majority of problems have only one solution, either you find that sequence of moves or you lose the game.

Ozzie, what is the purpose of having a wonderful tool but not use it? I know of another tactics trainer on the web where several GM's solved thousands (or tens of thousands of problems).

Multiple solutions used to be a big problem (back when I was using it).

I go through phases. Maybe I'll start again someday. For now, I'm focused on finishing my 50 tournaments.