Complains of Cheating: Old-School

Without delving into computer cheating —a taboo topic in the forums— there's no secret that it comes immediately to mind when chess+cheating are mentioned.  Cheating wasn't discussed much in the past, though instances certainly existed.  One gentleman writing to Em. Lasker in 1905 exclaimed, "I have read somewhere the remark that Chess is the only game in existence which admits of no possibility of cheating. This applies to board play, however; for correspondence chess offers every opportunity for unfairness. But are we going to permit the degradation of the game by admitting that any chess player is dishonest? Its morals must be upheld!"

I remember seeing Harston's book. Wasn't it pretty much tongue-in-cheek?

Well, it had incontrovertible proof that Fischer sold his soul to the Devil in return for his wins in the Candidates matches. And it explains why he left chess forever after the Spassky match. (It was written in 1976.) I don't know if that's tongue in cheek. 

Hartston has some pearls of wisdom such as his chapter on Friendly games: "There is no such thing as a friendly game of chess".

And play with your opponent facing the sun?

That advice comes from a slightly older source.

wow

As you are a chess historian you must know the answer -- this was first purported by Lucena, right? Im having some misgivings that perhaps it was Philidor but I'd bet money it's Lucena. Is this correct?

Lol.  Most any Batgirl post you could choose is more interesting and informative than anything and everything in sum total you've ever posted here ;)...then again, that's not the highest bar to jump over.

 HA !

Ruy Lopez.  Or, so I've heard.

The D-train

Players who get advice from friends during a game, especially in a tournament as described, are basically scumbags. Judges should watch for that and stop people from giving hints.

I was fascinated by the expression "take the D train to the Bronx together" that Immerman used. And although a little sceptical of goon00's explanation initially, a quick look at the urban dictionary confirms it. But it just seems so out of place in the context of the article and publication. I really wonder if the editor knew what was implied by the expression.

Mia Immerman seems to have been an interesting woman. From Belgium, was a member of Queen's Chess Club in New York, and lectured about the Holocaust, Art, and Chess. Died in 2003.

What else do you know about her Batgirl?

Take the D train to the Bronx?  I haven't heard that one in years.  I almost spit coffee when I read that; great find.

I was at a tournament where one player (no naming and shaming, but he later became a GM) was giving moves to his two friends, one who was in the open section and the other in the reserve section, and, of course, they both won.  They were actually caught discussing moves in the bathroom, but there were no witnesses, and though every one who played there eventually knew what was going on, nothing could be done.

At the 2nd World Open (1974), there was an incident where half an hour after the round started, one side's clock showed 5 minutes used, the other side used 45 minutes!  With the old analog clocks, there were several ways to cheat with the clocks.  The simple way to not wind the side you would use--the slack spring ran slower.  That could be done between rounds.  The other way--adjusting the mechanism so the clocks run faster/slower--had to be done at home to be accurate, or else you run into the scenario I described above.  Ahhh, the old days.

"Now there are strict rules in the Olympiad with no talking allowed between team members"

I'm playing in the catalans team league. I enjoy with the atmosphere of my team. Every player have de duty of play his game and only his game without advices. However, in my opinion, ban any type of talk between team members kills the atmosphere and experience of be a team. 

In the Olmpiad each team has its own language so to prevent misunderstandings no talking is allowed.

I understand the point and is a difficult one. This is a Typical case of "the innocents pay for the sins of guilty". 

Thanks, goon00

A bit complicated I'd say. There's something similar about g2-g4, isn't it?

Pepette is not trying to upset you, Marco, she really just wants to know what the heck you're talking about. I understand her completely