FM Borislav Ivanov Disqualified

I like the notion that he is the world's greatest chess player that has ever lived, accuracy-wise, but is completely unable to count or tap his toe.

How would you explain his results in the Villava rapid... they scanned for devices, they delayed live broadcast, they had a 2 way mirror... and radio devices can be easily detected using even commercially available technology...

The only plausible explanation (if he is indeed cheating) is that he has the backing of a state or a large entity that is testing espionage devices... thats the only way this makes sense... and we are talking CIA, Mossad, KGB etc. etc.  because the kid earning 2000/mo in Bulgaria will not have the financial resources to source custom-made hi-tech devices that are undetectable to commercial scanners.

Which brings me back to Ocams razor... cut off complexities give a simpler theory.

You have to decide which assertion is more likely: That Ivanov can spontaneously play like houdini; or that Ivanov has found a way to cheat without being detected. While out of context neither one would necessarily be likely, we know at this point that one of them has to be true. The latter assertion only has to be somewhat more likely than the former to be plausible.

The latter assertion is easy enough, until you start looking into the logistics involved. Tapping is a joke, too much uncertainty. He needs to have a live transmission link and receive live visual or audial feed back. But he has to transmit live positions. Now, the device doesn't have to be big enough to film the thing, just big enough to take a picture of the position every 30sec (for example) and then relay the move.

Since his devices are indetectable, he must have access to non-commercial technology, meaning he has the backing of someone/something with resources (state agency, corporation etc.) for all we know it could be google testing its contact eye cameras. This seems a long shot. The Spanish organizers were ready for him and scanned all players thoroughly they found nothing. He was moving in 5 - 7sec, meaning tapping code is out of the question it has to be instant visual communication.

Either that or the guy is onto a new way to play the game.

Lolipop lolilov's assertions are rational, but they are based on a uncertain premise... That the only way to play computer moves is to have a computer... I am asserting an alternative premise... it might be possible through training to replicate computer algorithm OTB.

Anyway Lolipops arguments are way too fundamental. Strong play will necessarily correlate to software in most instances anyway. Also software does diviate given the same position at different times. Its not a mathematical formula.

So I don't say Lilov is wrong, I am just saying that the technology required to do what he says is way beyond the means of this kid... maybe there is another explanation to this.

OMG LOL

The comparison that makes it so odd to me is I don't go on a piano or tennis or whatever forum and talk about stuff I have no clue about.  If some 20 year veteran on a health food forum who is also a M.D. tells me I'm wrong I'm going to keep my mouth shut and ears open period.

So I have to go with firebrandx and for the sake of my faith in humanity assume that these persistent guys are simply trolls.

You are a rational person who doesn't think he has all the answers. Unfortunately, that's not so common. As Bertrand Russell said:

One of the painful things about our time is that those who feel certainty are stupid, and those with any imagination and understanding are filled with doubt and indecision.

I am undecided on this whole story, need more facts to make my mind up. Has Ivanov been willing to be tested immediatly after a won game, that is with metal detectors combined with full external body search and clothing/footware etc. It would be in his best interest to submit to this testing procedure to get this whole chapter in his life over and done with. The really strange thing I find about this particular case is that the perpertrator has not backed down and still has put his reputation on the line after been so portaryed in the chess media, all other cases of reported suspected cheats have seen the perpertrator pack his/her bags and not be seen or heard of again in the chess world. Sweeping this case under the mat by putting a ban on him for 4 months will not get a solution to this mess. 

or both.

there is an interesting question that is more general than this whole discussion. To what extent are we (humans) willing to accept invisible evidence ?

In case of the DNA test it took years until the law system acceoted it, although the test was safe.

In case of Ivanov it goes one step further: The chess variants (Millions and even Billions) that are calculated by Houdini can theoretically be printed out, these variants are the base of the statistical verdict by a cheat dtetcting program, and its verdict that it is impossible that Ivanov could get done the analytical work of Houdini by himself.  But which commission would be willing to go through hundreds of thousands of pages , just to confirm that both Houdini and the cheat detector worked correctly ?

In short, are we willing to accept computer assistence in proving a guilt,

or a Math theorem, or another scientific result, even if the reliability of this assistance is not 'evident' in the traditional way (not 'visible'), that is, the approval of the computer's work would take thousands of working hours of several persons, (who could do mistakes, because their check is only mechanical work !) ?

@FirebrandX, is it possible that he can look at a position and calculate its merits much the same way a machine could... there is much talk of a program looking through millions of positions etc... but out of the million maybe only 4 moves are good, and Ivanov has learnt to do this using a computer-like method. Yes this sounds absurd, but it is no more absurd than the assertion that he flew to Villava from Sophia with his accomplices and inserted some divice in his rectum that vibrates and communicates moves in 3sec, probably giving him orgasms in the process LOL, and is undetectable to the scanners they used.. all while he is making a move every 5-7sec... Thats more absurd in my opinion.

"Thats more absurd in my opinion."

I strongly disagree.

Impersonating someone will only get your account close, so how long do you think you last here ?

1. The earth is flat was a very rational theory that could have you whacked if you disagreed with it.

2. The sun goes round the earth - very rational just look at the sky

3. PCs have no future - IBM said this is 1986. Very rational - it was cheaper to have a server with terminals...

4. Computers work in magical ways and the human mind can't comprehend them - Lolipop Lolilov - (even though they are programmed by humans)

5. Computers calculate billions of variations and come up with 4 good moves... no human can do that. (a 0.000001% hit rate... wow!!)

6. He is intelligent enough to have some morse code vibrated through his a$$ which gives the position, move and gets feedback in less than 3sec.

7. He must have flown his accomplices to all major tournaments and rented out all possible hotels near the playing hall... all complete with radio divices, transmitters, computers, the works....

8. There is a camera in his eye - no kidding, I have a hole in my a$$ too...

9. Maybe he has invented new technology - and is interested in being humiliated by chess officials instead of selling and patenting that technology for millions...

COME on people... at least accept that no one knows whats going on and for all we know, Jesus Christ could be sending an angel to him every time he sits down to play chess...

For all you know maybe.  Others are much more informed.

You know firebrandX, he is both. 

If I were the coach of Bulgaria, then would I not let BorislavIvanov represent Bulgaria, because it would not be good for the team spirit and his results are too unpredictable.

First of all did he not display a GM-like understanding of chess before his first amazing tournament. Later on did he display a very un-GM-like understanding of chess. This is imo not possible within the same person.

I had once a very good football technique. That was more then 20 years ago. Since then is it slowly detoriating, because I am not actively supporting it anymore. Nevertheless, I still have a level of contact with the ball that grant me very precise passing skills and I normally play 'one touch one play'. There is a certain level of football that I will always have. My level in football was not that high as the level of a GM in chess, but it supports a basic level a lot of people do not have. I use that as an analogy, because I know that I my chess skills are too low to fully understand the situation. But using that analogy I can say that it is beyond imagination to think that the same person will one day be a super-GM and the next day will lose from a patzer like me. No way.

Come on, understand the impossibility of level change. Only if you have a bond with the devil, like Faust had, can you aim that high and fall so low.

Speaking of which, I guess he's never had a post-mortem with an opponent and talked the talk of a super GM level player--or regular GM--or IM.

Just as well. I think he'd just beep a lot.

more likely he'll use the engine to do all the talking.