The perception of cheating levels is orders of magnitude more than the actual amount. The vast majority of games and players are clean.
https://support.chess.com/article/648-what-do-i-need-to-know-about-fair-play-on-chess-com
https://www.chess.com/article/view/online-chess-cheating
https://www.chess.com/article/view/chesscom-update-november-2025#FairPlay
The site closed over 105,000 accounts in October for fair play violations and has a full team of staff working on reports along with some automated systems for detection.
https://www.chess.com/article/view/fair-play
https://www.chess.com/cheating
That said, discussions of cheating, potential cheating, or cheat detection are not allowed in the general forums. If you would like to discuss join the following club.
https://www.chess.com/club/cheating-forum
I'm playing under 1k. Lol.
How these people cheat?
I play average games for fun, without learning complex opening, and i know how my opponents usually play.
90% openings? Pawn E or D 2 poles straight. No matter how many games you play. 9% 1 pole straight so they don't need build complex defense.
Before how players play here i write how ppl play first knight.
90% knight is placed first time at rook column, so they have far away figure. No matter how much times they play its most of time.
10% before bishop because they lack figures to defend openings.
Here? 90% horse first before bishop first without moving rooks. Its not normal, players never do something like that before they learn chess many hours opening and many plays.
Second opening. Always, always, only when someone specially want play different, white and black first move is to middle of chessboard on E/D, or 1 position to not defend too complex.
Yeah how they defend? They defend board with 1 figure, only 2 max 3 after many moves is defended by 2 figures. 3 is max. How? Easy. They defend when you move pieces and they don't defend with complex strategy and think about your next 2 or 3 moves.
Yeah, i moved from 1100 or 1200 when i created account to 400 ranking back, i play now 5 min chess.
Why 5 min?
Because when you play with easier opponents they need think 30 to 60 seconds about new strategy, and 2 or 3 good moves finish them quickly.
They cannot create quickly good defense, every good or better move cost them many times to react. Not here. They on quick matches can make good and wuick decision on rating lower than 1000.
Chess are patterns, someone is very rare banned, but here play too many cheaters and chess.com don't have patterns how average games are played, but only base how cheaters usually play and never ban them.