Accusations through the years
1972: In a match against Boris Spassky, Bobby Fischer was accused of using electronic devices or chemical substances to weaken Spassky. Fischer’s chair was X-rayed and dismantled, as were some lighting fixtures. Two dead flies were all that was found in the lights.
1978: Anatoly Karpov brought a parapsychologist to stare at his opponent, Viktor Korchnoi, during a match. Korchnoi was convinced that his opponent was trying to hypnotize him. He also claimed that Karpov’s team was giving Karpov hints based on the flavors of yogurt he got during the match. A referee ruled that the yogurt had to be delivered early on for each game.
1997: After IBM computer Deep Blue beat Garry Kasparov, the latter claimed that IBM may have cheated by using a human to help the computer make moves at critical moments.
July 2006: Two players were accused of using electronic devices to cheat at the World Open tournament in Philadelphia. One was wearing an earpiece, through which advice could have been transmitted, his accusers claimed. The investigation is on-going.
Did the Soviets collude at chess? It all adds up, WU researchers conclude
By Kavita Kumar
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
10/15/2006
The world championship chess match that wrapped up last week in Elista, Russia, will be remembered for the unusual accusation that a player got help from a computer during his frequent – supposedly 50-plus – bathroom breaks.
The accusations were never substantiated and play resumed after a short protest, which resulted in a time log of the bathroom breaks and a request to use a shared, rather than private, bathroom.
The episode may seem at odds with the seemingly genteel world of chess. But sports fans disillusioned by the doping scandals in more popular American pastimes may take some solace – or further insult – in the bizarre behavior and accusations of cheating that have peppered the history of this game.
Now, two Washington University economics professors say they have strong evidence, with the help of statistics, that the game indeed has not always been pure.
Their study suggests that chess players in the former Soviet Union colluded by taking early draws against each other to increase the chances of Soviet success in international competitions.
The rest can be read here.
not to forget the russion cheating in a candidates tourney in curacao, drawing their games. This was an accusation of Fischer.
and dont forget with the Kasparov-DeepBlue case, that IBM was not able and refused to reproduce the moves of the comp later on or to publish the log files
In the latter case, IBM published the log files with a great delay, 3 years later, which brought further suspicions on log being doctored.
they published some logs, but as I remember Kasparov was complaining not to be the ones he wanted or something else was wrong with the logs
>>
not to forget the russion cheating in a candidates tourney in curacao, drawing their games. This was an accusation of Fischer.
>>
That was sour grapes on Fischer’s part. Very effective too, since 40 years later, people tend to just take Fischer’s word on it.
Actually, his claim wasn’t that he lost because of GM draws. He claimed that Korchnoi made up for the draws by throwing games to the others. Even Fischer doesn’t believe that any more.
In the same article, he did a really tacky hit on Botvinnik, claiming that Botvinnik was old, washed up and that he (Fischer) could spot Botvinnik 2 points and still beat him. Since Botvinnik wasn’t even at Curacao this should show you where Fischer’s head was at at the time.
Lets look at this Kramnik-Topalov match….if Topalov was an American and Kramnik
was English
Would Putin have talked to Kirsam and replaced the officials after a few games
After the FIDE had Accepted an Official Complaint and Acted on that Complaint
By closing Kramniks rest room and then Reversing
the Official Decision
Because if all this… there is Dought, Uncertainty,Suspicion..eg 50 rest room visits in one game..does look odd..does not look right..is he getting help??..surly not..maybe he is..what’s going on…Ok let’s complain.
Putin would not have cared less or acted if the players
were English or American
The USA and Enland would have told Putin and Kirsam were to go if the players were Enlish or American and righly so..
But Topalov a Bulgerian who cares what happens to him
after all they can turn his gas off or anything
As long as mother Russia holds and controls chess and
the FIDE and Kirsam
The rest of the world should voice their disgust about it….
REMEMBER THIS IT WAS KREMNIK
WHO PROVOKED ALL THIS WITH
HIS REST ROOM BREAKS
THE FIDE SHOULD HAVE ACTED
ON THAT KIND OF SUSPICIUS
BEHAVEOUR AND NOT WAITED FOR TOPOLOV TO COMPAIN
This yoghurt story comes up so often, and so few people remember that Ray Keene made that protest as a light-hearted way of diffusing the tension between the the two camps.
“Because if all this… there is Dought, Uncertainty,Suspicion..eg 50 rest room visits in one game..does look odd..”
Not really, considering that a) there weren’t 50 visits, there were 3 all on the same move. They extrapolated it out to 50 per game, and b) Topalov admitted that he’d overreacted and didn’t really believe the charge.
“REMEMBER THIS IT WAS KREMNIK
WHO PROVOKED ALL THIS WITH
HIS REST ROOM BREAKS”
Nah. Topalov himself admitted that wasn’t true:
“Topalov: Perhaps it sounded too emotional; it is nothing for me to be proud of. I shook hands with Kramnik, and the match continued. I believe that his play is fair, and my decision to continue the match proves it. We are humans, and sometimes we make mistakes.”
“Reporter: So you agree that you flew into a passion?”
“Topalov: Yes, clearly.”
(From the Game 6 Press Conference)
“THE FIDE SHOULD HAVE ACTED
ON THAT KIND OF SUSPICIUS
BEHAVEOUR AND NOT WAITED FOR TOPOLOV TO COMPAIN”
Because there was nothing suspicious about it. Both the players and the rooms had been checked out with metal detectors beforehand. No matter how you slice it, Topalov is in the wrong here.
Rules should be in place to prevent the playing of off-the-board mind games.
Rules should be in place to prevent cheating.
Consequence for offenders should be severe to prevent anyone from trying.
LOL
Fischer Rules!
He is the true World Champion!
Never been beaten over the board by any cheating Russians with pre-arranged games such as Karpov and Kasparov!
Just ask Korchnoi or Spassky!
“REMEMBER THIS IT WAS KREMNIK
WHO PROVOKED ALL THIS WITH
HIS REST ROOM BREAKS”
I can see why you’re upset. Kramnik not only beat your boy, he beat him twice. In a handicap match.
He beat him 6-5 in a handicap match where he had to play 3 straight blacks, and Topalov got an extra white. Then he turned around and beat Topalov again in an unnecessary Rapids playoff.
Not only did Topalov’s cheating bring him victory, it’s brought him censure from the world chess community, denunciation from the ACP, and a possible ban from tournament play.
You should be mad. You should be very mad. At yourself.
That was sour grapes on Fischer’s part. Very effective too, since 40 years later, people tend to just take Fischer’s word on it.
I disagree. Fischer had every reaosn to suspect they were cheating and teh evidence supports him.
All the soviet payers in that tournamnet drew every single game they played with each other. That doesn’t strike you as odd?
Even if it was a huge coincidence, it wasn’t mere sour grapes for Fischer, but a legitimate suspicion.
1972: russians whine.
1978: russians whine.
1997: russians whine.
What do they have in common? hmmm…
For anyone interested, there was a documentary about Kasparov and Deep Blue called “Game Over: Kasparov and the Machine” that came out in 2003.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0379296/