Cheating chess player loses mobile phone gambit
By K.R. Nayar, Senior Reporter
Published: April 16, 2008, 00:17
Dubai: A chess player from Iran, who cheated using his mobile phone to try and win a game, was chucked out of the Dubai Open Chess tournament.
M. Sadatnajafi, with an Elo rating of 2301, while playing against Chinese Grandmaster Li Chao, made his moves based on the text messages he received on his mobile phone.
Chief arbiter Casto Abundo, confirming the incident, said: “As per the International Chess Federation (FIDE) laws, no player is supposed to use the mobile phone while playing. The matter is still being investigated and a report is being forwarded to the FIDE for further action,” said Abundo.
Sadatnajafi is alleged to have followed instructions from some top player in Iran while playing against Chao. This match was relayed live on the internet and his friend, closely following his moves on the web, guided Sadatnajafi accordingly.
Sadatnajafi had made only 10 moves when he was caught looking into his mobile handset. When confronted, he immediately dropped his cellphone.
On examining the handset, it was found that he had received SMS instructions in Farsi. The identity of the friend who had sent the text messages is still to be known.
Losing the title
Chao went on to tie for the top position, but lost the title owing to Wesley So’s better technical count.
In December 2006, Indian chess player Umakant Sharma was banned for 10 years by the All Indian Chess Federation for using a bluetooth headset sewn into a cap to get help from a computer.
Sharma’s friends relayed moves made by a computer programme to him through the bluetooth set.
Sadatnajafi may also face a ban or may even lose his rating.
Source: www.gulfnews.com
There are better and more technical ways to cheat at chess.
Just ask Danilov. (>_
GM Li Chao is blind, so I guess M. Sadatnajafi thought that his opponent won’t notice him looking at mobile phone 🙂
Even if actual cheating does not occur, the perception that it might have occurred could be very damaging to chess — in that sponsorship money could be discontinued.
If an easy and effective anti-cheating step is available, but the Touranment Organizer does not bother to implement the step, does the T.O. share some of the blame for the disrepute that chess suffers when a player cheats at the T.O.’s tournament?
And no, I do not mean body pat-downs for cell phones.
GeneM
I’m really surprised. I’ve met Mohammed Sadatnajafi several times in turnaments (twice in Dubai in earlier years) and he is a very pleasant, easy going guy who never got brilliant results and seemed to just enjoy the game. At least, that was my impression. Im really surprised.