The media always runs whatever direction it prefers, and so some cheating cases get broad coverage (at least in English), and some none at all. For instance, the case (back in May) with Кристина Виньковская (Christina Vinkovskaya) was barely mentioned outside Russian sources (and even there was not very newsworthy it seems). http://chess-news.ru/node/18992
More recently (a few days ago), Arcangelo Ricciardi has been expelled from the Imperia Festival. He had a hidden camera in a pendant, and a microchip under the arm, from what I can tell. Searches found nothing, but then they splurged and a metal detector did the trick. Nothing was admitted, he simply left the scene, and will face later charges presumably. http://www.messaggeroscacchi.it/?p=5384
More cheating
Re: More cheating
It seems that Ricciardi was previously sanctioned (on July 7) with a "deplorazione" for not showing for the final round game in a Milan tournament at the end of June, and not informing the arbiter. http://www.federscacchi.it/doc/GSN/d201 ... 015_10.pdf
Re: More cheating
Has now made it to English media: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldne ... ndant.html
I especially like the way the Telegraph URL accidentally says "Bulgarian"... (and that the reporter thinks the Imperia Chess Festival "attracts some of the biggest names in the sport" -- there were 2 GMs in the event, the winner being rated 2437).
I especially like the way the Telegraph URL accidentally says "Bulgarian"... (and that the reporter thinks the Imperia Chess Festival "attracts some of the biggest names in the sport" -- there were 2 GMs in the event, the winner being rated 2437).
Re: More cheating
This article points out that Ricciardi was caught largely for going overboard, and then later contains a call for more measures like metal detectors.
"Little" cheaters are the most dangerous ones
This time, Ricciardi made it easy for the arbiters to discover the trick, as he clearly employed the system in every game he played, perhaps even in every move he played, as evidence was given that his choices very often coincide with the chess engines' choices. But what if a player more smartly employs chess engines only from time to time, let's say 4-5 times during a whole tournament, but he uses them when he mostly needs them, that is, in the key moments of his games? In this way, a player can steal only 1 or 1,5 points in the whole tournament, too little for being noticed by people, but quite enough for cheating his opponents, for altering the regular conduct of the tournament and for deceitfully winning prizes. In these cases, comparing the player's moves with those suggested by engines, is completely useless, because everybody can make good moves, perhaps by chance, at some stage of the game.
Re: More cheating
Ricciardi has responded to the allegations.
