Jonathan Speelman on Chess
Sunday December 31, 2006
The Observer
2006 has in chess terms been above all the ‘Year of the Computer’: the computer both as fearsome adversary and more importantly a powerful tool which can potentially be used to cheat.
Whereas other sports fret about drugs, this is a complete non-issue in chess and players have to undergo testing in some official competitions merely as a sop to the Olympic Committee and WADA. However the use of computers is not only technically quite possible but has also been detected in isolated cases in Open tournaments. It’s therefore perfectly reasonable that players should have to pass through a metal detector in the most serious of competitions. Moreover, the various allegations about cheating at the highest level, while I believe them to be utterly baseless, have certainly not come out of thin air.
The imbroglio during the Kramnik v Topalov match this October was fuelled initially by a whispering campaign against Topalov himself, following his sterling victory at the world championship tournament in San Luis in Argentina, last October.
It was suggested that Topalov had improved ‘too much’ and must therefore have been receiving help. Some of this emanated from Russian sources and while Kramnik himself was certainly not involved, it surely provided some motivation for the campaign that Topalov’s manager Silvio Danailov unleashed in Elista as he alleged quite openly that Kramnik was going to the toilet in order to receive help from ‘Fritz’.
It’s recently been confirmed that a ‘UTP-5’ computer cable was found in the suspended ceiling above Kramnik’s toilet during the inspection at Elista. This was hardly a revelation in a theatre building (and indeed, if you’re into conspiracies, could even have been planted). But it does explain the vehemence of the Topalov camp’s protests at a supremely tense time when it was all too easy for paranoia to take over.
FIDE’s response was to hush the matter up and it’s further come to light that two members of the second appeals committee (after the first one was ‘voluntarily’ disbanded) sent a letter offering to resign when they heard about this.
So it’s true that kramnik cheated.
Kinda disappointed. I was thinking that Jonathon Speelman was going to at least add his opinion on this matter of computer cheating in open tournaments, instead of just re-gurgitating old history.
In the long run, technology may make cheating at chess unstoppable. I don’t know when ti will happen, but I can imagine a time when access to computer information is available simply by ‘thinking’ about what you want to know.
Very important detail has been confirmed by GM JS – UT5 connector
and resignation of members of 2nd appeal comitee.
It has been very controversial not to say scandal match, I doubt if the result is being right.
P.
If this is true Kramnik isn’t the World Champion, Topolov is…
What is interesting about the UTP-5 computer cable is that it is superfluous overkill. The implication is that a computer was attached to the cable when all that was needed was a more rudimentary system to telegraph the moves to Kramnik. It seems very unlikely that Kramnik would be running the computer himself during the match. The UTP-5 is probably a red herring.
we see now why Kramnik refused his restroom being checked.
It only confirms once again that Kramnik cheated.
Yes friends…some people play fair and some people cheat.
Some people break the law…and some people don’t.
Some people have children…and some people don’t.
Some people drive cars…and some people don’t.
Some people go to school…and some people don’t.
Some people prefer water to wine…and some people don’t.
Some people have brown hair…and some people don’t.
Some people live North of the equator…and some people don’t.
Some people believe in a religion…and some people don’t.
Some people scuba dive…and some people don’t.
Some people like school…and some people don’t.
Some people play badminton…and some people don’t.
Some people swim…and some people don’t.
Some people vote…and some don’t.
Some people grow up with two parents…and some people don’t.
Some people have enough to eat…and some people don’t.
Some people easily influence other people…and some people don’t.
Some people start rumors to garner attention…and some people don’t.
Some people eat too much…and some people don’t.
Some people drink too much…and some people don’t.
Some people work hard…and some people don’t.
Some people provide their parents in their old age…and some people don’t.
Some people wash their hands after going to bathroom…and some people don’t.
— More to be revealed soon…
Let us get to the truth of the matter.
NO ONE CHEATED.
There done. This has all been discussed in detail elsewhere. NO ONE CHEATED.
Kramnik was not responsible for cables in a building. such cables would be in all office type buildings. Besides the cable was cut. No one was able to attach to the dumb cable. and the cable did not have chess information on it.
Let’s be real. Kramnik did not cheat and Topalov does not believe Kramnik cheated.
If Kramnik cheated, he would not have blundered the way he did, several times. Topalov lost because he played badly.
Jonathan Speelman notes:
“Veselin Topalov (Black to play)
Vladimir Kramnik (White)
In a position which was probably lost anyway, Topalov blundered with
44…Rxc5? and after
45 Rb7+! he resigned.”
Would anyone accept his opponent goes to the bathroom 50 times during one game?
And moreover refuses his restroom being checked?
There’s a misunderstanding here.
Kramnik went to his restroom after his moves. There, he walked around the rest room, including in and out of this bathroom.
Looks innocent to me. Anyways, this is old news.
ggrayggray,
Jonathon Speelman *has* added his opinion: He thinks neither Topalov nor Kramnik ever cheated.
It’s interesting to remember that Topalov was the first one accused of cheating … accusations coming from Spain, not Russia. Topalov is the one whose game and elo seemed to improve as by magic.
In Elista, Kramnik made several blunders, which is convincing evidence that he was not being assisted.
In the end, Topalov lost on a blunder.
In the end, Topalov is wasting his time trying to create a “Kramnik-Topalov Dual”.
He has destroyed his reputation, while Kramnik, with a little stability, will prove he isn’t cheating.
On the other hand, the focus might very well be on Anand in the future, and HE has an flawless reputation !
what im really concerned about is cheating in chess . particularly the cheating that was uncovered by the indian player.im sure if he has been caught theres plenty of others doing the same. what kind of measures will the head of any chess organization do to guarantee no cheating. i dont care whether it is uscf or fide but someone must stop this plague. The game’s value is at stake. people keep finding ingenious methods to cheat so that theres no way to tell if the person is a good player or a good cheater.
>> Let’s be real. Kramnik did not cheat and Topalov does not believe Kramnik cheated.
Well, let’s be real: All evidence points out that Kramnik cheated.