Thursday, March 28, 2013

CHEATING IN CHESS


Telegraph.co.uk
Thursday 28 March 2013

Chess cheating cases over the years

Over the years there have been many high profile and intriguing case of cheating in chess, using differing levels of sophistication.

Over the years there have been many high profile and intriguing case of cheating in chess, using differing levels of sophistication.
Wired-up chess player banned
In January 2007, an Indian chess player who stitched a mobile phone ear-piece into his baseball cap to get assistance from an accomplice with a computer was banned from the game for ten years. Umakant Sharma, 25, came under suspicion after he suddenly began thrashing players who were ranked many places above him - winning the All-Indian Chess Championship despite being ranked outside the world's top 50,000 players only a year previously.
Text message moves
At the Dubai Open in 2008, M Sadatnajafi, an Iranian player ranked 2288 at the time, was disqualified from the tournament after he was caught allegedly receiving suggested moves by text message on his mobile phone while playing Grandmaster Li Chao. The game was being streamed live on the internet and it was alleged that his friends were following it at home, mirroring the game using a computer programme and sending moves by text message.
‘Phonito’ device
In Philadelphia World open 2006, a lower ranked player called Steve Rosenberg was leading before the final round. Suspicions of the organising committee led the tournament director to confront him. He was found to be using a covert wireless transmitter and receiver called a "Phonito" and was disqualified from the event.
PlayStation
In the 2009 Norths Chess Club Centenary Year Under 16 Tournament in Sydney, a 14-year old player was caught using what the tournament official called a “hand held machine” in the toilets. He was found to be using a program called Chessmaster on his PlayStation Portable to get an unfair advantage.

CHESS IN SCHOOL


Telegraph.co.uk
Thursday 28 March 2013

Armenia makes chess compulsory for school children

Armenia, one of the world players in chess, has made it mandatory in school for ages seven to nine.

Armenia makes chess compulsory for school children
Armenian authorities say teaching chess in school is about building character, not breeding chess champs Photo: GETTY IMAGES
Chess is a national obsession in the country of three million.
The passion was fostered in modern times by the exploits of chess champion Tigran Petrosian, who won the world championship in 1963 and then successfully defended his title three years later.
In July, a six-person national squad came first at the World Team Chess Championship in Ningbo, China. The returning players and their coach were greeted as heroes and collectively awarded $20,000 (£12,600). That group included up-and-coming player Levon Aronian, 28, who is currently rated third in the World Chess Federation's rankings.
Armenian authorities say teaching chess in school is about building character, not breeding chess champs.
The education minister says taking the pastime into classrooms will help nurture a sense of responsibility and organization among schoolchildren, as well as serving as an example to the rest of the world.
"We hope that the Armenian teaching model might become among the best in the world," Armen Ashotyan told The Associated Press.
Half a million dollars were allocated to the national chess academy to draw up a course, create textbooks, train instructors and buy equipment. Another $1 million went toward buying furniture for chess classrooms.
Eight-year-old chess whiz David Ayrapetyan said he wants an opponent worthy of his skills
His father, Arman, is happy to put up with the boy's incessant pleas for him to find better opponents. He thinks chess is good for him no matter what the future holds.
"Even if he doesn't become a grandmaster, chess will teach him to think logically and improvise, as those are indispensable qualities in life," he said.