How to Cheat in Chess: Is It Possible? Is It Easy?

Chess is one of the oldest games in existence. It has been around for hundreds of years, and the best players are held in reverence. Sadly some people would like to get to the top of the game through cheating. Although it is a game 100% about skill, you can learn how to cheat in chess.

Cheating in chess occurs online and at live tournaments. Although it is easier and more prevalent online, there have been several cheating scandals at live tournaments in recent history. Notably, World Champion Magnus Carlsen accused Hans Niemann of cheating after a loss. Although the accusation has not been proven, many believe Carlsen’s accusation.

That is not the only cheating scandal to pop up throughout chess’s vast history. Several other incidents have occurred. Players have used several methods to cheat and gain advantages even before the computer era. So, can you learn how to cheat in chess? We will delve into the most popular methods.

FAQs

Find below some common questions related to how to cheat in chess.

Is 99% accuracy cheating chess?

A player that has an accuracy of 99% is not necessarily cheating. But a player that doesn’t make any mistakes throughout the game is at least suspicious.

Can Chesskid.com detect cheating?

Chesskid might detect cheating because they use several pieces of software to analyze the moves and look for suspicious behaviour.

How does Chess.com detects cheating?

Chess.com uses technology that can predict human chess moves. If a player repeatedly makes moves that are not standard, they could be cheating.

What Is Cheating in Chess?

Cheating in chess is a direct violation of the rules of chess. It occurs when a player tries to gain an unfair advantage over their opponent. It can occur in many forms but usually involves collusion with other players or spectators. Some players will use electronic tools to simulate moves to gain an advantage.

Other types of cheating include rating manipulation and breaking the touch-move rule. Players guilty of breaking the rules can receive temporary or permanent bans from chess tournaments.

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Although it is a game 100% about skill, you can learn how to cheat in chess.

The #1 Reason People Choose To Cheat in Chess

People cheat in chess for many reasons, but they all come down to one thing. The players want to win games they would otherwise lose.

They want to improve their rating but do not trust their knowledge and skill to win. As a result, they learn to cheat to gain an advantage.

Sandbagging

Sandbagging is one of the most obnoxious methods of cheating because there is very little you can do about it. It is when a player intentionally loses matches to deflate their rating. Players do this so that they can get more favorable matchups when important tournament games come around.

Sandbagging is much more prevalent in younger players than with grandmasters. Young players can sandbag so that they can stay in lower divisions. That way, they can outperform players in the lower division, winning the tournament. It is a disgraceful way to win. Fortunately, tournament officials have improved at catching players who purposefully lose.

Unfortunately, there are more subtle ways of sandbagging. Notably, some players will accept draws in slightly favorable positions against weaker players. Rather than playing for a likely win, they will deflate their rating by taking the tie.

Finally, some players will sandbag their rating by refusing to play some matches.

Cheating When They Go to the Bathroom

Although players found ways to cheat before the digital age, almost all cheating these days involves a computer. While some players get assistance throughout the entire game, it is not necessary for closely matched players.

When a player is in a sticky situation, they can go to the bathroom. While in the bathroom, they can run several moves through a chess simulation engine on a hidden phone to determine the best option.

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Keeping a Hidden Device on the Player’s Person

Hidden devices are common in cheating scandals. When some players are faced with a difficult opponent, they will keep a small device on their person. Usually, the device will be a transmitter of some sort so that it can receive messages from an accomplice. The accomplice will run the game through a simulation engine and assist the player. Unfortunately, it is not challenging to hide a device in smaller tournaments.

Getting Outside Assistance

The most common way to cheat in chess is with some sort of outside assistance. Many of the methods we discussed above require collusion with someone. However, you can receive assistance without using a digital device. There are many examples of cheating throughout history without using hidden devices.

Notably, there have been instances of players receiving visible assistance from someone in the crowd. Players can set up a system of visual cues that will indicate to them when to make certain moves or adjustments.

Cheating in Online Chess

Unfortunately, cheating in online chess is very common. Players can use any number of devices and tools to gain an advantage when playing online. As a result, online tournaments are not highly regarded among professional players. When playing online, players can easily run each move through a chess engine to find the best move. By running their moves through an engine, they will rarely lose.

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Tips for Successfully Cheating in Chess

To successfully cheat in chess, you will need an accomplice. Although you can cheat without outside help, you will not be as effective. So, regardless of your method of choice, you should find an accomplice.

With that in mind, we do not encourage anyone to cheat in chess. If you want to reach the top of the ladder, do it legitimately. Take the time to improve, and you will feel better about yourself.

There are plenty of resources available for people to improve their chess skills. If you take the time to find the best tools online, you can improve your rating at an incredible rate. Amphy is a great place to learn, practice, and improve your chess skills. They provide lots of lessons and tips to players.

If you want to learn and improve at chess, visit Amphy today!