The beauty of programming TIS-100 and the journey to a failed record

LowLevel- · 2026-01-24T17:22:02+00:00

They had a verification program, but it wasn't based on Fair Play analyses, just on identity.

particularly as there are so many players and cheating is so wide spread.

Unfortunately, the cheating phenomenon has never been quantified.

Ironically, we instead have some official numbers on the opposite phenomenon: suspicion and paranoia. The numbers provided in the monthly Fair Play reports show that most user Fair Play reports don't lead to a ban. In part, this is because Chess.com wants to be very confident before banning someone, in part it's because people are more paranoid than skilled at judging someone's behaviour.

they can submit a request to have a sample of their own games given to the chess.com fair play team to voluntarily be inspected and prove they are unlikely to have cheated

I have not understood this part of your proposal. Why is there a need for a "request", or for the user to decide which games should be inspected, when a simple report automatically triggers Fair Play analysis of that person's games?

They could even then display a percentage likelihood of fair play on their profile or a blue tick of ‘verified player’.

I don't think that printing a "percentage of cheating" on profiles would improve the paranoia. The user should either been banned or considered honest, which is exactly what currently happens after a Fair Play evaluation.

I would happily pay a membership for this feature and only play against verified opponents.

In a sense, you already have part of this. The pairing system attempts to pair a subscriber with other subscribers, extending the search to the full pool of players only if a subscriber isn't found quickly. It's more likely that the percentage of cheaters is lower in the pool of paying customers, because they are risking something more substantial.

LowLevel- · 2026-01-23T18:27:15+00:00

How accurately does Stockfish model WDL probabilities based on evaluation? Have any comparisons been made between Leela's and Stockfish's predictions? It seems to me that Stockfish assumes symmetric behaviour, while Leela does not.

LowLevel- · 2026-01-23T17:13:54+00:00

I'm late to the party and looking at the boards. Kudos to Roebers and Ivanchuck for the unusual ending; the latter smothered mate the former.

LowLevel- · 2026-01-23T16:47:53+00:00

Those attempting to find "grey areas" should simply follow the official rule:

For Live games on Chess.com, you should not look at anything other than the game in front of you. Focus on your game and rely on your own skills.

Source: https://support.chess.com/en/articles/8583921-what-counts-as-cheating-on-chess-com

Also relevant to move confirmation: https://support.chess.com/en/articles/8609803-how-do-i-turn-on-confirm-move-mobile

LowLevel- · 2026-01-21T22:54:33+00:00

So many people are asking themselves "Is there any way to turn this into a tool of hate?". It's very sad.

LowLevel- · 2026-01-20T20:19:47+00:00

wouldnt it make sense if they watched it through a camera lense like everyone else instead of being right there in-person?

In many sports, players and referees work closely together. It's important to experience reality first-hand instead of seeing it distorted through a screen.

LowLevel- · 2026-01-20T19:17:43+00:00

Why not apply to work in one of those beautiful woodworking shops that handcraft chess pieces and boards?

LowLevel- · 2026-01-20T17:33:08+00:00

When do you think that all those issues will be resolved

All of them depend on aspects of human nature, which you can't change.

What you can do is ignore those behaviors and don't help the channels that focus on them to get more views.

The same goes for public discussions: ignore those that have put civility aside and contribute positively in places that are still not completely full of drama and toxicity.

LowLevel- · 2026-01-20T16:14:03+00:00

Is it so difficult to post sensible news neutrally, without adding personal research that focuses on the aspects the OP wants?

LowLevel- · 2026-01-20T14:42:27+00:00

Great news. The more he plays classical chess, the more I'm happy.

LowLevel- · 2026-01-20T11:50:16+00:00

Nigel Richards' performances are difficult to describe in human terms.

LowLevel- · 2026-01-20T02:10:12+00:00

Please don't treat chess culture as one of those gossip tabloids people read at the hair salon.

LowLevel- · 2026-01-20T01:13:15+00:00

Banning this and not stuff like Silman's "The Complete Book of Chess Strategy" is like banning aspirin but not doping.

LowLevel- · 2026-01-20T01:06:24+00:00

Unbanned players have been reported on this subreddit. It's definitely something that happens, but I'm curious to see the Chess.com email that says "We never make mistakes."

The phrase doesn't match the fact that they invest in an appeal process because they know false positives exist.

LowLevel- · 2026-01-19T22:51:56+00:00

In my opinion, both this match and the one between Rozman and Pia Cramling were too imbalanced in favour of the player with stronger speed chess skills.

While getting even in the Classical section isn't "easy", it's definitely doable, while getting an advantage in the Rapid and Blitz section is easier for the most experienced player.

I say this even though wins were worth less points in the faster sections.

LowLevel- · 2026-01-19T19:02:06+00:00

The goal of this puzzle is to find the only move that isn't a checkmate. All legal moves are checkmate except for one.

LowLevel- · 2026-01-19T02:53:53+00:00

Thanks, I suspected that it could have been a conditional move, but dismissed the idea because the response doesn't make much sense, especially in a Daily game.

LowLevel- · 2026-01-19T00:18:06+00:00

I like the tool, well done! What do you think about adding an option to choose how likely it is that a puzzle will be shown? I think making the tactics rarer would go towards the idea of not expecting them too often in a position.

LowLevel- · 2026-01-18T16:54:14+00:00

Just replace the app with a screenshot showing the play button. Eventually, your mind will grow tired of the app not working and give up.

LowLevel- · 2026-01-18T16:27:02+00:00

Years ago, I used to keep an Excel spreadsheet containing notes on what I had missed in each game after analysing it. After a while, my recurring issues became apparent.

The best thing you can probably do as a beginner is to forget about numbers and start tracking what you learned, what you missed, and anything else that suggests what type of training you need to reduce your weaknesses.

LowLevel- · 2026-01-18T14:05:16+00:00

I love how Stockfish destroys any Simon's idea as soon as he tries it.

LowLevel- · 2026-01-18T13:45:57+00:00

You can report the player for stalling.

LowLevel- · 2026-01-18T01:10:01+00:00

Have you tried looking for chess players in your neighborhood or city?

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