The world chess federation (FIDE) is assembling a team of 10 experts for a mission impossible:
To find a way to detect computer-aided cheating that is undetectable — except by another computer.
When cyber-cheating began in tournaments 15 years ago, players left clumsy clues:
They took frequent bathroom breaks. Or they wore unusual headgear, even with visible wires. Or they took long “thinks” to choose forced moves.
But the recent success of a Bulgarian amateur, Borislav Ivanov, has everyone stumped.
Critics say Ivanov must be cheating when he beats higher-rated players because his moves conform too closely to that of the best programs.
But Ivanov, 25, denies any wrongdoing, and there is nothing suspicious in his behavior or appearance — except for his moves.
He plays quickly, sometimes taking just 10 seconds a move — too fast to consult a machine. His clothing has been searched to no avail. He even took X-rays and a CT scan to rule out a body implant.
The simple solution for the FIDE committee is controversial and probably illegal: imposing a rule that says anyone who plays “computer moves” too often is by definition a cheat — even if there is no other proof.