In 2021, the world was plagued by the Covid-19 virus. For chess players, this meant a stop to face-to-face tournaments, so they turned to playing on the Internet. Online chess experienced a huge influx of players, people trapped at home, sitting at computers turned to the game of chess en masse. Both professionals and beginners played on the Internet, championships and tournaments were organized online. Also some Indian organized charity simulcast with five times world champion Viswanathan Anand. Due to this event, on June 13, 2021, the world was shocked by one of the most peculiar cases of cheating in the history of chess.
The charity event, which was watched live by thousands of fans and commented by chess experts, and where the money raised was to be donated to the Indian Red Cross, saw the former world champion perform for five Indian celebrities – a Bollywood actor, two singers, a cricket star, a film producer and a billionaire. Anand himself is also one of the most well-known celebrities in India with a large fan base. In front of a large audience, three of the champion’s opponents were so eager to prove themselves as great chess players that they used computer programs to outplay the Indian chess legend. One of them – Nikhil Kamath, known as the youngest Indian billionaire – succeeded.
Cheating in chess is nothing new. Live tournaments have long been rocked by major and minor cheating scandals.
2023-10-16 21:03:00
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