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By International Master Jimmy Liew
Game
Fixing
It seems that more and more we are reading
about cases of cheating. Most of it
are due to advances in computers and technology. You can have a
powerful chess program on a palm pilot or handheld and sneak into the
toilet for a quick check. Even a decade ago, these type of gadgets did
not exist.
Nowadays , tournament officials are much wiser
and it will be impossible to carry one of this with you to a game. Of
course, there are other forms of cheating which have existed for much
longer. Not so long ago the Philippines Chess Federation imposed a ban
on some of its players. It seems that they colluded by fixing their
games.
These type of cheating has been going on for a
long time. I have experienced it first hand.
The year was 1984 and the tournament the
Parkways Parade International Open in Singapore. A large contingent of
Filipinos were present as the prize fund was very attractive. Now,
these were some of the strongest players in this tournament and
inevitably they were paired against each other as the tournament
progressed, I felt that games amongst them always ended in favour of
the player who had the most chance of winning the highest prizes. I
suspected that they played as a team, with the strategy of winning the
most prizes and sharing amongst themselves.
I was in good form and met five of the
Filipinos, losing one and winning the rest. Near the end, it turned
into a race between one of the Filipinos (the one who
beat me) and myself. In the final round we were leading the
tournament with the same number of points. At that time I felt that it
was quite unfair. I had to fight off five Filipinos to get to the top,
while my competitor had quite an easy time against his fellow
countrymen.
Thus, the scene was set for this week’s
game. I was paired against IM Tan Lian Ann in the last round. I only
needed a draw to secure my second (and final) IM norm.
It was quite a quandary for me. If I took a
draw I was certain I could only get a share of second prize. The night before the game, I pondered on the situation. Try for the
win or take a safe draw?
Finally I
decided that I will try to win to get my share of first place.
Jimmy Liew - Tan
Lian Ann 1984
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