Evan facing Klassic Krasik
Jay playing Denys Shmelov
Greg Braylovsky playing Dave Vigorito
I brought a candy bar to the match: Poprocks chocolate bar. It melts on your tongue and then it starts popping.
Jay enjoys poprocks chocolate.
John Fernandez is team capain for the match.
Evan and Jay playing.
Greg Bravlovsky and Alex Shabalov playing. Jfern relays moves.
Alex Shabalov 
Jfern
42 comments:
Looks like Jay fell asleep again during his game. But the chocolate woke him up thats the best opponent Boston can give to THE BONE!
Boston Blitz Smashed The New York Knights!
Hey,
Why are some New York Knights accusing the Blitz of cheating?
What gives?
Jason
The Shabalov game was intense and very enjoyable to follow. Best of all, Boston won! Congrats to ALL the players for a fun evening.
Brian Lafferty
Because they can't bear the thought that we're simply better than them, with more will to win, so they try to ruin the reputation of one of our players, and the entire league, with completely false and highly inflammatory allegations.
It's completely sickening and I demand an apology from Charbonneau and Nakamura.
There's no place for this.
-Matt Phelps
Manager, Boston Blitz
Well with Nakamura is simply expect it, after watching him accuse pretty much every single GM that beats him on ICC, he even accuses his friends if they win god forbid, but with Charbonno if it is true, it maybe a case of sour grapes from last year...Since he was never previously defeated by a Boston player. Funny that both of these players were not even in NY, I didnt hear Shabalov b,,,t and moan... Still I dont think they are realizing what a pandora box they are opening with these accusations. Boston has Chris Bird watching one of the most respected TD's in the country, he was even video taping some of Jorge's game.
No one who was actually playing in the New York match had any such feeling about the games.
But Charbonneau is a prominent member of that team, and represents them as far as I'm concerned.
He should be ashamed of himself for getting sucked into Nakamura's cesspool of paranoia.
I still demand an apology from him and the NY team manager, his wife, IM Krush.
-Matt
Okay, I don't speak for anyone else, but my take on the cheating accusation:
First, let me say that accusing someone of cheating is obviously a serious thing to do.
What happened as I understand it is: a NY manager and another strong player were watching the game and had Rybka on at the same time, and noticed that Jorge's moves matched Rybka's first choice 100% (almost 100%? I hear different things) of the time from move 14 onwards. So put yourself in their situation: what are you going to do? Keep in mind that the position is very complicated and the moves are not easy to find, but that Rybka's move is played every single time. Are you really going to *not even ask* the arbiter?
Now, undeniably, there is some slippage between asking the arbiter to investigate and accusing someone of cheating, but I could see the whole thing starting as a question and becoming an accusation in the retelling.
I would also say that it's not the whole NY team who believes this. I was at the match and no one present thought the game was dubious. In particular, Alex said flatly that he was not suspicious and that the overlap with Rybka was not surprising given the forced nature of many of the lines. (I think Jorge made close to the same point in his interview.)
I personally have no doubt that Jorge was playing fairly. Mostly because I can't imagine anyone being smart/obsessed enough to make an undetectable cheating system/ get electronics implanted in their body, but also stupid enough to waste their genius on the US Chess League. If he can really cheat so flawlessly, he should be in Vegas, not the Harvard planetarium.
If it's worth anything, the suspicion is a kind of compliment, right? People just can't believe how well he played.
Thanks for the clarification. I attended the Blitz match, and I agree, if Jorge was cheating it was a very complicated sleight of hand, indeed!
I guess I should also be proud because this means that most of my first move choices in the last part of that game matched Rybka, too!
Jason Rihel
Sorry on principle for the deletion, but that's going a little too far.
"Are you really going to *not even ask* the arbiter?
Now, undeniably, there is some slippage between asking the arbiter to investigate and accusing someone of cheating, but I could see the whole thing starting as a question and becoming an accusation in the retelling."
If it was just an inquiry to the arbiter, we wouldn't be discussing it here. People wouldn't know about it. From what I understand, it was a public, blatant accusation of cheating. I didn't see kibitzing during the match as I was relaying the moves for Jorge (no earpieces by the way), so I'll need confirmation of this, but it's public now, so I expect public recantations and apologies.
-Matt
Wow,
Given some of the comments that are allowed here uncensored, I am now extremely curious what got the axe.
Jason Rihel
How depressing to hear even here accusations of cheating. Anyone has the right to know that a tournament is being held under proper conditions with attentive arbitrators. But once this is established, to accuse or suggest that someone is cheating is simply bad sportsmanship, plain and simple. In legitimate sports leagues the integrity of the league is preserved by imposing fines on players who make such statements. For example, a baseball manager that accuses an umpire after a game of being biased or treating his team unfairly is routinely fined for doing so. As for the other side demanding "apologies" and public recantations--give me a break; what is this the 18th century. Perhaps a duel my good fellow would be more decisive. Doesn't this league have a commissioner to deal with these things?
The commish is trying to be the good guy and doesnt wanna blow this out of proportion and I kind of understand his dilemma, maybe he ought to say something though... In sports you would get fined for this, but we dont players millions to play in USCL so thats out of question...And dont expact Naka to apologize, he is not man enough.
Hikaru's shlong is 2 centimeres long,
his bullet rating is through the roof,
he talks a lot trash on ICC
But have you ever seen him on TV?
He sounds like he was castrated at birth
I doubt not, he eats burgers for dessert.
A.S.P.
Is this some kind of tricky moderator competancy test?
This is the sad legacy from the Kramnik Topalov match - long after their games are forgotten, the whole toiletgate cheating scandal will still be floating about - it opened the door to cheating accusations by top players.
Cheating does exist at the lower levels and essentially has killed off truly competitive correspondence play. But among the top level players of each country and the world, they should show some restraint not hurl accusations of cheating around lightly. As our hostess pointed out, the machinations needed to cheat openly in front of other top players is so complex it would be ridiculous to do so. In a forcing line, of course most strong players would "parallel" Fritz or Rybka.
The USCL is one of the few bright spots for professional chess players in the USA - they all have a lot to lose if there is cheating. The arbiters, the commish, the other players, so it seems very unlikely. If it were then it would be a very sad day - to win one measly game which may have no meaning at the season's end, that someone would risk destroying something good in US chess.
wow, all the bruhaha about cheating, and all i just wanted to say was "oh cool, a pop rocks candy bar. dont' drink coke while you eat it, you could die like the kid who played "mikey" in the life commercial (get it? the old legend of mikey eating pop rocks and drinking coke and dying from it? i explain for the young folks who don't remember.) and i wanted to say shabalov looks good on the cover of chess life.
Oh come on this is ridiculous. There's a huge difference between pointing out that someone matched Rybka the whole game and saying that he definitely cheated.
Everyone I've spoken to says that it's clear Jorge matched Rybka either 100% or darn close to it.
Everyone I've spoken to also has said that it is impossible for him to have cheated without a 10-man conspiracy.
Jorge played a game tactically perfect. He's been doing that for what, 15 years? Having been "playing" the black pieces in that game, most of the moves seemed forced and none of them really surprised me one bit.
Anyway Shabba got Qc2 refuted. It happens.
That being said, it was one of the scariest chess things in my life to play a move like Kxe5 vs. Shabba with all the heavies on.
OK, I may be mistaken that there was an overt accusation of cheating, though I don't know what was actually kibitzed at the time (anyone have a transcript?). If everything was kept "in house", I may not be as angry about the situation. Still, raising doubts about the integrity of our players, TDs, managers, etc. is a serious matter. Accusations like this affect many, many more people than just the accused.
So John, I guess you and I "played" each other that night? Nice game. :)
-Matt
By the looks of it, Shaba was bluffing big time with this Nxf7 sac in a sense that he didnt have everything worked out, Jorge actually did study this line some time ago and and he even joked about Shaba going for Nxf7. Not sure, i would be bold enough to claim a refutation, Jorge said after the game that he was really scared of Nf5 and that it might have been winning ....but these things need to checked and rechecked of course....
This is ridiculous people getting upset because of some dubious ICC banter about Cheating! Players talk trash 24/7 on ICC and there are a Ton of cheaters. I would hope that no cheating takes place in the USCL because I thought most of the players are respectible chess players. NY got beaten fair and square to my eyes. Congrats Boston Blitz! BTW how come Boston did not use one of their GMs for board 1 not like they needed to but I'm just curious.
I'd like to claim some brilliant strategy was used to pick the Blitz lineup this week, but the truth is
neither of the GMs was available to play.
As you noted, it didn't matter.
-Matt
Is Jorge Sammour-Hasbun really an untitled player or just one of the biggest sandbaggers out there. I can only find his FIDE rating of 2463.
Heh, yeah, good game, Matt :)
Oh, and Nxf7 is theory, Mr. Anonymoose. Probably Shabba should have continued Topalov-Kramnik with Bg4 but I haven't really studied this line since I don't play this variation from either side.
When you only have one move or mate, you bet your pants your moves better match rybka, this is something patzers like Vicary just dont understand. Respect to Shaba for not getting involved in this shameful accusations, and shame on Charboneau, stfu u lost and get over it!!!! GO BLITZZZZZZZZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!GO BLITZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!GO BLITZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
yeah Jorge is a sandbagger, biggest friggin sandbager ever-- he sandbags on purpose, so that he can play for the boston team....I also think Charobono is a sandbagger cause i think he is a lot better than his rating as well as Josh Friedel, Sam Shankland, and Daniel Naroditsky... Greg Shahade you've got to do something about these sandbaggers, not fair!!!
excuse me, anon 6:17-- wasn't I the person who brought up that Shabalov made that point about forced lines? Please try to be logical.
No, Liz what you did is try to justify those dumb individuals who made these insane comments in the first place. Maybe from where you sit, moves matching Rybka is an indication of cheating but to me its an indication that someone is playing "only" moves in extremely sharp position where one has very few options.
If you've got something to say to me, have the balls to sign your own name.
Ahhh what??? you want to lick my balls, no thanks Liz.
Jorge isn't a sandbagger. He just didn't play serious level chess for a long time. But you can bet he is GM strength with a FM rating.
Jason
2570 USCF isn't an FM rating.
Wasnt he around 2500 when he was 13-14 years old beating guys like Kamsky, Leko etc... FM rating give me a break.
Jorge is more like 2550+ USCF strength (Strong IM/GM level) but I can not find his rating on the top list...strange. Well one thing is for sure that was one crazy freaking game vs Shaba. Not too many players would have the balls to take that king walk. Shaba seems like hes the playboy of chess now but he hasn't won anything significant for a few years whats up with that?
He is not on the top list cause he inst representing US Federation, currently representing Palestine.
So this guy has no USCF rating because he is representing Palestine. What kind of bs is that. If he plays in the US he should have a US rating.
No ,he has a rating but not on the best list, if u cant find his rating it just means you are misspelling his name, right?!
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