An amateur chess player was recently ejected from a Dutch tournament after being caught hiding a phone in his sock. The incident took place at the Hogeschool Zeeland University Chess Tournament, where the unnamed player had been making waves by defeating several higher-rated opponents.
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According to the tournament director, Hans Groffen, the player’s exceptional performance had raised eyebrows, and officials decided to conduct a scan during the seventh round. When the player refused to undergo the scan, Groffen said it was “equivalent to an admission of guilt.”
Eventually, the player agreed to the scan, and a hidden phone was discovered in his sock. Groffen told PZC, “He claimed it was his watch; however, a phone was discovered.”
In chess tournaments, the use of phones is strictly prohibited, as the powerful chess simulators available on smartphones can provide players with an unfair advantage. Groffen explained, “In Chess tournaments, players are strictly prohibited from having a phone in their pockets because simulators, even on phones, have become so powerful that you can essentially beat anyone with it.”
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The discovery of the hidden phone led to the player’s immediate removal from the tournament, and the incident was reported to the Dutch Chess Federation. Despite the player’s disqualification, their previous tournament results still stand.
Groffen expressed his disappointment, saying, “We’ve never experienced this before during our tournament. Of course, it is annoying that this kind of bad apples are removed.”
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Cheating in chess has become a growing concern, with high-profile cases like that of Hans Niemann, who has faced serious allegations of cheating. Tournament organizers are constantly on the lookout for innovative ways in which players might attempt to gain an unfair advantage.
