Reese - Shapiro

[hrothgar]

Some of the recent discussion on the BBO forums has lead me to think about cheating scandals of yore. In particular, the Reese-Shapiro incident.

 

One of my critiques regarding the Piltch thread is that no one has been able to offer any kind of explanation how the UI was transmitted. We have no direct evidence that the deck was rigged, the partnership had a wire what have you.

 

If find this an interesting contrast with the Reese-Shaprio case where there is a direct claim that there was a wire. (Reese and Shapiro varied their grip on the cards). However, I don't think that there is any conclusive determination what these signals shows. (I've seen claims that they might have been signaling Heart length, they might have been doing X, or Y, or Z)

 

I'm curious whether the corpus of hands is still extant along with the record of (alledged) signals.

 

It might be interesting to run the hands through a modern clustering algorithm and see whether this was able to infer any kind of relationship between the signal and the hand type.

[jdonn]

I don't think that there is any conclusive determination what these signals shows. (I've seen claims that they might have been signaling Heart length, they might have been doing X, or Y, or Z)

In both Reese's and Truscott's books on the matter, as well as anywhere else I have ever heard of this, it's claimed they were signalling heart length. In Truscott's it's claimed exactly how (for all lengths 1-7 anyway), with photographic evidence to at least show what he is talking about. What have you heard for X Y and Z?

[Lobowolf]

Heart length and hand strength, allegedly.

[Hanoi5]

I've only heard about heart length. And the last thing I knew about this matter is that after the death of Schapiro a lawyer said they acknowledged cheating but only to prove that it could be done.

[Lobowolf]

I've only heard about heart length. And the last thing I knew about this matter is that after the death of Schapiro a lawyer said they acknowledged cheating but only to prove that it could be done.

There were a couple of hand strength features alleged by Truscott in his book, most from the observations of Don Oakie. One pertained to whether the cards were held in the left hand (bad hand) or the right (good hand), and another pertained to whether the cards were held "low" (bad) or "high" (good).

[jdonn]

I've only heard about heart length. And the last thing I knew about this matter is that after the death of Schapiro a lawyer said they acknowledged cheating but only to prove that it could be done.

There were a couple of hand strength features alleged by Truscott in his book, most from the observations of Don Oakie. One pertained to whether the cards were held in the left hand (bad hand) or the right (good hand), and another pertained to whether the cards were held "low" (bad) or "high" (good).

Those were from past tournaments, not the tournament in question. The signal for which the controversy errupted was only alleged to be about heart length. At least that was my understanding.

[TimG]

I've only heard about heart length. And the last thing I knew about this matter is that after the death of Schapiro a lawyer said they acknowledged cheating but only to prove that it could be done.

I have not been particularly attentive to the world for bridge for the past few years, but this is something that I think would have been widely reported if it were true. This is the first I have heard of it. In fact, I vaguely recall there being some mention of disappointment that there was no statement left to be read after Schapiro's death. For what it is worth, Schapiro's wikipedia entry makes no mention of a posthumous admission.

[Lobowolf]

I've only heard about heart length. And the last thing I knew about this matter is that after the death of Schapiro a lawyer said they acknowledged cheating but only to prove that it could be done.

There were a couple of hand strength features alleged by Truscott in his book, most from the observations of Don Oakie. One pertained to whether the cards were held in the left hand (bad hand) or the right (good hand), and another pertained to whether the cards were held "low" (bad) or "high" (good).

Those were from past tournaments, not the tournament in question. The signal for which the controversy errupted was only alleged to be about heart length. At least that was my understanding.

Yes, that's right. It's in Truscott's book, but it's not from the event where all hell broke loose.

[Hanoi5]

I've only heard about heart length. And the last thing I knew about this matter is that after the death of Schapiro a lawyer said they acknowledged cheating but only to prove that it could be done.

I have not been particularly attentive to the world for bridge for the past few years, but this is something that I think would have been widely reported if it were true. This is the first I have heard of it. In fact, I vaguely recall there being some mention of disappointment that there was no statement left to be read after Schapiro's death. For what it is worth, Schapiro's wikipedia entry makes no mention of a posthumous admission.

As I mentioned a lawyer said it. Maybe it wasn't official but the bulletin where it can be found on the internet (maybe could have been found) had the statement and, if I'm not mistaken, Truscott's reaction.

[bill1157]

I've only heard about heart length. And the last thing I knew about this matter is that after the death of Schapiro a lawyer said they acknowledged cheating but only to prove that it could be done.

The lawyer made this up, Reese and Shapiro always maintained their innocence.

 

Bill

[Hanoi5]

I've only heard about heart length. And the last thing I knew about this matter is that after the death of Schapiro a lawyer said they acknowledged cheating but only to prove that it could be done.

The lawyer made this up, Reese and Shapiro always maintained their innocence.

 

Bill

That's a possibility but I wonder why would someone of his age would make something like that up.

[bill1157]

I've only heard about heart length. And the last thing I knew about this matter is that after the death of Schapiro a lawyer said they acknowledged cheating but only to prove that it could be done.

The lawyer made this up, Reese and Shapiro always maintained their innocence.

 

Bill

That's a possibility but I wonder why would someone of his age would make something like that up.

People will make up stuff right up to the day they die...

[jdonn]

I've only heard about heart length. And the last thing I knew about this matter is that after the death of Schapiro a lawyer said they acknowledged cheating but only to prove that it could be done.

The lawyer made this up, Reese and Shapiro always maintained their innocence.

 

Bill

That's a possibility but I wonder why would someone of his age would make something like that up.

People will make up stuff right up to the day they die...

Yes, such as their own innocence.

[the hog]

A hand from the 1965 BB

 

K 5 3

10 6 5 2

A 9 8 4

5 2

 

A 7 4

J 9

K J 10

K 10 7 6 3

 

Bidding:

Pass 1C

1H Pass

 

An unthinkable final contract for a pair that knows about each other's heart length.

 

However, of course, someone says they are making up their own innocence. Highly amusing!

[jdonn]

I didn't say that, it was a general comment about what people will say. What is more amusing is how pathetic it is that you won't call out who you are trying to insult but instead keep it veiled and (un)subtle so you can fake the moral high ground later.

 

By the way, whatever happened to 1 hand not being proof of anything? Or is it only proof of innocence when a pair has the immense disaster of playing in the wrong contract at the 1 level?

[the hog]

"People will make up stuff right up to the day they die..."

 

"Yes, such as their own innocence. "

 

Josh, I don't even think you yourself know what you are writing.

[bill1157]

The whole idea of finger signals to show heart length is ridiculous if you think about it. It is a case of a couple of overzealous people coming up with anything to support their suspicion that Reese and Shapiro were cheating.

 

Bill

[fred]

IMO the pictures in Truscott's book are completely damning even without the (near?) perfect correlation between the # of fingers shown in the pictures and the # of hearts held by both players.

 

Fred Gitelman

Bridge Base Inc.

www.bridgebase.com

[Siegmund]

For what it is worth, Schapiro's wikipedia entry makes no mention of a posthumous admission.

 

Reese's does. (As a result of comments I made to Reese's Talk page on wikipedia.)

 

When it first came out, I expected the confession to be earthshaking news, ordered extra copies of both Reese's and Truscott's book to sell in anticipation of renewed interest, etc. The original news item (I forget if it reached me via rec.games.bridge or BLML) did cause an online stir, and made it into several newspaper items, but then magically got hushed up. I still don't know why. I think Rex-Taylor's original claim involved some sealed papers that couldn't be opened until 40 years after Buenos Aires, not just hearsay, but I never did see copies of the papers scanned and posted. Nor did I see anyone establishing it was a hoax.

 

I found the 2005 explanation quite plausible, myself.

[peachy]

The whole idea of finger signals to show heart length is ridiculous if you think about it. It is a case of a couple of overzealous people coming up with anything to support their suspicion that Reese and Shapiro were cheating.

 

Bill

There is not only a number of witnesses over several sessions, but also photos, of signals that correlate with the number of hearts. What more should be needed, a confession?

[TimG]

For what it is worth, Schapiro's wikipedia entry makes no mention of a posthumous admission.

 

Reese's does. (As a result of comments I made to Reese's Talk page on wikipedia.)

It says:

A later claim was made, by a bridge player and publisher, to the effect that Reese had made a confession to him forty years previously. This claim was made public after the deaths of both Reese and Schapiro. There is no corroboration to support this account. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-...ers-490277.html

[bill1157]

The whole idea of finger signals to show heart length is ridiculous if you think about it.  It is a case of a couple of overzealous people coming up with anything to support their suspicion that Reese and Shapiro were cheating.

 

Bill

There is not only a number of witnesses over several sessions, but also photos, of signals that correlate with the number of hearts. What more should be needed, a confession?

apparently very little actual evidence is needed!

[jkdood]

Of course there are smart or extremely able cheaters, as well as poor ones.

 

It was somewhat amusing to me that the Reese Shapiro UK defense of the Argentina actions largely centered on what they did or didn't do, or could have done, on specific hands.

 

It seems to me that anyone deep into cheating and also somewhat smart about it, would vary their usages accordingly. They might bid a hand occasionally in such a way that it might be used as defensive evidence, should the need occur, that they could not have been cheating a certain way.

 

Therefore it may be extremely difficult to establish cheating took place by even careful expert analysis of a large set of deals, if the cheater is thus smart.

[jdonn]

"People will make up stuff right up to the day they die..."

 

"Yes, such as their own innocence. "

 

Josh, I don't even think you yourself know what you are writing.

People certainly will do that. You then accused me claiming R&S did that (well ok you accused "someone" of it). We seem to be experiencing a communication breakdown that could be easily avoided by you reading a post before claiming it says something else.

[the hog]

"People will make up stuff right up to the day they die..."

 

"Yes, such as their own innocence. "

 

Josh, I don't even think you yourself know what you are writing.

People certainly will do that. You then accused me claiming R&S did that (well ok you accused "someone" of it). We seem to be experiencing a communication breakdown that could be easily avoided by you reading a post before claiming it says something else.

You are right when you say there is a communication breakdown. However I really don't think it my failure to read posts - quite the contrary, I mostly read posts carefully before i reply. Seriously, read your comment again and look at its location. If you were not suggesting that R-S make this up then we really do speak a different form of English.