Should I have done more?

[Kaitlyn S]

I was playing a team match several days ago when my first time partner (who was the host so he could talk privately) sent me a private message asking for a heart lead. I messaged back that I wasn't cheating, made my normal lead that let their game make when a heart beats their contract. Clearly I'm not playing with or against this person anymore, but should I have reported the incident?

 

In another incident the host (my partner, a different one) sent me a PM saying that since he was the host, I could talk to him privately. I hoped he wouldn't try to do anything shady, but the match got cancelled soon due to departing players and the only thing he PM'd was something like "Michaels" which we had already agreed upon (he was telling me his bid was Michaels which I already knew.)

 

I'd like to think these are rare occurrences but it's hard to kniw.

[The_Badger]

hi Kaitlyn S,

 

It MUST be reported. The only way to eliminate all cheats from this game is to take action. Think Boye Brogeland. He had to report former teammates as cheats where he had benefitted from their actions. He could have kept quiet, but had the guts to report them and was brave enough to put his hand up and say that he was the one who had investigated their actions.

 

Here you are playing with total strangers who are willing to cheat. Stop them in their tracks. Cheats will continue cheating until they are caught.

 

I bet that the players have done this before. The first one needs to be banned, the second one should be given a general warning in my opinion.

[Kaitlyn S]

hi Kaitlyn S,

 

It MUST be reported. The only way to eliminate all cheats from this game is to take action. Think Boye Brogeland. He had to report former teammates as cheats where he had benefitted from their actions. He could have kept quiet, but had the guts to report them and was brave enough to put his hand up and say that he was the one who had investigated their actions.

 

Here you are playing with total strangers who are willing to cheat. Stop them in their tracks. Cheats will continue cheating until they are caught.

 

I bet that the players have done this before. The first one needs to be banned, the second one should be given a general warning in my opinion.

(1) How would I report this (or who would I report it to) ?

 

(2) I can find the user by checking my chat which I hoped was in a text file. Looking for my chat, I found a file called chat_Kaitlyn_S.sol which is unreadable by a text editor. Is there a way to decipher what is in this file? (This is from the browser version; I am too new to be able to use the client.)

 

EDIT: I think #2 is irrelevant. My chat file is 191 bytes and one that's larger is a shortcut so I probably have nothing, and will have to wait until I see that user' profile again (where I have indicated "tried to cheat".) The second one is gone forever.

 

It's sad because my friend with a client has a text chat file that contains all the chats he has had on BBO.

[The_Badger]

hi Kaitlyn S,

 

People who work for BBO (yellow on BBO) should be able to point you in the right direction what to do. There's a player called BBO Help; alternatively diana_eva or barmar would be a good starting point.

 

I'm not totally sure myself but I believe BBO can now retrieve all messages sent, even private ones if needs be if matters need investigating.

[barmar]

Report suspected cheaters via email to abuse@bridgebase.com.

 

You could tell one of the yellows, but that's probably what they'll tell you to do.

[Vampyr]

It would be a very good idea if BBO eliminated the possibility of chatting privately to one's partner. It is shocking that the possibility exists.

[Kaitlyn S]

It would be a very good idea if BBO eliminated the possibility of chatting privately to one's partner. It is shocking that the possibility exists.

They probably assume that cheaters can use Skype or another chat vehicle anyway, but I agree, why make it easier?

[scarletv]

Hosts and tourney directors must be able to communicate to players during the match when there is a TD call.

[Vampyr]

Hosts and tourney directors must be able to communicate to players during the match when there is a TD call.

 

What has this to do with cheating?

[scarletv]

What has this to do with cheating?

It was in context to your proposal to remove the chat functionality. I don't think that is a good idea as the chat functionality is necessary.

It would be a very good idea if BBO eliminated the possibility of chatting privately to one's partner. It is shocking that the possibility exists.

 

Concerning the cheats players can hardly do more but report it to abuse. I doubt that is enough to make BBO a place where cheating will be significantly reduced.

[mycroft]

private chat to partner != private chat, nor = chat in general.

[661_Pete]

I find this revelation appalling.

 

OK, ever since the game of Bridge first came about, there have been cheats and more cheats galore. A simple fact of life. We've got no more chance of eliminating every last one of them for good, than we have of eliminating war, disease, crime etc. etc.

 

Nevertheless, to learn of an attempt as brazen as that described above, sends shivers down the spine. OK I have, on the odd occasion, suspected a little bit of 'this and that' a bit underhand - like when opponents seem to be slightly more fortunate than expected, in their finesse guesses or finding the right lead. But suspicions are a far cry from reality.

 

We might argue that 'it's only a game'. True, but playing any sort of game implies fair play....

 

I hope the individual concerned is caught quickly and given a life ban: not only on BBO but on every other bridge-playing site on the internet. And that measures are in place to detect their possible return under a different username and IP address.

[GrahamJson]

I agree with others that this should be reported to BBO Abuse. I have reported several players in the past for abuse and I know that at least one has been banned; at least I assume so as I have not seen them play since. In most cases I was kibbing and saw that clearly the cheat was playing and kibbing at the same time although in one or two I reported the player for abusive language. However some do continue to cheat and get away with it. There is one pair in particular at the moment who are the most blatant cheaters imaginable. There oppo I think usually quickly realise this and leave the table, but presumably don't bother to report them, so they continue to get away with it. So, again, please report cheaters. Some times I think that I am the only one who can be bothered.

[Kaitlyn S]

Some times I think that I am the only one who can be bothered.

If I wasn't bothered, this thread wouldn't be here.

[661_Pete]

I wonder, sometimes, what is the psychology that motivates the cheat? In simple language, what drives people to cheat?

 

Big question, I suppose, and ranging across the whole field of sports and competition. Maybe too big a question to simply answer, but perhaps someone on here can come up with some expertise on the subject?

 

My (inexpert) view is, cheats are basically paranoid 'saddo's with no real skill in the game, out there just to seek attention. Or am I wrong?

[Kaitlyn S]

I wonder, sometimes, what is the psychology that motivates the cheat? In simple language, what drives people to cheat?

 

Big question, I suppose, and ranging across the whole field of sports and competition. Maybe too big a question to simply answer, but perhaps someone on here can come up with some expertise on the subject?

 

My (inexpert) view is, cheats are basically paranoid 'saddo's with no real skill in the game, out there just to seek attention. Or am I wrong?

In live tournament bridge, there is much incentive to cheat - your skill reputation as a hired professional. The more national, regional, etc. titles one can put on zhis resume, the more the person can charge for sessions.

 

I'm not sure if the same thing applies here; does anybody pay to play with someone on BBO?

 

It might be an "inclusion" thing also. There have been several times in the past month that I wanted to join a team match but was rejected (I know because the seat was still open and later filled by an "expert" unlikely to be a regular partner of his partner) simply because I don't have "expert" in my profile. At my level, I could be in more appropriate team matches (with people that played the same conventions/style that I play) if I would simply call myself an expert, which I consider a lie.

 

At a higher level, the cheat may already call himself an expert, but still gets excluded from the matches he wants to play in because he just isn't good enough (i.e. he wants to play with the real experts every time.) By racking up some wins, he can "show" that he is better than the true experts give him credit for, and may include him. After all, if I had led a heart, he could have said "See, I can beat a team of experts playing with that advanced girl and two unheralded teammates!

 

Note, I'm only speculating here; never having had the desire to cheat, I can only guess what their motives are.

[barmar]

I'm not sure if the same thing applies here; does anybody pay to play with someone on BBO?

I assume JEC pays his teammates in the daily team games that he plays in on BBO.

[barmar]

As for why people cheat in random games on BBO -- I think it's just an ego boost, or an immature need to "get away with" something.

 

I still remember over 20 years ago when I was playing on OKbridge, a friend of mine who was a decent player liked to set up two computers next to each other, login to a different account from each, and play two hands. Why? Just because he could.

[cherdano]

I assume JEC pays his teammates in the daily team games that he plays in on BBO.

Amusing that this would come up in a thread about cheating at team matches...

[zillahandp]

Cannot talk to p at all on ipad host or not, seems best but could be useful if teaching. Then its all clear to everyone at the table. But how do you get teaching table on ipad?

[barmar]

Cannot talk to p at all on ipad host or not, seems best but could be useful if teaching. Then its all clear to everyone at the table. But how do you get teaching table on ipad?

I think you can join a teaching table, but not create one, in the mobile app.

[johnu]

does anybody pay to play with someone on BBO?

 

At the very cheapest level, for ACBL pair tournaments tournaments, there is a partnership desk where some players play "pro" for the cost of the $1 entry fee. :)

[johnu]

My (inexpert) view is, cheats are basically paranoid 'saddo's with no real skill in the game, out there just to seek attention. Or am I wrong?

 

I think sociopath or psychopath would be better adjectives than paranoid. In any case, Steve Sion, Fulvio Fantoni, and Lotan Fisher are usually regarded as bridge geniuses, cheating notwithstanding.

 

At the lower levels of bridge, there are probably more cheaters since most of their opponents have no idea what is going on. As you rise in the bridge ranks, you need more undetectable cheating methods since expert players get a feeling they are being cheated, even if they don't know the method.

[barmar]

I think sociopath or psychopath would be better adjectives than paranoid. In any case, Steve Sion, Fulvio Fantoni, and Lotan Fisher are usually regarded as bridge geniuses, cheating notwithstanding.

 

At the lower levels of bridge, there are probably more cheaters since most of their opponents have no idea what is going on. As you rise in the bridge ranks, you need more undetectable cheating methods since expert players get a feeling they are being cheated, even if they don't know the method.

There's a huge difference in why professionals cheat in major events (big $$) and why randoms cheat on BBO (ego, sociopathy).

[johnu]

There's a huge difference in why professionals cheat in major events (big $$) and why randoms cheat on BBO (ego, sociopathy).

 

So is it your opinion that professionals cheat so they won't starve to death? and that they are otherwise normal?