Monthly Classical Winners

#5 @thibault Terms of Service, User Conduct, 1. "Cheating. This comes in various forms. Cheating is anything that gives you an unfair advantage over a human player, and includes opening books, computer engines, and having a friend help you. You may use these for training, or against Stockfish. This is to keep the game fair. A game of chess is you vs. them, not Rybka at 3000 rating vs. them."

At very least this should be changed, then. And something along the lines of what @CM Kingscrusher-YouTube is purposing should be implemented. Also, I think that if allowed, team players should still be restricted to an extent (perhaps to casual tournaments and games), to keep it fair to other players.

From a Q&A by a lichess moderator Chess_Agent (en.lichess.org/qa/258/all-about-cheating-questions-and-answers)
"2. Can I use an engine in casual games (or against stockfish/the puzzles/opening training)?

A: Yes. You may, however, let your opponent know you're using one. (...)"
Keyword "casual". Perhaps that should be added to ToS as well, if true.

The point is, a GM and IM duo is quite overwhelming, even if they are only "bouncing ideas".

I'm a bit shocked and surprised. I read lichess own rules about cheating that says:

- Lending access to a game to another individual for help with moves;

is cheating.

sv.lichess.org/qa/258/all-about-cheating-questions-and-answers

I hope lichess isn't forgiving just because it's a GM.

I played a few games in the tourn and observed that "GM". I always thought it was a real GM and only one player and that every tournament player was one single player and not a collaboration.

the same points can be made when it comes to titled players having multiple accounts and use those accounts to participate and play in tourneys - thus raising the ratings of those accounts on the expense of other players - by definition this is also cheating. I am sure that IM AstanehChess agrees with this point :)

I would like to make a distinction between "team banter" and "team consultation" if I may :

As a potentially analogous streamer example, I was never really bothered by the "Chessbrah" team banter. But they never played serious time controls as far as I am aware (mostly bullet)- and there wasn't really an element of "consultation" - more of "banter". I think this distinction is very important to make. Also of course in bullet it is hard to actually do any meaningful "consultation" in any case because the clock plays such a major factor.

I can see how from an evolutionary perspective this may have been reached - but the boundary line between team banter and team consultation seems to have been clearly crossed on this occasion. In the two games I played yesterday against this team account, they also maximised the consultation by not beserking back. I thought it was a little odd at the time - a GM not beserking back (thus having 10 minutes to my 5). Now I understand more why. But if I had seen the team icon, I would have really liked to just skip the game if possible (maybe this can/should be an option when playing against "Educational Team consultation accounts" in rated tournaments ?! ). But also I think a Team icon is kind of needed here, as mentioned earlier.

CM KC. This more belongs to "lichess feedback" than "General Chess". have you posted it there? Eventually more players will repond with ideas/opinions then.

#15 yes - See: en.lichess.org/forum/lichess-feedback/team-accounts-need-to-be-made-more-explicit

This was so entertaining. The format should live. How about a show match 2x2 in the same "consultation format": Astaneh + Amadan (the nemesis of KC) vs Tal + KC? I am sure Tal, Astaneh and Amadan would gladly accept the idea. So it's exclusively up to KC now.

@CM Kingscrusher-YouTube First off let me be clear, I don't like your stream at all. With that being said; I agree with you. He also spammed his channel in Jerry's during the last marathon. The only time I want to be in a 2 on 1 situation is in my bed with 2 women. They don't even have to be pretty. I guess next time you see a bitchess paid tournament kc call up some gm's to consult with for the win! If I knew any and had a good connect that's what I would do. Is it legal to consult a consultant that consults with stockfish? Technically I'm not using an engine. I got the advice from my consultant which was a human being.

The streamers teaming up for a special purpose will always remain isolated cases, especially when they include high-rated titled players. I presume by teaming up, they implicitly renounce to claim any type of prize, so that the entertainment does not apply at the expense of the other contestants. (if thibault can confirm that)

So if we consider this, the only argument a player could start would be "he took first place instead of me, don't count him please" in an unofficial hall of fame of Monthly Classical tournaments.

I don't think it matters so much, as far as I'm concerned obviously. A heavily competitive player such as Kingscrusher knows already he won the tournament according to the normal rules, and that's it.
When Eric Hansen used to team up with Aman Hambleton on the @chessbrahs account, did someone complain about the fact that they got numerous first places in bullet tournaments ? I don't think so. Why ? Because in the minds of the other players, they knew they weren't here to try-hard, but only to try to win as much as possible in the most entertaining way.

Classical tournaments are much longer than Bullet tournaments, but the purpose remains the same, and being entertaining in a tournament with "long" games is much harder, so I have a full-respect with the @ChessJuice way to make the games enjoyable to watch. Grand-Master Tal Baron played at a very high-level and deserved its victories, whether he shared his thoughts with another player or not. In my mind, it is fair and I would have gladly played a game against him/"them". :)

PS : After reviewing some excerpts of both streams, I have a large preference in watching a chess players team commenting their games live in a friendly spirit instead of one player arguing against his opponents. (#2050InBullet :v)
I don't share Candidate Master Kingscrusher's state of mind about first places and trophies, I'm quite sure a lot of players will do, but when I read this debate, it clearly doesn't make me change my mind.

Still, good luck in your future games, tournaments and first-place finishes. :p

- Beauvain

I guess , GM Tal would be much stronger alone. I saw the stream, it was fun.