EMP shockwave is a solution for chess tournaments #TweetOftheDay
Isle of Wight Masters is proposing a solution to OTB cheating in chess, a shortcut to stop chess cheating. “Due to phonegate, the Isle of Wight Masters has decided detonate a tactical EMP at the start of each round.”
What is EMP
An electromagnetic pulse (EMP) is a brief burst of electromagnetic energy. The origin of an EMP can be natural (lightning) or artificial (the arbiter at your chess tournament) and can occur as an electromagnetic field, as an electric field, as a magnetic field, or as a conducted electric current. The electromagnetic interference caused by an EMP can disrupt communications and damage electronic equipment.
What is phonegate
Phonegate aka Toiletgate2 is an ongoing scandal from the Spanish Team Championship, where Kirill Shevchenko allegedly used a phone hidden in the toilet to cheat during his chess games. The story so far:
14.10.2024 Breaking: Kirill Shevchenko caught with a phone at Spanish Team Chess 2024
14.10.2024 Kramnik: The cheating case of Kirill Shevchenko is expected
14.10.2024 The team captain not sure in the innocence of Kirill Shevchenko
14.10.2024 The chess world reacts to Kirill Shevchenko’s case
14.10.2024 Second phone found at the Spanish Team Championship
15.10.2024 Romanian Chess Federation issues a statement on the case of Kirill Shevchenko
16.10.2024 Mark Crowther: the alleged cheating in Shevchenko’s case is not sophisticated in any way
17.10.2024 Paco Vallejo on Kirill Shevchenko case, “Cheaters should get 10 year ban”
IOW is of course joking about the implementation of EMP and adds more humor to the story, “But seriously, we will up checks at the event. If found using a phone we will just cancel your boat return and you are stuck here forever.” An hour later they add to the joke, “Having consulted with the Chief Arbiter, the Home Office and the Smartboard manufacturer. I am “not allowed” to do this”.
Joke aside, IOW is a fantastic chess tournament and we recommend it to all chess players. See an interview with the organizer here