Former world champion Vladimir Kramnik in conversation with Chess24’s Mike Klein during round 9 of the ongoing Chess Olympiad in Budapest. (FIDE)
Former world champion Vladimir Kramnik, who is currently at the Chess Olympiad in Budapest coaching the young Uzbekistan team, lodged a formal complaint about the cellphone devices recording the Indian players during the Round 9 game. Kramnik later clarified he wasn’t accusing the Indian team of wrongdoing or ChessBase India, whose cellphones they were.
India and Uzbekistan played out a 2-2 draw as Indian ended the ninth round with a two-point lead over the rest of the chasing pack. While India have 17 game points after nine rounds, USA, Uzbekistan and China have 15 points.
In the game between India and Uzbekistan, there was controversy early on after Kramnik complained about the presence of cell phones near the members of the Indian team.
Chess24 reported that Kramnik had filed an official complaint about phones in the playing hall. The popular chess website ChessBase India, were recording all the four boards with Indian players on them in the open section with individual cellphones. They have permission from the organisers to do so.
Uzbekistan’s coach Vladimir Kramnik on drawing India: “I think we were very close to winning the match unfortunately… but I’m proud of my guys. They really showed that they can play real chess.”
On phones: “obvious violation of FIDE rules.”#ChessOlympiad pic.twitter.com/uEUNHi512G
— chess24 (@chess24com) September 20, 2024
Chess24 reporter Mike Klein reported that following Kramnik’s complaint the phone covering the Gukesh vs Nodirbek Abdusattarov game on the top board was removed. But it was later returned to its original position.
ChessBase India told Chess24 that all their phones, used to record video, are all in airplane mode.
Kramnik later posted a thread on X airing his grievances and urging the global governing body of chess to enforce their anti-cheating measures more stringently.
“Summary of today’s story. It’s time for FIDE taking anti-cheating seriously and professionally, instead of just pretending. Anti-cheating regulations implementation must be WAY more strict. Allowing mobile phones, lots of random guests in the playing hall, should not be allowed. All checkings before games, causing participants troubles and time, make little sense if you let almost anyone into playing area after the start and give away permissions to bring devices and even film in the middle of a round using mobile phone, I have seen it many times here (sic),” Kramnik tweeted on Saturday morning.
He also clarified that his complaint was not against Chessbase India.
“ChessBase India are nice people and it’s not aimed against them but simply rules are rules and FIDE must reassure by implementing them for EVERYONE equally. Players must feel secured especially having on their own lots of restrictions and getting forfeited even for a credit card and watching various quests and media using mobiles in the playing area is just not correct, let along not according to the regulations. It’s been a long ago time taking anti-cheating seriously and have very strict and clear rules without making exceptions for some and punishing others. It is absurd when you forbid pens and disqualify for a sim card WITHOUT a phone and allow phones without a sim card, and often with, as I noticed many times during the event, for spectators or media. Phones MUST NOT BE ALLOWED for ANYONE at the playing area, period (sic),” he posted.
World No 2 Hikaru Nakamura mocked Kramnik’s comments.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Nakamura said with a hearty chuckle: “So I guess Kramnik is going after Sagar Shah (of ChessBase India). So what is he accusing the Indian team of cheating then? Is he basically accusing Sagar Shah of helping out the Indian team? Oh my God! What a joke!”
