The Chess Thread - Page 131

GMNaroditsky
•
3mo ago
Not going to actively involve myself in the discussion, but wanted to add a few important clarifications. First: the draconian rules are only in place FOR STREAMERS. If you choose not to stream, and are not one of the lucky chosen ones who have to use Proctor, there are absolutely no rules of any kind; if you so desire, you can literally ask your friends Bob and Shmob to continue chatting on your inactive Twitch channel (or anywhere else). While I agree that, in general, the rules are the rules, etc. I'd argue that the red light/speeding analogy that some of you are referencing (the drivers around me didn't stop/were going 70 in a 65) is invalid; imagine if only the drivers of a two particular car brands (and, since streaming itself makes it MUCH harder to cheat, let's say these models have really bad acceleration) had to go the speed limit, while anyone else can go whatever speed they desired, that describes the situation better.

In the name of transparency, I was asked before the event to be more meticulous about emote only and acknowledged the request, which I was following until round 8, when I saw that none of the YT streams (and the Kick streams, I think) had emote only during games. Whether or not this is a possibliity on Youtube is totally irrelevant; if it isn't, then the rule has to be changed in some way to apply the same way to the people streaming on any platforrm. I was enabling emote only while in contention for a prize, even though I have made my stance on the efficacy of this rule plenty clear in past streams. While this isn't any sort of rigorous argument, I challenge anyone to furnish a single example of a streamer making a move after looking at a chat recommendation during a prize tournament, in the history of streaming.

Finally, the fact that Proctor still hasn't been enforced for everyone (I was required to use it from early February onwards) is, in my understanding, an appalling double standard, a view that I know for a fact is shared by virtually every regular TT participant I've spoken to. And yes, there is an actual human monitoring you, a human who will not be afraid to message within the Proctor browser (it's a separate program you install, which does not allow you to join TT or FF until two devices have been connected) if something needs adjustment, even during the game. Playing in front of two cameras, under constant video and audio observation (I've had my Proctor compliment me on my swearing [in Russian] after I lost a game), and with a very small amount (but definitely noticeable) lag, creates an inherent disadvantage. Furthermore, if your second device (e.g. phone) dies, Proctor will start flashing a massive red textbox that makes it almost impossible to play, until it has been reconnected. Finally, it has cost me several games due to various random bugs, such as the program saying "Mic not detected" and closing me out automatically to the fact that I now have to initiate the joining process at least 5 minutes before the start of the tournament. While the extent to which these things create a disadvantage can be debated, I do not see any kind of weight to an argument that they do not pose a disadvantage at all.

I have been a staunch defender of Chess.com FP for years, and will continue to set the record straight when it comes to the fact that they have pushed anti-cheating technology forward and work tirelessly to refine their methods. They aren't above reproach, but I have made it very clear that I trust Chess.com's algorithm and empathize with the difficulty of appeasing the screaming hoardes who simultaneously demand flawless anti-cheating software but then cry about Proctor being too intrusive. To be clear, were everyone required to use it, or was there at least some sort of rotation, or was there any sort of transparency about when everyone would have to use it, there wouldn't be a single peep from me.

As for emote only, I just cannot understand why it is that by far the most restrictive rules are in place for those who already make it harder for themselves to cheat by choosing to stream. I absolutely never mean to disrespect the rules and usually follow them, even if I personally may disagree with their efficacy. But I ask people to consider the sum total of these factors before rendering a decision. I will speak to the FP team in the coming days, and I'm hopeful that they will hear my concerns.

While I'm obviously really upset (it isn't fun to get kicked out of an event live on stream lol), I absolutely do not intend to escalate the situation, and only hope that my participation and feedback can strenghten the fair play algorithm. I get that this isn't a clear-cut issue, and my intention in not enabling emote only was not to cause a stir or assert my power; I genuinely thought this was a valid thing to do, and obviously the goal here was to make my stream experience more fun for the viewers! While I will hold very firm on my position, I hope that we can have a productive conversation, and I will make every effort to work with the FP team to explain my perspective in the hopes that this will have a positive conclusion for everyone. Provided that there is a more concerted effort to make the rules fair and applicabler for everyone, I hope to continue participating in Titled Tuesdays for years to come. www.reddit.com