The Alireza closure story and false positives

IM Danny Rensch is a former child prodigy turned Chief Chess Officer of Chess.com, the largest chess website in the world. Danny rejoined me 8 years after his first visit to the podcast (Episode 18) to discuss all that is new with Chess.com. Inevitably, this means a detailed discussion of online cheat detection, and whether Chess.com thinks that their increased deterrence methods are working. But there is a lot more to discuss including:

• What goes into decisions of choosing commentators for an event?
• Lessons learned from some P.R. missteps related to the closing of Chess24, and changes to the Chessable product offerings. 
• Upcoming TV shows and documentaries related to chess. Why are so many of these shows related to cheating?
• Danny’s forthcoming memoir about growing up in a cult

It is always fun to get a glimpse behind the curtain at the world’s biggest chess company, and you are sure to learn something about “chess business” in this conversation. Timestamps of topics discussed are below. 

Thanks to our sponsor, Chessable.com! Be sure to check out their new offerings here:

https://www.chessable.com/courses/all/new/

And if you sign up for Chessable Pro in order to unlock discounts and additional features, be sure to use the following link:

https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro

0:00- We discuss cheat detection. Is publicly disclosing cheaters deterring other from potential cheaters? What about their new proprietary browser, Proctor? 

The two interviews/videos we reference are here:

Greg Mustreader:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4fGt3MbF0I

State of Chess.com

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lQ47SuBLU8&t=8428s

15:00- Is OTB cheating as common as online cheating? 

21:00- What was the story behind future GM Alireza Firouzja’s account being erroneously closed due to fair play some years ago?

Mentioned: GM Lenier Dominguez 

28:00- We briefly discuss Danny’s forthcoming memoir, Dark Squares: How Chess Saved My Life

https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Squares-Chess-Saved-Life/dp/1541703286

31:00- How can the chess world move away from predominantly cheating-based mainstream coverage?

Mentioned: 

Netflix documentary:

https://www.chess.com/news/view/netflix-unveils-carlsen-niemann-documentary-for-2025

Forthcoming Movie:

https://www.imdb.com/news/ni64565309/

BBC’s Chess Masters: The Endgame:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0028x4d

37:00- Are there too many professional chess tournaments with too little differentiation between events? 

Mentioned:

Coachchamps Improver Challenge:

https://www.chess.com/news/view/announcing-coachchamps-2025

Also mentioned: Caitlin Clark, Judit Polgar

48:00- How does Chess.com decide which commentators to feature in which events?

Mentioned: GM Daniel Naroditsky, GM Robert Hess

51:00- What lessons were learned from backlash against the Chess24 closure and recent changes to access to Short and Sweet courses on Chessable?

Mentioned: Info on Chessable’s 2025 changes to Chessable Short and Sweet Access:

https://www.chessable.com/blog/new-year-big-changes-to-chessable-pro/

1:00:00- What 2025 events is Danny excited for?

Mentioned:

Pogchamps

https://www.chess.com/news/view/announcing-pogchamps-6-field

Speed Chess Championships, ESports World Cup 

1:03:00- Is Chess.com still thinking of becoming publicly traded at some point? Would Danny retire in the near future? 

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