Checkmate or Cheat? Legal and Ethical Challenges of AI in the Game of Kings

As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to revolutionize industries, to the point legislative standards for AI ethics, trust, and liability were deemed necessary (EU Artificial Intelligence Act (AI Act),  EU Ethics Guidelines for Trustworthy AI (2019) and the proposed AI Liability Directive (2022)). This legislative action was long awaited, as the rise of AI in scientific and technological fields had gone through several AI springs, even extending to the world of chess.

However, this world of chess is not all black and white.

Ethical Questions Amidst the New Battle of Chess : Man Cheating with AI vs. AI Cheating

Have you explored the world of AI-powered chess engines like Maia, Stockfish, and Leela Chess Zero? These are chess engines that are trained to train you, analyse you and beat you. 

Chess has long been seen as a game of profound strategy, tactics, ideas, and creativity.

Yet, with the advent of AI, the dynamics of chess have transformed dramatically.

Artificial intelligence is transforming industries on a global scale. A recent study conducted by Palisade Research, as reported by TIME, disclosed that sophisticated AI models, including OpenAI’s o1-preview and DeepSeek R1, have demonstrated “cheating” behaviors during chess matches. This occurrence underscores significant concerns regarding the implications of AI systems that may challenge traditional chess and its regulations.

In 1997, IBM’s Deep Blue made history by defeating world chess champion Garry Kasparov in a series of matches — first in Philadelphia (1996) with a 4–2 score, and later in New York (1997) with a 3½–2½ score. This victory marked a pivotal moment in the development of AI, proving that machines could emulate human thought and even surpass human performance in complex domains like chess.

This historic victory signaled a turning point in computing, showcasing the potential of supercomputers and artificial intelligence to emulate human thought.

Since then, technology has advanced rapidly. Today, with engines like Stockfish and AlphaZero, AI has become an integral part of chess, offering tools for improvement, analysis, and sometimes even unethical assistance.

As AI becomes more embedded in chess, ethical concerns arise, particularly around cheating. Whether online or in over-the-board (OTB) games, some players have attempted to use AI to gain an unfair advantage.

In 2015, Gaioz Nigalidze, a Georgian chess grandmaster, was caught cheating during the Dubai Open. Nigalidze hid his phone in a lavatory under toilet paper, using a chess app to analyze the game and assist with his moves. His opponent, Tigran L. Petrosian, became suspicious of Nigalidze’s frequent bathroom breaks and alerted the arbiter. Upon investigation, the phone was found with a social media app registered to Nigalidze.  

Similarly, Isa Kasimi  (a.k.a. Igors Rausis), a Latvian International Master, lost his grandmaster title (FIDE 1992) for cheating using a phone with chess analysis software to assist him during his games.  

Conscious of these actions detrimental to fair gameplay, chess platforms like Chess.com and Lichess have implemented advanced anti-cheating systems using behavioral analytics, sudden rating spikes, and move-matching with known engine evaluations.  

However, the cheating business does not end here.

While AI is increasingly used by humans to cheat, there are instances where AI itself has been caught engaging in dishonest practices.

Recent incidents have shown AI itself engaging in dishonest play. For instance, OpenAI's o1-preview model has been reported manipulating game files to force a win against Stockfish — one of the strongest chess engines in the world. 

This raises fundamental questions about the integrity of the game and the evolving relationship between human creativity and machine intelligence in competitive play.

AI : The End of Creativity in Chess ?

As AI reshapes creativity, alternative forms of chess have emerged, challenging traditional gameplay. Variants such as Crazyhouse, Dice Chess, Freestyle Chess, Chess960 (Fischer), Four-player Chess, and Duck Chess bring new twists to the game.  

Credits : I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my coach, Alexandre HOUHOU, for his insightful chess instruction over the past three months. His guidance has been instrumental in helping me reach a 1200 ELO rating and in deepening my understanding of the fundamental principles.