The Open Amateur

Copyrights and copycats

Newsflash: chess moves are now copyright

I almost fell flat on my face. What! If I play a sequence of moves I can claim ownership of these moves and prevent anyone from playing them? That sounds like a really poor joke. The "copyright" was issued by the organisers of the chess challenge match between Topalov and Kamsky. Any chess website other than the official website for the event to show or relay the moves was deemed to be breaking copyright.

A number of legal issues come immediately to mind, like who owns the copyright of moves made by two players in a tournament event? The white player, black player, both jointly or the event organiser? How long would or could such a copyright be enforced? No more chess databases unless we individual get copyright clearance for each individual game played...how stupid!! That is not copyright its just copywrong.

After this shocker came the news that a Grandmaster in a premier event was being accused by a fellow grandmaster of cheating using a computer...namely Rybka. So what proof did the accusing grandmaster have for this allegation? Well some well timed toilet breaks and some moves that were said to be Rybka's first choice moves in those positions? I looked up the game, nothing in the game looked special, one player played badly and duely lost - couldn't see what the fuss was about.

Looking at the game I'd have been able to win to be quite honest with you, the winning strategy was clear and the winning moves obvious, I would expect Rybka and any half decent player to concur on most moves. When has it become ok to accuse your opponent of cheating when you just can't accept you lost fair and square?

I was beginning to wonder if the chess world had turned on it head. Copyrights, copycats ...just plain copy madness!

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