Are players allowed to use machine assistance during play?

[wcraigtrader]

Today I was playing a match in the Arena. After the game was over, my opponent revealed that he was using an engine (similar to a chess-playing engine) to direct his play. He didn't inform me about this before the game started.

1. Is this allowed on BGA?
2. If it is, how do I avoid ever playing with this user again?
3. If not, what's the best way to stop it?

The code of conduct doesn't address machine-assistance during play (Arena or otherwise).

[Jest Phulin]

https://boardgamearena.com/legal?tosv=&section=tosv
VIII. Fair Play
BGA will not tolerate any cheating and/or lack of fair play, whether through the use of cheating software, ...

So no, it is not allowed. If it is still recent enough and the player stated this by typing in chat, use the "report this player" link found in their profile.

To prevent playing with them again (on normal tables, unfortunately probably not arena tables) give them a red thumb. In my opinion this qualifies for a public red thumb not a private one.

[wcraigtrader]

The game was: https://boardgamearena.com/table?table=269281660

I've removed the chat session quote, per community guidelines.

I reported the player as a "chat violation", because there isn't a reporting category for "used software to cheat".

[euklid314]

You are not allowed to name this player here in forum and you are not allowed to quote the chat here in forum.

Please report the player with the best possible category that is available (cheating or whatever).

[msclark]

I find this a bit hard to believe. I'm certainly no expert in game AI, and it's been years since I played Innovation, but it seems to me that a solver for the game would be a serious accomplishment. Yet there seems to be no mention of it in the BGG forums that I can find. I can also find little reference to modding Stockfish for non-chess games, let alone for games with hidden information and randomness.

So either this person is some sort of genius coder, who has secretly developed a solver that they're using to cheat at BGA Arena but yet bizarrely admitted their scheme in public chat. Or they're just trolling you. Either way, feel free to red-thumb them, but maybe let's keep the pitchforks in the cupboard until we have more information...

I will also note that those chat messages don't actually say they were cheating. If they did have such software, they might have just been analysing the game after it finished, as a learning tool. Chess players will do this all the time.

[wcraigtrader]

I find this a bit hard to believe. I'm certainly no expert in game AI, and it's been years since I played Innovation, but it seems to me that a solver for the game would be a serious accomplishment. Yet there seems to be no mention of it in the BGG forums that I can find. I can also find little reference to modding Stockfish for non-chess games, let alone for games with hidden information and randomness.

The account has only been active since April 28th, 2022 ... 25 days. In that time, it's played 1 game of Chess, and 169 games of Innovation, winning 134 of them, and is currently 2nd place overall for the current Arena season. While not inconceivable, it is unusual.

Given the short time frame, I wouldn't expect a history. Presumably the author has a different account for non-engine (his term) gaming.

I will also note that those chat messages don't actually say they were cheating. If they did have such software, they might have just been analysing the game after it finished, as a learning tool. Chess players will do this all the time.

After the game analysis is one thing, but that chat session started before the game was finished, and he was critiquing my early play within moments of the game end. Whatever tool he was using was being used while we were playing, not as post-game analysis.

[msclark]

I find this a bit hard to believe. I'm certainly no expert in game AI, and it's been years since I played Innovation, but it seems to me that a solver for the game would be a serious accomplishment. Yet there seems to be no mention of it in the BGG forums that I can find. I can also find little reference to modding Stockfish for non-chess games, let alone for games with hidden information and randomness.

The account has only been active since April 28th, 2022 ... 25 days. In that time, it's played 1 game of Chess, and 169 games of Innovation, winning 134 of them, and is currently 2nd place overall for the current Arena season. While not inconceivable, it is unusual.

Given the short time frame, I wouldn't expect a history. Presumably the author has a different account for non-engine (his term) gaming.

I will also note that those chat messages don't actually say they were cheating. If they did have such software, they might have just been analysing the game after it finished, as a learning tool. Chess players will do this all the time.

After the game analysis is one thing, but that chat session started before the game was finished, and he was critiquing my early play within moments of the game end. Whatever tool he was using was being used while we were playing, not as post-game analysis.

You might well be right, and I'm not saying it doesn't look suspicious. But I'm actually far more interested in the possibility that such software exists than whether or not someone is cheating with it. That kind of tech would be very cool. Maybe alert them to this thread and see if they want to comment?

[dgjxqz]

I reported the player as a "chat violation", because there isn't a reporting category for "used software to cheat".

All it does is discouraging cheaters from being honest about what they did, it does not prevent cheating.

[*]If not, what's the best way to stop it?

1. Educate everyone to stop admiring those at the top of the ranks.
2/ Disable all rankings.

a solver for the game

The last I checked Go wasn't solved, but AI beated human. Only hueristic search AI needs perfect information, ANN can deal with hidden information. I haven't see any implemented, but I don't see why it can't be done.