[walrus01]

You don't need something that transmits if you're searching for bug-like devices or any general integrated circuits with a nonlinear junction detector:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nonlinear_junction_detector

I am very far removed from anything related to Chess, but if they want to get serious about this they should hire people who specialize in the federal-contracting adjacent field of TSCM (technical surveillance countermeasures).

https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=tscm+tech...

I also think that people putting a lot of focus into shoes or other clothing articles underestimate the motivation and capability of people to use the traditional "prison wallet" method of concealing things.

[gpm]

That's a fascinating device.

Wouldn't putting the electronics inside a conductive case hide them from it? Maybe it's hard to get an antenna out if you do that though?

[Tostino]

The wiki said that it doesn't work against shielded electronics, however who knows how accurate that actually is. I really enjoyed the anecdote about the US embassy in Moscow having diodes embedded in the cement throughout to make finding actual bugs much harder.

[deusum]

With that nest of hair I wonder maybe he disassembles the device and puts small parts in various locations, the most detectable in the shoe or "the pocket".

Someone familiar with slight of hand could comfortably scratch here and there while dropping pieces in a 'build' pocket.

[jallen_dot_dev]

You've seen the film The Man with the Golden Gun ? A cufflink here, a pen there, that pack of chewing gum... assembled together could be a cheating device.

[grouchomarx]

of all the whacky theories I've heard so far this one stands out. Don't get too swept up in it

[chongli]

I love it. The idea that someone would undergo training as a magician in order to cheat at chess is just hilarious! It’s not totally absurd though, given the history of cheating (as well as espionage) in sport.

The tricks people have pulled to cheat in baseball and (NFL) football are similarly amusing!

[thih9]

My favourite, "Apple Watch and Cheating in Baseball": https://blog.watchdoctor.biz/2018/10/29/apple-watch-and-chea... .

If anyone has other examples, I'd love to read about them; it gives me similar satisfaction as learning how a magic trick works.

[avgcorrection]

Doesn’t seem absurd at all to me. There might not be as much money in chess cheating as other scams but someone could be motivated to just become known as one of the best chess players.

[deusum]

The first paragraph was mostly facetious.

The second merely suggests an unusually clever, yet plausible methodology.

[palmetieri2000]

>I also think that people putting a lot of focus into shoes or other clothing articles underestimate the motivation and capability of people to use the traditional "prison wallet" method of concealing things.

I felt silly for even thinking this, but seeing as you've mentioned it. It would be so hilarious if true considering he has offered to play naked[1] to prove his innocence!

1. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-07/rising-chess-star-off...