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BGonline.org Forums
Proposal for Stick
Posted By: Bill Phipps
Date: Friday, 24 August 2012, at 7:20 p.m.
Stick,
I posted that there seems to be a major disconnect between your live vs online play. Some have tried to explain away this difference as being a statistical anomaly or in some way reflecting a lack of effort on your part while playing live. For me, these explanations seem like a stretch and lack the ring of truth. It would take a severe statistical outlier to account for such a discrepancy. And the suggestion that you aren’t trying your hardest in late round tournament matches, with cash prizes at stake, defies all reason. There is, however, a simple explanation that fits all the facts. Occam’s razor demands that I strongly consider the possibility your online play has been enhanced by using a bot.
I do not know you well, and in no way is this meant to be a personal attack. I am simply trying to get to the truth of the situation. If you take a step back I believe you will see that it is impossible for any objective observer to not have suspicions, given the discrepancy in the results. In 2009, you yourself wrote, "The easiest way to identify someone who might be using a bot is strong play. Certainly play that can be classified as too strong will arouse bot suspicion. The best players in the world may average around a 2.5 ER and even in a single match someone playing under a 2 is fairly rare so if you analyze your matches after you play and someone comes in under this radar I'd be highly suspicious. Clearly if somebody plays a 0 and there was any play in the match they are simply using that bot on its highest ply."
I asked that you or Iancho make public your online matches. There has been no reply from either of you. Without more data, there is no way to definitively address the cheating concerns, one way or another.
What I propose is that we clean this up. I am offering to play you online (or live), in a proctored setting, for any stake you choose. If, in fact, your 2.0 online PR is real, you will have an enormous advantage against me. I am not a Giant, and in fact wasn’t even included on the candidates list in the Giant voting. You, on the other hand, were voted number 6 in the world (an unjustly low ranking, given your PR). By all accounts, this is a severe mismatch. It isn’t often that a player gets to name his stake when he so clearly outclasses his opponent.
My suggestion is that we play a large set of 7 or 9 point matches, enough to be a statistically valid sample size. I believe that Mary Hickey and Chris Yep live in your area. Both have volunteered to monitor the matches, and either/both would be fine choices as proctors. The stakes for the matches will be left up to you. Keep it small and friendly, or make it very high. It is your choice. I only ask that all of the money involved be your own. I am happy to book sidebets from your supporters concerning your PR, but it is not my intention to allow them to take pieces of your action for the match.
I want to be clear that I am not making this offer because I believe I have edge. Even without the use of a bot, I believe you are better than I am. But, this seems like the most efficient way to get to the bottom of the matter. Plus, I enjoy the challenge. And, I would expect you to enjoy the challenge as well. It is a chance to reaffirm your status as the greatest player. It is a chance to make money. It is a chance to challenge yourself and test your reaction to pressure. In fact, I can not imagine why a truly great player would reject this proposal.
I have read many of your posts from the last few years. You write with brash/confident tone, bordering on arrogant. And you have made no secret of the fact that you consider yourself to be the best player in the world. There is certainly no question that you can talk the talk. But now is the time to see if you can walk the walk.
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