The impostor player was expelled from the tournament
A 25-year-old chess player from Kenya managed to cheat his way through his country’s female open chess tournament. The imposter, Stanley Omondi, admitted to the cheating and said it was triggered by financial needs.
The man kept his identity a secret by dressing up in a burka and wearing spectacles. Stanley Omondi had registered himself as Millicent Awour, according to BBC. However, his cover was blown after the tournament staff got suspicious of the player’s success.
According to Chess.com, the organisers initially hesitant to intervene decided to investigate after the fourth round. He was taken to a private room and asked for identification, he eventually revealed the truth that he was a university student who was in a financial crisis.
“The reason was due to financial needs but I deeply regret my action and [am] ready to accept all consequences,” he wrote in a letter.
The impostor player, who has an international classical rating close to 1500 and a blitz rating close to 1750, has been expelled from the tournament pending disciplinary action. The points that he scored were reversed and awarded to his opponents, Chess.com reported.
The Kenya Open, which was held last week, is an annual competition based in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi. According to BBC, this year’s edition attracted over 400 players from 22 countries.
