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1993 Chess Imposter Sparks Early Cheating Controversy

4/14/2026

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Summary

Story summary

In July 1993, a man posing as John von Neumann, a deceased mathematician, entered the World Open in Philadelphia.
He drew against a grandmaster and fled before he could be identified.
The incident is noted as the first potential case of computer cheating in chess, predating the Kasparov–Deep Blue match.
The imposter's identity remains a mystery as the author explores it in a new book about gamblers using technology.

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Story summary

In July 1993, a man posing as John von Neumann, a deceased mathematician, entered the World Open in Philadelphia.
He drew against a grandmaster and fled before he could be identified.
The incident is noted as the first potential case of computer cheating in chess, predating the Kasparov–Deep Blue match.
The imposter's identity remains a mystery as the author explores it in a new book about gamblers using technology.