Security resembled measures seen in a spy movie for the World Chess Championship

From monitors watching every shifting pawn to undercover assets who were employed to blend in with the audience, the world of counter-espionage permeated throughout the venue at The College in London.“It’s like a cool spy movie, isn’t it?” says WorldChessCEO Ilya Merenzon, with a manic grin which suddenly comes and goes, not unlike aBondvillain.

The security measure that caught most by surprise was the polygraph machine. Every day there was a detective on-site who could be called on should the accusation of cheating arise. “It’s more widely used in the US, particularly in policing and law enforcement circles,” says the person in charge of the championship’s anti-cheating operation, Rory Lamrock, United Kingdom Director.

Learn more about the precautions that were taken here.

Published November 30, 2018