Chess engine creator disqualified for cheating, forgot to say thank you
![](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/fUCPolzxCCuTlptBP4s13g--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTYzNg--/https://s.yimg.com/uu/api/res/1.2/qaXTuimj61dvxtz5tUavaQ--~B/aD0zMzY7dz01MDc7YXBwaWQ9eXRhY2h5b24-/https://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2011/06/vasik-rajlich-banned.jpg)
That familiar death-knell typically confined to Bobby Fischer's favorite pastime is taking a very real step outside the chessboard to corner one of its own. In a sweeping decision from the International Computer Games Association (ICGA), chess engine Rybka -- four-time World Computer Chess Championship winner -- and its creator, Vasik Rajlich, have been banned for life from chess' nerd World Cup for the uncredited use of competitor code. Reacting to controversy that the now-deposed winner owed its upper hand to rival engine Fruit's open-source roots, the ICGA assembled a 34-person panel and reverse engineered its way to a guilty sentence. Adding more insult to title-stripping injury, the gaming association has also demanded Rajlich (pictured above) return all trophies and prize money. It's a disheartening turn of events in the otherwise exciting man vs. machine board game battle that could have been easily avoided with a public 'please' and 'thank you.' Checkmate!