Engine cheaters usually have a delay in making moves, so longer the game better your
chances of winning. So, I’ll tell the secrets of prolonging the game in this post. But the first
problem is that you may don’t notice that you face a cheater at start, and you may
start with a sharp opening, then certainly you will lose as you have no chance against
an engine and engine will demolish you in few moves. So, the first problem is to spot a
cheater as soon as possible. You can spot stupid cheaters (not clever ones) in their
second or third move: they think for an opening move in a blitz game while they
should know it by heart. So, in this case, check their user profile, if the difference between
blitz and bullet is high or if they are only active in longer time controls (zero bullet for
example), then there is a good chance you face a cheater. Then we enter the second phase:
making the game as long as possible.
In this phase you should make game as long as possible, here I explain how to make
game longer:
0. Keep in mind in a game you will lose, so you should not play a real chess.
1. Forget all your amazing attacking ideas, all then will fail quickly even against
weakest engines.
2. King safety first:
Don’t hesitate to give up a pawn or two to ensure your king safety as soon as possible.
If the king is safe then it takes longer time for them to demolish you, so you can win
on time.
3. Avoid complex positions:
If a position is getting complicated, in a short time you have no chance to calculate
anything, simplifying the position is the key. To prevent complex positions, when you
see there are 3 or more attacking pieces of your opponent pressing you, exchange
some pieces before they reach harmony. Exchange by all cost, even if you must give up
a rook for a knight.
4. Offer queen exchange:
Your queen is half powerful as engines queen, so if you exchange them then it is extra
point for you.
5. Offer knight exchange:
Try to win engines knights and exchange it with some of your pieces. Knights
manoeuvres are hard to detect in advance, you have zero chance to spot it 5 move in
advance (if you are not GM or IM, for them I have no idea). Just exchange them.
6. Keep a rook and one of the bishops in the game:
Rooks and bishops are easy to follow, and they can easily make useless moves, e.g.
attack to a pawn from distance, force the opponent to defend it and pause their plan.
Or similarly make useless checks, just to longer the game.
7. Don’t exchange all the pieces:
Pawn endgames are easy win by engine, avoid it.
8. Time scramble:
If you manage hold your game until your opponent has 20 seconds or less, then you
have a good chance to win in the game, but a simple strategy is to flag the opponent.
9. Sometimes write something in chat:
Even nonsense, if they read it then they may forget the engine move and must look at
it again, costing more time. Obviously, you shouldn’t write too much as you also lose
time.
10. Always report them no matter you won or lost, report them, even though
chess.com is lazy on this.
Best luck!