Othello news
Official President’s Update
20 November 2025Written by Guy Plowman, W.O.F. President
Official President’s Update: Regarding an Incident at the 2025 World Othello Championships
20th November 2025
To the Global Othello Community,
It is with the utmost seriousness and a deep sense of responsibility that I provide this detailed update regarding an integrity matter at the recent World Othello Championships.
Following the Swiss segment of the event, the World Othello Federation (WOF) received multiple, independent, notifications of concern regarding the playing patterns of one competitor, Misheel Altanshagai (representing Mongolia), during the Swiss segment of the tournament.
A thorough investigation was immediately initiated. This communication outlines the findings, the actions taken, and the next steps.
The Investigation and Findings
The analysis, verified by a significant number of independent experts, was conclusive. Using the Othello engine Saio, one of the strongest available, we identified two distinct and irreconcilable standards of play from the same player:
1. A consistent below-average World Championship standard, demonstrated in the first five rounds on November 13th.
2. A consistent standard superior to anything ever consistently achieved by any human player, demonstrated in seven of the next eight rounds on November 13th and 14th.
The statistical probability of a human player achieving this superior level unaided over five consecutive games is so infinitesimally small that the only reasonable conclusion is that the agent playing those games was an Othello engine.
To provide a fair opportunity to rebut this evidence, the WOF arranged a controlled game against a high-level opponent. The player was unable to demonstrate any ability to play the exceptional moves played in the "superior" standard.
Actions Taken and Assumption of Responsibility
The WOF has a zero-tolerance policy towards artificially aided play. For the integrity of the tournament, the decision was made to remove the player from the Youth semi-final for which she had qualified.
I must clarify the chain of responsibility. The Head Tournament Director, Benkt Steentoft, rightly recused himself from the process due to his personal involvement with the Mongolian Othello Federation. Consequently, Tor Skogen Birger and I (as the other tournament directors) assumed joint responsibility for this decision.
In an effort to protect the youth player from excessive scrutiny, we offered the Mongolian Federation representatives the option for her to withdraw from the tournament pending a full investigation. While initially appearing to accept, subsequent public statements from the Mongolian Federation have made it clear this was not actually case. Therefore, we (Tor Skogen Birger and myself) unequivocally accept final responsibility for the decision to expel the player from the tournament.
Current Status and Path Forward
The Mongolian Federation continues to dispute the overwhelming evidence and the WOF's conclusion. In the interests of absolute fairness and procedural integrity, we encouraged them to submit an official complaint, which they have now done.
To ensure an impartial review and avoid any conflict of interest, the WOF is appointing an independent arbitration panel. This panel will rule on two key questions:
1. Whether the conclusion of cheating was warranted by the evidence.
2. Whether the WOF's actions were within the tournament direction's remit.
We welcome this independent scrutiny and remain confident that our decisions were not only warranted but necessary to protect the integrity of our game and the fair competition for all players. The WOF will act in accordance with the panel's final recommendations.
A Final Word
This is a profoundly disappointing incident for our community. It strikes at the heart of the fair play and sportsmanship we all cherish. However, our robust response and the implementation of this independent review process demonstrate our unwavering commitment to these principles.
We extend our gratitude to the players and community members who upheld their duty to safeguard our sport by coming forward with their concerns.
We will communicate the outcome of the arbitration panel's review in due course.
Sincerely,
Guy Plowman, WOF President
On Behalf of the World Othello Federation