is over half the community cheating?

I’ve been an active player on Chess.com for quite some time, and I’ve recently shifted most of my games to bullet chess, thinking it would be a break from the classic games where I suspected many of my opponents were using external assistance. My rationale was simple: surely, with only a minute on the clock, there wouldn’t be enough time for anyone to consult a computer or engage in any form of cheating. I was wrong—or at least, it feels that way.

My rating usually floats between 1100 and 1300, so I’m not claiming to be a grandmaster or anything. I understand that people can have good and bad days, myself included. But something about my bullet games feels…off. A lot of my opponents seem to play at a pretty average level for the first few moves—making the usual mistakes you’d expect at this rating. But then, out of nowhere, they start playing flawless, computer-like moves.

Here’s a typical scenario I’ve noticed: the opening is shaky, a standard 3-5 moves in, maybe some blunders or strange piece placements, and then suddenly, it’s as if they’ve transformed into a 2700-rated player. Their moves are precise, tactical, and often the very best choice in a position. And remember, we’re talking about bullet here. How is it possible for someone at my rating to switch gears and play like a top-tier player with 15 seconds left on the clock? It feels suspiciously like they’re playing the opening on their own, then as soon as they make a mistake, they switch to engine assistance.

The strange thing is, it’s not just an isolated incident. I’ve seen this pattern repeat in a majority of my games. If someone was genuinely that strong, why are they even playing at a 1200 level? I don’t mind losing to better players—that’s how you improve—but the way some of these games play out feels too artificial.

I’m left questioning whether it’s just me or if anyone else in the Chess.com community is seeing the same thing. Are we dealing with a wave of cheaters, even in fast time controls like bullet?

If you’re reading this and have experienced something similar, please share your thoughts. Maybe I’m being paranoid, but with the frequency of these “miracle recoveries” in my games, it’s hard not to feel like something’s off. Does anyone else feel like the opponents suddenly turn into Stockfish when they’re on the ropes, or is it just part of the bullet chess experience?

Let me know what you think in the comments—I’d love to hear your thoughts or experiences!

You should actually document this more precisely; save the PGNs and analyze the fishy moves. Or, I can save you loads of time and just assure you that cheating is rampant...

Cheating in every game, no. Cheating frequently - yes. Next comes the barrage of chess.com bots to spew propaganda that cheating doesn't happen or the "mod" that is a bot to come lock it down.

The perception of cheating levels is orders of magnitude more than the actual amount.

https://support.chess.com/article/648-what-do-i-need-to-know-about-fair-play-on-chess-com

https://www.chess.com/article/view/online-chess-cheating

https://www.chess.com/article/view/chesscom-update-october-2024#FairPlay

The site closed more than 63,000 accounts in September for fair play violations and has a full team of staff working on reports along with some automated systems for detection.

https://www.chess.com/article/view/fair-play

That said, discussions of cheating, potential cheating, or cheat detection are not allowed in the general forums. If you want to discuss join the following club.

https://www.chess.com/club/cheating-forum