Fictitious tournament or game

A fictitious tournament or game exists in the record but not in the competitive reality that the record claims to describe. Results, participants, dates, or games are created or submitted as though an event took place, even though it was not played or did not occur genuinely in the reported form.

The fabrication may seek rating, the numerical estimate of playing strength, title norms, meaning required results toward certain titles, qualification, prizes, or another advantage. Official systems depend on results reported by organizers and federations, so an invented record can affect people beyond those who created it. FIDE therefore includes deliberate participation in such events or games within its definition of cheating.

This differs from match-fixing in a real contest. In fixing, the competition exists but its result or course is manipulated. In a fictitious record, the represented competitive event did not genuinely happen. It also differs from a chess composition or simulated training game, which is honestly presented as a creation or exercise rather than an official result.