Russian Chess Player Caught on Camera Trying to Poison Opponent

I’m pretty sure that’s against the rules!

Russian chess player Amina Abakarova is extremely talented, boasting a standard rating of 1776. That said, chess is an intensely competitive sport, and even if you’re highly-skilled, you’re always looking for a way to score an advantage over your opponent.

That said, she probably took it a bit too far this time. According to Chess.com, “Security camera footage shows the incident where Abakarova calmly walked over to the board where (her opponent Umayganat) Osmanova was supposed to appear 20 minutes later. She then smeared what is said to be potentially deadly mercury from a thermometer.”

While Osmanova reported negative symptoms following exposure, she later recovered and finished the tournament in second place. Abakarova, in contrast, is looking at three years in prison. Looks like she wasn’t thinking two moves ahead.