A scandal has rocked the chess world as Russian player Amina Abakarova was caught on camera attempting to eliminate her longtime rival Umayganat Osmanova by smearing mercury on her board during a tournament in the southern Russian province of Dagestan. The shocking incident, which took place on August 2nd, has sparked outrage and disbelief among chess enthusiasts worldwide.
Abakarova, a 40-year-old chess star and teacher at a school in the city of Makhachkala, was seen on video surreptitiously tampering with Osmanova’s board before the latter’s match. The substance she used was later identified as potentially lethal mercury extracted from a broken thermometer. Osmanova, who began to feel unwell after 30 minutes at the board, sought medical help and was diagnosed with poisoning. The police swiftly arrested Abakarova after reviewing the incriminating footage.
In a shocking confession, Abakarova admitted to attempting to sabotage Osmanova’s tournament performance due to personal animosity stemming from a previous defeat and disparaging remarks about her family. While claiming that her intention was to instill fear rather than cause harm, Abakarova now faces a lengthy ban from chess competitions and possible jail time for intentional bodily harm.
Despite the ordeal, Osmanova, who runs her own chess school, displayed remarkable resilience by continuing the tournament and ultimately finishing in second place. Reflecting on the incident, she recounted experiencing symptoms of dizziness and metallic taste in her mouth, expressing gratitude for detecting the sabotage early. The chess community remains shocked by the scandal, highlighting the need for heightened security measures at tournaments to prevent such malicious acts in the future.