MAKHACHKALA: The chess world was stunned when a Russian chess champion, Amina Abakarova, was caught trying to poison her childhood rival. She allegedly covered her opponent’s chess pieces with mercury, a highly toxic substance, before a tournament in Makhachkala, southern Russia.

Amina Abakarova, 43, is now facing possible imprisonment after security cameras captured her tampering with the chess pieces. The footage shows her checking the room to make sure no one was watching. She then took a vial from her bag and poured the mercury over her rival’s pieces.

The World Health Organisation warns that even small amounts of mercury can be dangerous. The rival, Umayganat Osmanova, felt severe dizziness and nausea during the game but managed to continue competing after receiving medical treatment.

Reports suggest that Abakarova acted out of revenge after being insulted by Osmanova. She now faces up to three years in prison for her actions.

Dagestani sports official Sazhid Sazhidov confirmed the incident, saying, “We have video proof showing that Amina Abakarova applied mercury to the chess table where Umayganat Osmanova was set to play.”

Malcolm Pain from the English Chess Federation noted that this is an unprecedented case in chess history. He expressed confusion over Abakarova’s motives and the potential dangers of her actions.

The tournament organisers reported the incident to the authorities and handed over the CCTV footage as evidence. The Russian Chess Federation is considering a lifetime ban for Abakarova, pending the investigation’s outcome.

Alexander Tkachyov, executive director of the Russian Chess Federation, said, “We are waiting for the investigation from law enforcement. If the findings are confirmed, the response from our federation will be severe, possibly including a lifetime ban.”

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The World Health Organisation states that mercury exposure can lead to serious health issues such as tremors, insomnia, memory loss, and other severe symptoms.

-Agencies