The world of chess has been rocked after a Russian chess champion attempted to poison her childhood rival by covering her pieces in deadly mercury.
Now facing a possible prison sentence, Amina Abakarova, 43, was caught on a security camera smearing her rival’s pieces with the substance ahead of a tournament in Makhachkala, southern Russia last week.
According to the World Health Organisation, even minor exposure to mercury can have serious health consequences.
So there was a claim he was cheating but it's really hard to smuggle any devices into the match so it was JOKED that he used a sex toy, but thats only one theory lol
Whatever it was, it wasn't pure mercury. The victim suffered a severe reaction. Some organic mercury compounds are incredibly dangerous and can soak in easily through the skin. I'm surprised she's only facing three years, this sounds like attempted murder.
She did probably win some local chess-related competition, which technically makes her a "chess champion". See also parks & rec "award winning" meme/quote.
Just typical editorial exaggeration and clickbait, par for the course in today's "journalism". I hate it.