CCTV exposes female chess champion allegedly poisoning rival

A female chess champion has reportedly admitted going to extreme lengths to ensure her long-time rival lost a tournament.

This is the chilling moment a chess star allegedly poisons her rival with mercury in broad daylight after she badmouthed her.

CCTV appears to show 40-year-old Russian chess pro Amina Abakarova interfering with her long-time enemy Umayganat Osmanova’s board, before she played later that day as part of the Dagestan Chess Championship in south Russia, The Sun reports.

In the grainy footage, Abakarova is seen walking tentatively across a room, looking up to see if one of the two people nearby are watching her.

She approaches one of the desks with a chess board laid onto it and puts the nondescript carrier bag she’s carrying underneath it.

Russian chess pro Amina Abakarova has been accused of poisoning her rival after this CCTV emerged showing her seemingly interfere with a board before a tournament. Picture: East 2 West

The chess player then finds another desk and appears to brush a dark grey powder onto the board.

It looks like she then smears the substance onto the wooden game board using one of its chess pieces, seemingly distributing it on the very edge of the table.

Abakarova then appears to frantically put the chess piece down in the exact same place she grabbed it.

She scans the room carefully upon exit to check if the coast is clear, and it appears the alleged assassination plot goes unnoticed by others in the room.

Prosecutors have since alleged the powder is mercury, a dangerous element that can cause damage to the gastrointestinal tract, the nervous system, and the kidneys if ingested.

It’s unsure exactly when the footage was captured by security cameras but it was ahead of the game.

Ms Osmanova, 30, played in the tournament as intended and became ill with “severe dizziness and nausea”, allegedly as a result of inhaling the toxic dust.

After the poisoning, Ms Osmanova continued to participate in the tournament – and even won a prize.

Police suspect the 40-year-old brushed mercury powder onto the board before long-time rival Umayganat Osmanova used it. Picture: East 2 West

Abakarova, 40, reportedly confessed to pouring mercury near the board in a cunning plot to harm Osmanova, The Sun reported.

She’s accused of secretly pouring the mercury from a thermometer on her rival’s board – and smearing it with a chess piece.

The tournament’s judge reported the incident to police, and the CCTV was inspected shortly after.

Abakarova has been detained and faces jail time up to three years if convicted.

Abakarova is said to have admitted the incident to police. Picture: East 2 West

Abakarova is believed to have carried out the attempted plot against Umayganat Osmanova (pictured) after she badmouthed her family. Picture: East 2 West

Dagestan’s Minister of Sport Sazhida Sazhidova said: “Like many others, I am perplexed by what happened, and the motives of such an experienced competitor as Amina Abakarova are incomprehensible.

“The alleged actions she took could have led to a most tragic outcome, threatening the lives of everyone who was present, including herself.”

Her friends say her alleged behaviour is “completely out of character”.

The footage was discovered by a judge in the tournament. Picture: East 2 West

Abakarova said her motive was “personal hostility” to Ms Osmanova, who had recently beaten her in a regional contest, said reports citing law enforcement.

She allegedly accused Ms Osmanova of being rude about her and her relatives behind her back.

Last year, Abakarova won the North Caucasus Federal District Chess Championship in Pyatigorsk.

She works as a chess coach and teaches at a school in Makhachkala while Ms Osmanova runs her own chess school.

This article originally appeared on The Sun and was reproduced with permission

Originally published as CCTV exposes female chess champion allegedly poisoning rival