Chess-Playing Robot Breaks 7-Year-Old Opponent’s Finger In Russia

July 26, 2022 2:14 pm By Nadia Vella

A Russian robot grabbed and broke the finger of his 7-year-old opponent in Moscow last week.

Video of the 19 July incident published by the Baza Telegram channel shows his finger being pinched by the robotic arm for several seconds before a woman followed by three men rush in, free him and usher him away.

Sergey Lazarev, president of the Moscow Chess Federation, told the TASS news agency after the incident:

The child made a move, and after that we need to give time for the robot to answer, but the boy hurried, the robot grabbed him. The robot broke the child’s finger. This is of course bad.

The boy, whose name is Christopher according to Baza, returned to the tournament the next day and finished his matches with a cast around his finger, Lazarev said.

The boy, who was named only by his first name Christopher, was reportedly one of the 30 best chess players in the Russian capital in the under-nines category.

Sergey Smagin, vice president of the Russian Chess Federation, told Baza that the robot’s misfire is unprecedented to his knowledge.

There are certain safety rules and the child, apparently, violated them. When he made his move, he did not realize he first had to wait. This is an extremely rare case, the first I can recall.

The child’s parents have reportedly contacted the public prosecutor’s office, according to TASS.