Russia: Chess robot goes rogue, breaks 7-year-old child's finger mid-play
An "android's gambit" by a chess-playing robot in Russia broke the finger of a player. The incident took place at the Moscow Chess Open Tournament on Tuesday (July 19) when a seven-year-old boy was competing with a specialized chess-playing machine. The organizing committee has, however, clarified that the robot broke the boy's finger after he played a quick move without waiting his turn.
'Grabbed the boy's index finger, squeezed it hard'
The seven-year-old boy, named Christopher, had his finger "fractured and scratched" by the robot after he reportedly played his move before the robot finished its turn. As per analysts, the robot did not like the hurry, so it grabbed Christopher's index finger and squeezed it hard. Christopher is one of the 30 best players in Moscow aged up to nine years.
Watch: Chess robot goes rogue
What did the organizers say?
"The robot broke the boy's finger after he went for a quick move despite waiting for the robot to finish," Russian Chess Federation President told Newsweek. Adding that this was a first-of-its-kind incident, he said that the child violated the safety rules. Clarifying that this was a "coincidence" and the chess robot is very safe, he said that they might install another protection system.
Parents may press charges
As the robot caught hold of the boy, bystanders rushed and freed him from the robot's clutches. While Christopher managed to finish the chess tournament with a cast, his parents approached the local prosecutor to press charges, Russian media reported. After the attack's video went viral, many on the internet expressed concerns about the robot's safety and the potential harm of artificial intelligence.
Machine learning in chess
Chess-playing robots and robot arms have been used in the global community for many years now. They are used by leagues around the world to integrate AI with the sport in competitions and for educational purposes. The designs range from something that can easily be made at home to professional software that can control a mini-robotic arm to move chess pieces around the board.
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