The Morning After: A chess robot broke the finger of its 7-year-old opponent

Sometimes the headline says it all: A chess-playing robot accidentally broke the finger of its seven-year-old opponent during an exhibition match in Moscow. The child apparently moved his piece too soon, and the robot grabbed his finger and squeezed it, resulting in a fracture.

A video the robot grabbing the boy's finger and holding it for several seconds before a group of people come to free him.

The boy competed the next day, finishing the tournament. His parents, however, have reportedly contacted the public prosecutor's office. Russian chess official Sergey Smagin downplayed the incident, calling it “a coincidence” and saying the machine was “absolutely safe.” Which I’m not sure is true.

— Mat Smith

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