(PCM) National chess champion from Georgia, Giaoz Nigalidze, was kicked out of an international competition after officials discovered that he was using a smartphone hidden in the toilet to check on his moves.
Nigalidze was playing Armenian champ Tigran Petrosian in the sixth round of the Dubai Open when officials were alerted by Petrosian that Nigalidze was visiting the bathroom at somewhat regular intervals. His behavior was quite suspicious and upon further investigation the officials discovered that Nigalidze had wrapped a smartphone in toilet tissue and hidden in a bin in the bathroom stall.
Nigalidze initially tried to deny that the phone was his, however he gave himself away by using the very same stall in the bathroom for longer than 10 minutes at a time and when officials looked at the phone it was logged into Nigalidze Facebook account. There was also a chess program running on the phone, showing his current positions.
The first prize for the Dubai Open International Chess tournament is $12, 000 and currently, in addition to being kicked out of this tournament, Nigalidze could face up to a three year ban if the allegations against him prove to be true.