Uzbekistan Grandmaster (GM) Nodirbek Yakubboev found himself at the center of a controversy during the Tata Steel Chess Tournament when he declined to shake hands with Indian GM R Vaishali before their fourth-round match. The incident, captured on video and shared widely on social media, sparked debate online.
In the video shared by ChessBase India, Vaishali can be seen extending her hand in a customary pre-match gesture. However, Yakubboev, without responding, took his seat, leaving the Indian visibly awkward. The match ended with Yakubboev losing, and he currently stands at three points after eight rounds in the Challengers’ section.
Amid growing criticism over his conduct, Yakubboev issued an apology on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), explaining that his actions were not intended to disrespect Vaishali. He attributed his decision to refrain from physical contact with women to his religious beliefs.
“I want to explain the situation that happened in the game with Vaishali. With all due respect to women and Indian chess players, I want to inform everyone that I do not touch other women for religious reasons,” Yakubboev wrote. He added that he holds Vaishali and her younger brother, GM R Praggnanandhaa, in high regard, describing them as some of India’s strongest chess players.
Yakubboev acknowledged the awkwardness caused by his actions and revealed that he had managed the situation differently in his eighth-round match against Romania’s Irina Bulmaga. “Today, I told Irina Bulmaga about it. She agreed to it. But when I came to the playing hall, the arbiters told me that I should at least do Namaste as a gesture. In the games with Divya and Vaishali, I couldn’t tell them about it beforehand, and there was an awkward situation,” he explained.
Yakubboev clarified that while he adheres to his religious beliefs, he respects others’ choices and does not impose his practices on anyone. “Chess is not haram. I do what I need to do. I do not insist others not shake hands with the opposite gender or for women to wear hijab or burqa. It is their business what to do,” he added.
Vaishali has not commented publicly on the incident, but the debate surrounding Yakubboev’s actions has raised questions about cultural and religious sensitivities in global sports. The Tata Steel Chess Tournament continues to showcase thrilling performances, but this incident has added a layer of complexity to discussions around etiquette and diversity in the chess world.
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