Chess Grandmaster Arrested After Assault Incident

Christopher Yoo, a 17-year-old chess grandmaster, was arrested after allegedly punching a female videographer in the back following his defeat at the United States Chess Championship in St. Louis. The incident occurred after Yoo lost to defending champion Fabiano Caruana, leading to an emotional outburst where he crumpled his scoresheet and stormed out of the video hall. The St. Louis Chess Club expelled him from the tournament for violating their code of conduct and the U.S. Chess Safe Place Policy, annulling his results and granting byes to other players scheduled to compete against him. Yoo has been charged with fourth-degree assault and is being handled by the juvenile justice system. In a statement, he expressed deep remorse for his actions, acknowledging there was no excuse for his behavior. His parents also issued a public apology, emphasizing that the videographer did not provoke Yoo and that he is genuinely ashamed of his actions.