A Russian serial killer’s twisted obsession with completing a 64-square chessboard through murder reveals one of the most methodical and sinister explanations for mass killing ever documented.
The Chess Master’s Macabre Game
Alexander Pichushkin didn’t kill for sexual gratification or monetary gain. His motivation was far more calculated and disturbing. The Moscow native sought to murder exactly 64 people—one for each square on a chessboard—as a twisted form of competition with Andrei Chikatilo, Russia’s infamous “Rostov Ripper” who had killed 52-53 victims.
This numerical obsession distinguished Pichushkin from typical serial killers and revealed a mind governed by obsessive-compulsive pathology combined with homicidal ideation.
When police searched his apartment following his 2006 arrest, they discovered the chilling evidence of his systematic approach: a chessboard with 62 of 64 squares marked with coins, each representing a victim. Only two squares remained empty, suggesting he was tantalizingly close to achieving his macabre goal before law enforcement intervened.
Hunting Ground of the Homeless
Bitsa Park in Moscow became Pichushkin’s preferred killing field for a calculated reason. The large, relatively isolated park attracted homeless populations who were socially marginalized and unlikely to be immediately missed. This victim selection wasn’t random—it was strategic. Homeless individuals rarely had family connections to report disappearances, and police resources dedicated to their protection were limited.
Between 2001 and 2005, Pichushkin’s killing spree intensified dramatically. During this four-year peak period, he attacked 36 victims, with three managing to survive. His method was brutally simple: he would befriend elderly homeless men, often playing chess with them, before leading them to secluded areas of the park where he would kill them. The betrayal of trust became part of his psychological gratification.
The Competitive Killer’s Psychology
Pichushkin’s obsession with surpassing Chikatilo’s victim count reveals a disturbing aspect of criminal psychology—the desire for notoriety and historical significance within the serial killer pantheon. He explicitly stated his goal was to exceed Chikatilo’s confirmed kills, transforming murder into a perverse competition. This competitive motivation, combined with his fixation on numbers, created a powerful psychological drive toward “completion” of his self-imposed quota.
The killer’s own words provide chilling insight into his methodology: “The closer a person is to you and the better you know them, the more pleasurable it is to kill them.” This statement reveals how he derived power from betraying trust and eliminating people within his social sphere, often targeting acquaintances and chess-playing companions who considered him a friend.
Justice Catches the Chessboard Killer
Pichushkin’s downfall came through modern technology and one victim’s precautionary thinking. CCTV footage captured him at a Moscow train station with Marina Moskalyova, his final victim. Crucially, Moskalyova had provided her boyfriend with Pichushkin’s phone number before disappearing—a detail that proved instrumental in his identification and arrest.
During his 2007 trial, prosecutors faced significant challenges in substantiating all his claimed murders. While Pichushkin bragged about killing 63 people, prosecutors could only secure convictions for 49 murders and three attempted murders due to the lack of bodies, murder weapons, or missing person reports for many victims. On October 24, 2007, he received a life sentence and was housed in a glass cage during proceedings for protection.
Sources:
ABC News – Russia’s Worst Serial Killer on Trial
Joni E. Johnston, Psy.D. – Confession Chess
Wikipedia – Alexander Pichushkin
Apple Podcast – Alexander Pichushkin: The Chessboard Killer