ALEXANDER PICHUSHKIN: The Shocking True Story of The Chessboard KillerBorn into a poor family in a cramped apartment in forgotten Moscow suburb Alexander Pichushkin would achieve something that none of his contemporaries in the Konkovo District would ever manage. His actions between 1992 and 2006 ensured that his name would go down in history. To some he is the Bitsevsky Park Maniac. To others he is the Chessboard Killer. To the people he grew up with he is Alexander SashaPichushkin an ordinary boy who would become one of Russia's most feared serial killers. After his father left Alexander Pichushkin grew up in a single parent family. Initially a shy child a playground accident turned him into an angry young man, unable to control his temper. This event also helped to turn Pichushkin into an outsider. As the child became increasingly unhappy his mother, Natasha, ran out of options. It was then that her father, Alexander Pichushkin's grandfather, stepped in. For the next few years Pichushkin lived with his grandfather and learnt how to be a man. He also learnt how to play chess and drink vodka. After the death of his beloved grandfather and loyal pet dog Pichushkin found himself to be increasingly isolated. By now he was once again living in a cramped apartment with his mother and half-sister. During this period Pichushkin took to drinking heavily and looking at pornography. Itis reported that he also found enjoyment in scaring the young children who played in the nearby Bitsevsky Park. A few months after his 18th birthday Alexander Pichushkin committed his first murder, brutally killing a school friend, Mikhail Odichuk. Despite investigating the police did not have enough evidence to charge Pichushkin so he was allowed to go free. This is the true story of these brutal events, which later earned Pichushkin the label 'The Chessboard Killer'.