"...Crisan's victims were all competent players who had fallen on hard times since Yugoslavia's meltdown in the 1990s.

One of Crisan's victims, likeable IM Branko Maksimovic, was at least able to keep his sense of humour as he prostituted his chess skills for a few dollars, as can be seen by the following game.

Kladovo 2001
White: A.Crisan
Black: B.Maksimovic
Opening: Nimzo-Indian
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 0-0 5.Nf3 d5 6.Bd3 c5 7.0-0 Nc6 8.a3 dxc4 9.Bxc4 cxd4 10.exd4 Be7 11.Qd3 b6 12.Bg5 Bb7 13.Rfe1 Rc8 14.Rad1 Nd5 15.Bxd5 exd5 16.Qf5 g6 17.Qxd5 Qxd5 18.Nxd5 Bxg5 19.Nxg5 Rfd8 20.Ne7+ Nxe7 21.Rxe7 Rxd4 22.Rde1

So far Crisan would have been pleased, managing to follow a 1985 GM game which the players had probably agreed to copy before the game. However Maksimovic now decides to have a little fun and varies from the old game.

22...Rg4!? 23.Nxf7??

Maksimovic must have been chuckling to himself as Crisan continues copying the 1985 game, but there 23.Nxf7 was played after 22...Bxg2!?. Crisan is unable to discern the enormous difference between the two positions - 23.Rxb7 was necessary.

23...Rxg2+ 24.Kf1

Now, however, Maksimovic was probably rather nervous, as he is in danger of winning this game if he plays 24...Rxh2! (If then 25.Rxb7, Rh1+ 26.Ke2 Re8+ wins.) Of course it was possible for Maksimovic to blunder a piece and resign but that would be a little too obvious. Fortunately Maksimovic found the following weak but plausible move, virtually forcing Crisan to find the winning path!