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By: Sports Desk | Updated: May 31, 2020 10:42:25 am John Torturro in The Luzhin Defence; a still from Shatranj ke Khiladi (Screenshots)

In the unprecedented change the Covid-19 pandemic has brought to the sports landscape around the world, with travel bans forcing most global sports to postpone their events,chess is one sport which has managed to be insulated, even managing to regain some of its popularity.

There has been large-scale participation in chess, both competitively and recreationally, from people via computers during the lockdown.The essence of the mind sport has been beautifully presented on screen for those unfamiliar with the sport to get a glimpse of how interesting and exciting it can be similar to how many great films have depicted the game and even centred their films on the game over the years.

Here is a look at a few great films portraying chess:

Queen of Katwe (2016)

The 2016 film by Mira Nair is an on-screen depiction of the life of Phiona Mutesi, a girl from Katwe, a slum in Kampala, Uganda, and her journey towards becoming a Woman Candidate Master.

Produced by Walt Disney Pictures and starring Madina Nalwanga and Lupita Nyongo, the film is unique for being a chess movie based on the life of an African woman, when most of the chess movies depict the stories of white men.

Despite having a limited release, the direction and messaging of the movie received a lot of praises, and the movie went on to win a lot of awards at various award functions.

Pawn Sacrifice (2014)

The 2014 Edward Zwick directorial is a biographical drama on the rise of Bobby Fischer from a young chess enthusiast in New York to winning the World Chess Championship in 1972.

READ | Five of the greatest chess matches ever played

The film stars Tobey Maguire as Fischer and Liev Schreiber as Russian grandmaster and Fischers rival, Boris Spassky. The film was well received by both critics and audiences alike, and was particularly praised for its portrayal of Fischers mental health, his paranoia and the dark side of an unhealthy obsession with chess.

The performances of the main cast were highly appreciated and the film has developed a cult following in the years that followed.

The Dark Horse (2014)

Based on the real-life story of Genesis Potini, a New Zealand chess player who suffered from bipolar disorder, the movie depicts how Potini trains disadvantaged children to instill in them the discipline and skill necessary to succeed in chess.

With chess being used metaphorically to develop skills necessary to succeed in life, the Cliff Curtis-starrer was widely appreciated, sweeping awards across New Zealand and even being labelled by some Kiwi journalists as one of the greatest films to come out of New Zealand.

The inspirational film has developed its own niche fan base since then, and is a huge fan favourite among chess enthusiasts.

The Luzhin Defence (2000)

Based on Vladimir Nabokovs book The Defence, the Marleen Gorris directorial chronicles the journey of a mentally tormented young chess grandmaster and the woman he meets while competing at a chess tournament in Italy.

Starring John Turturro and Emily Watson, the romantic drama is particularly famous for the final chess match between Turati and Luzhin. The usage of chess in other plot points throughout the movie, and the detailed focus on the protagonists mental breakdown as the movie progresses, have contributed to the movie being viewed as a classic in todays time.

READ | When the wait finally ended for Viswanathan Anand

The climax of the movie, though dissimilar to the book, is considered to be one of the best in any chess-based movie.

Searching for Bobby Fischer (1993)

Contrary to what the title suggests, the movie isnt about grandmaster Bobby Fischer at all, rather the plot focuses on young chess prodigy Josh Waitzkin and how his coach and family attempt to nurture his natural talent for chess.The title of the film is a reference to Waitzkins quest to develop his abilities to the level of Fischers as he progresses in the world of chess.

Starring Max Pomeranc in the lead role, and having exceptional performances from Ben Kingsley and Laurence Fishburne, the film has been adored by chess fans all around the world.

The film was even nominated for best cinematography at the 66th Academy Awards, and is often rated as one of the most well-made chessmovies ever.

Shatranj Ke Khiladi (1977)

The 1977 film, based on Premchands short story of the same name, was legendary director Satyajit Rays first Hindi directorial. Starring Amjad Khan and Richard Attenborough, along with Amitabh Bachchan as the narrator, the film was widely appreciated all around the world, even being Indias entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 51st Academy Awards.

Literally meaning The Chess Players, the film, set in 1856, chronicles the life of two men devoted to the game of chess against the backdrop of the British East India Companys schemes and ploys. With Rays signature style, the film is considered to be one of his best works and one of Indias best chess-based movies.

Magnus, a 2016 documentary on the life of Magnus Carlsen, 2012s Brooklyn Castle and Liz Garbuss Bobby Fischer Against the World are a few other films made on chess deserving mention.

Written by Shubhang Gopal

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Six greatest chess movies ever made - The Indian Express

Our recent virus induced vacation from over-the-board (OTB) chess got me thinking. Online chess exploded onto the scene. US Chess even rates Blitz and Quick games. Club Swiss events are also possible using pairings (etc.) from offsite US Chess certified TDscheck it out here. It is much more common to participate in a match (even a one game match) or round robin at one of those on-line sites.

So, how do the two compare? Those chess playing sites use their programming to replace many traditional TD chores.

With my tongue firmly planted in my cheek lets go for a ride:

REQUESTED BYES

OTB:

Cyberspace:

$$$

OTB:

Cyberspace:

PAIRINGS

OTB:

Cyberspace:

RULES

OTB:

Cyberspace:

CLAIMS:

OTB:

Cyberspace:

CLOCKS

OTB:

Cyberspace:

CHEATING

OTB:

Cyberspace:

Tim Just recently appeared on Chris Birds weekly the TD show. You can watch the entire thing here.

The free, updated as of 1-1-20, US Chess Rules (Chapters 1+2+11 from the 7th edition rulebook) are now downloadable and available on-line. Past Just the Rules columns can be viewed here.

Tim Just is a National Tournament Director, FIDE National Arbiter, and editor of the 5th, 6th, and 7th editions of the US Chess Rulebook. He is also the author of My Opponent is Eating a Doughnut & Just Law, which are both available from US Chess Sales and Amazon/Kindle. Additionally, Tim recently revised The Guide To Scholastic Chess, a guide created to help teachers and scholastic organizers who wish to begin, improve, or strengthen their school chess program. Tim is also a member of the US Chess Rules Committee. His new column, exclusive to US Chess, Just the Rules will help clarify potentially confusing regulations.

See more here:
Just the Rules: Tim Just on Online Chess - uschess.org

6/2/2020 It has been debated for ages. But now the University of Physical Education in Budapest has awarded a Honorary Doctorate to a chess player to the richly deserving Judit Polgr, for a stellar career in the board game, effectively recognizing chess as a sport. Only 44 such doctorates have been conferred in four decades, mainly to Olympic Committee (Samaranch, Rogge) or FIFA Presidents (Joo Havelange). "A milestone for the chess universe," said Judit in her acceptance message.

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Based on a recommendation of the Universitys Doctoral Council, Caissa award-winning Judit Polgr, the best female chess player in the history of chess, was awarded the title of "Doctor Honoris Causa" by the Senate of the Budapest University of Physical Education.

Operating as an independent entity since 2014, the educational establishment has been awarding honorary doctorates to outstanding professionals since 1981 (but not every year!) in the field of sports sciences and sports diplomacy: to professors, researchers, teachers, sports directors.

Just 44 honorary doctorates have been conferred over the last four decades. Among them we find: sports diplomats Juan Antonio Samaranch, Spain, and Jacques Rogge, Belgian, the 7th and 8th President of the International Olympic Committee; Gertrud Pfister, German sports sociologist and sports historian; Joo Havelange, Brazilian sports director, former President of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) and John O. Holloszy, Doctor of Medicine, former professor at the School of Medicine at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, US, as well as Higuchi Mitsuru, professor at Waseda University (Japan), former director of the Japanese National Institute for Health and Nutrition and current director of Advanced Aging Research.

Judit Polgar: "The honorary doctorate is a great distinction for me and a milestone for the chess universe. This recognition is significant and special because it provides further proof of what I have always believed and emphasized: that chess is a sport. According to the resolution of the International Olympic Committee, in my country, Hungary and many other countries, chess is a sport, a fact which is still questioned by many. This recognition is an important step towards keeping the discussion on chess alive and gently convincing sceptics: chess is a sport. This only further strengthens its existing and living relationship with play, education, arts and science."

You can read the official statement of the University of Physical Education here

Follow this link:
Chess is indeed a sport! - Chessbase News

By: Sports Desk | Updated: June 3, 2020 7:45:19 pm The game was special because it heralded a new era of fast-paced chess

Indoor sports requiring minimal equipment have seen a rapid increase in popularity during the lockdown. During times when people are looking for options to explore within their homes, a sport such as chess, requiring simply an 88 chessboard, 32 pieces and two enthusiastic players has been a go-to activity for millions of people all around the world.

The centuries old mind sport has developed with time, and has really turned into a professional, viewer-friendly sport in the last five decades. Professional chess has seen some classic matches which have been a masterclass in strategy, tactical thinking, and the art of outwitting your opponent.

Here is a list of five of the greatest chess matches to have ever been played:

The 1972 World Chess Championship match between American challenger Bobby Fischer and Soviet Unions defending champion Spassky is often called the match of the 20th century. With political overtones due to the Cold War, Fischers victory in game 21 of the championship ended 24 years of Soviet domination of the sport. The 40-move game and Fischers corresponding victory is seen as a historic moment amidst the Cold War tensions, making Fischer an instant celebrity back home, even leading to celebration known as Bobby Fischer Day upon his return. The game and the rivalry have also inspired several musical, documentaries and movies, such as Tobey Maguires Pawn Sacrifice (2014).

Karpov entered the World Chess Championship match at a FIDE rating of 2720 with Kasparov not far behind at 2700, with the final match of the championship, match 24, a must-win for Karpov to retain his world title which he had held from 1975 onwards. Often called by Kasparov as the game of his life, the young Russian turned the game on its head with a far-sighted rook play on his 23rd move. This eventually led to decisive errors from Karpov on move 36 and move 40, leading to his loss after 42 moves. As a result, Kasparov became the thirteenth and youngest world champion aged 22, a title he held till 1993.

The 1997 six-game chess match between world chess champion Garry Kasparov and IBMs supercomputer Deep Blue was a rematch after the machines defeat in Philadelphia in 1996. The match was a historic moment in chess, as it was the first time that a computer defeated a reigning world chess champion. The victory was seen as a sign of how far artificial intelligence had come and how it was catching up with the intellectual capabilities of human intelligence. The 19-move game also inspired the 1997 documentary titled The Man v The Machine and revealed the additional pressure for a player when playing against an unyielding machine.

The year 1999 witnessed one of the most tactical and widely covered and commented chess games ever, between Bulgarian Topalov and Russian grandmaster Kasparov. The two stalwarts of the game indulged in one of the most attacking displays of competitive chess, with Kasparov playing a rook sacrificial combination lasting over 15 moves. The 44-move game, eventually won by Kasparov, has since then come to be known as Kasparovs Immortal, and is extensively studied and analysed by chess enthusiasts and players. It is lauded as one of the greatest chess games ever played and further established Kasparovs legendary ability to see things which most other players missed.

Five-time world chess champion Viswanathan Anand faced Norwegian challenger Magnus Carlsen for the 2013 title. After 10 games, Carlsen, aged 22, defeated Anand, becoming the second-youngest champion ever, just a few months older than Kasparov was when he won his maiden title. The game was special because it heralded a new era of fast-paced chess, with Carlsen having developed his game in a world with availability of super-strong chess computers. It also ushered in Carlsens dominance, who has gone on to win four consecutive world chess championships since then.

These five games are forever etched into the annals of chess history and are a must-watch for budding chess players, as well as people looking to learn more about the sport. The move-by-move analysis and videos of these matches are easily available and act as a great source to improve ones game or simply appreciate the genius of these players.

This article was written by Shubhang Gopal, an intern with indianexpress.com

The Indian Express is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@indianexpress) and stay updated with the latest headlines

For all the latest Sports News, download Indian Express App.

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From Kasparov to Carlsen: Five of the greatest chess matches ever played - The Indian Express

Vinita Joshi pushed open the door of her fathers white mansion in south Delhi.

Inch by inch, her childhood abode revealed itself to her again. The sparkling two-tier crystal chandelier. The spiral staircase with red velvet stairs. The four marble pillars on each side. The life-size photographs of her grandparents.

On the wall opposite her hung a photograph that had not budged. A grinning Vinita was leaning over Rajinder, who sat in a leather armchair wearing a black suit. Back then, she used to sport a boy cut. Snapped before his hiking accident, the photo showed Rajinder scarless. His face was rigid, his eyes penetrating.

Even his picture seemed to admonish her.

A shattering sound broke the silence.

A man with but two tufts of white hair stood hunched, six feet to her left. A red piece of cloth was slung over his shoulder. Broken glass lay near his sandalled feet.

The man covered his mouth. His hands trembled. Vinita Beti? he staggered forward.

Yes, Prem, Vinita dropped her purse on a glass-top table. I am here.

Vinita was silent.

Trusted executives deserted TeleCorp every month, with not so much as a thank you email. And here was Prem, after thirty- five years, still the Joshis Man Friday. With no immediate family to speak of, the Joshis were the only family he had.

Perhaps he too would leave, now that Rajinder was no more. Prem wiped his face with the red cloth.I dont have much time, Prem. I need to see Dads room. He nodded. I will show you. I have left it as it was, Beti. Vinitas left hand landed on his shoulder. Bring me a cup of strong coffee. She smiled. The way you always made it. Vinita ascended the spiral staircase.

The stairs were unchanged. The sensation was different. To her left, the chandelier shimmered within touching distance of the topmost stair.

Along the hallway, Vinita passed by a picture of her late mother Sanjana at a corporate dinner with Rajinder.

Vinita opened the first door on her right.

A shiny black table stood five feet from Rajinders bed. On it sat a dusty spectacle case.

Vinita recognised the leather couch that used to occupy her room. She ran her fingers along the couchtop.

Cant call it my own anymore. Shouldnt call anything here my own anymore.

Even after all these years, chess had not been far from Rajinder. She lifted her gaze to a picture affixed to the wall.

Kedarnath and she were bowing to Rajinder, seeking his blessings, a decade ago. Those were simpler times. Happier times.

Vinita touched the picture.

Did Kedarnath still live in Delhi? Had he remarried?

She looked towards the window.

Sunlight bathed Rajinders sprawling lawn. The marble statues of warriors posed as sentinels on the cut grass. The water in the circular ceramic pond close to Prems cottage was clear. The marble figurine in the centre of the pond spewed water from its mouth.

As a girl, Vinita had often circled the lawn on her horse Hira. Rajinder always kept watch, but Hira was well-trained. Nothing had ever gone wrong.

Hira was long gone.

Vinita Beti, your hair has turned grey, she heard Prem behind her.

Vinita accepted the warm mug of coffee. Well, I am not young anymore.

Prem smiled. He seemed shorter than he had been nine years ago. Vinita...

Yes?

Why did you not come earlier?

Vinita took in a breath of air. What was left for me here, Prem?

At the first signs of improvement, Rajinder had demanded that the rest of his treatment be completed at home.

Obstinate to the last, Vinita muttered.

Against his better judgement, the doctor had allowed it. Apparently that hadnt been enough for Rajinder, for he had called taxis on the three days that followed. No one knew where he had meant to go.

The first two times he had been caught by Prem. On the third day, it was the doctor. All the while, Rajinder had continued to cough up blood, until the morning Prem had found him motionless, with a final smudge of blood on his mouth and another on the bedsheet.

What would happen now to AveoGen? Was Rajinders Empire still led by men and women passionate about aviation science? Or was it plagued by politics and power struggles?

She would know soon, for she was going to meet the chief technical officer and the VP.

Vinitas eyes fell on a cupboard by the front wall. She twisted its handle. Four black suit bags were lined up on hangers within. Vinita pictured Rajinder in a sharp black suit, with a grin on his face and yet another idea in his mind.

Why hadnt he called her after the accident? The last time she had heard his voice was nine years ago, when they had yelled at each other. She would now live with that memory forever.

Her fingers found a ragged brown backpack below the hangers. The straps were stained with half a dozen drops of dark red.

Vinita unzipped the front. She felt cotton cloth inside. She pulled it out.

Rajinders secretarys words came back to her:

Why would your father leave in a taxi with a backpack and a chessboard when the company was falling apart?

Vinita sighed at the cloth. Chess. The game that had seduced Rajinder on his sixth birthday, when his uncle had presented him with a wooden set. The rest was history.

Vinita hated chess. Work presented enough examples of plotting and planning, with one difference.

No draws were permitted in her world.

Rajinder did try to teach her once, when she was seven. But apparently she had thrown away the pieces and wailed for her teddy bear. That was the one time he had scolded her. At least until then.

A Milton water bottle and a piece of paper lay inside the backpack. Seven lines of text were scribbled on the scrap in Rajinders right-slanted handwriting. + signs hung above some of the words.

Vinitas eyes strained at the text:

Stoopavishalapashchimey Divasamekam antey hayaprishttena Ghanaranyam anantaramAsti samatalakshetrah trishoolakarah Mahimamaye shilanilayeAsha me rajyasampada Samachchana adyapi cha

Vinita read the text again and again.

Asha meant hope. Paschim could mean west. But what did the text mean in its entirety? And why was it in Rajinders backpack?

Prem? Vinita called out.

He appeared within seconds.

What was Rajinder working on before the accident? Prem opened his mouth but did not speak. He wiped his forehead with the red cloth.

I need to know, Prem.

Vinita Beti, he stuttered, sahib was busy at night for the last five months. Always busy.

Busy with what?

All he said was that he wanted to go on a trip.

Trip to where?

I dont know. The driver took leave, so I brought a taxi driver. He lowered his eyes. Sahib had the accident that day.

Prem, Vinita frowned at the text, find that taxi driver.

Silence.

She looked up. Whats the matter?

He died when the taxi hit the truck.

Excerpted with permission from Checkmate, Nihshanka Debroy, Westland.

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This thriller moves between historical and the modern worlds, linking them through chess - Scroll.in