The Top 5 Greatest Chess Scenes in Film

It is hard to imagine that any serious chess enthusiast has not seen this movie, but I guess anything is possible. Searching for Bobby Fischer is the 1993 film directed by Steven Zaillian and starring Max Pomeranc, Ben Kingsley and Laurence Fishburne; it is based on the life of chess prodigy Joshua Waitzken.

In the culmination of the film Josh attends the National Chess Championship where he faces off against the film's antagonist, Jonathan Poe (Evil Robot Boy). The scene is intense with the entire playing hall cleared of spectators and participants, but Evil Robot Boy makes a careless move, after a deep think, Josh seeing the inevitable victory chooses to offer his opponent a draw...Evil Robot Boy refuses it...

A Tortoise vs the Hare position can you see what Josh saw?

#4. Revolver

The art is for me to feed pieces to you, and make you think you took those pieces, because you’re smarter and I’m dumber. In every game or con there is always an opponent and there is always a victim. The trick is to know when you're the latter, so you can become the former. ~ Jake Green.

Revolver is the 2005 action thriller film co-written and directed by Guy Richie, starring Jason Statham, the late Ray Liotta and Andre '3000' Benjamin. Like two of Guy Richie's earlier works, "Lock stock and Two Smoking Barrels" and "Snatch"; Revolver centers around the criminal underworld.

Jake Green the protagonist of the film, played by Jason Statham is a street tough and gambler who after his release from prison seeks revenge against a violent casino owner Mr. D, played by Ray Liotta. 

The film was almost universally panned by critics, but I don't care, as far as I'm concerned this is one of the best films ever made. An incredibly cerebral film, many of the scenes center around Jake playing chess and explaining the "Formula"; a set of principles taught to him by his former cellmates, one a con man, the other a chess expert...dangerous combination, chess and cons.

In the movie's penultimate scene, Jake is playing Avi (Andre 3000), a local loan shark. Throughout the film Jake has beaten Avi at least a half dozen times. Yet in this encounter Jake finds out that things are not always as clear as they may appear.

The mix of perspective camera angles and flashbacks to early scenes bring this game to life. Moreover, you can see it on Jake's face; that moment that Bobby Fischer talked about, the moment you crush a man's ego; and more than anything else this film is about ego.

White unleashes check after check, eventually mating Black on the Kingside. Can you carry out this con?

#3. The Luzhin Defence

As Pushkin's doomed duelist said, "Let's start if you're willing." ~ Aleksandr Ivanovich Luzhin.

The Luzhin Defence is a 2000 romantic drama film directed by Marleen Gorris, starring John Turturro and Emily Watson. Set in the 1920s the story centers around Aleksandr Luzhin a mentally tormented chess genius who meets and falls in love with a young woman while competing at an international chess tournament.

In the climatic match of the tournament, Luzhin battles Turati, his arch rival. Luzhin runs low on time and the game is adjourned. The endgame position is incredibly complicated but Luzhin is able to work out a winning maneuver, however before the game can be restarted he suffers a nervous breakdown, and tragically commits suicide.

Nevertheless, his fiance finds his notes and is allowed to complete his moves against Turati. After Luzhin's death the scene has a somber and elegant dignity; with the playing hall cleared of all competitors and spectators Luzhin's fiance is able to play out the endgame to mate.

The nonverbal interplay between the two is familiar to any chess aficionado. When you are winning a game, there is a moment: You know you're winning, they know you're winning, you know they know, and they know that you know that they know...

Amazingly, the film and book of the same name are based on a real chess player, Curt von Bardeleben, who also tragically took his own life. Bardeleben is most famous for a loss against Steinitz, in which instead of resigning, he simply got up, left the playing hall and never returned.

The position is truly difficult, there are chess engines that cannot find these moves, so I will give you a few hints: start things off with a check, then play a quiet move to restrict White's king, after that, unleash your inner GothamChess. Good Luck.

#2. 2001: A Space Odyssey

The 9000 series is the most reliable computer ever made. No 9000 computer has ever made a mistake or distorted information. We are all, by any practical definition of the words, foolproof and incapable of error.

~ Hal 9000.

2001: A Space Odyssey is a 1968 epic science fiction film directed by Stanley Kubrick, and co-written by Kubrick and science fiction author Arthur C. Clark. The plot stretches over millennia, beginning four million years ago with the discovery of a monolith, by our ancient ape ancestors. Fast forward to the near future "2001", and the discovery of a 2nd monolith on the moon.

Frank Poole, the protagonist, is sent on a classified mission to Jupiter, in fact, the true objective is so top secret that it is not even revealed to Poole; Hal 9000, the ship's computer is the only member of the team of six that has been entrusted with the full details, thus he is forced to lie to the crew; unfortunately this has dire consequences for them all.

2001: A Space Odyssey is not a great chess film, it is a great film period. The special effects, cinematography and soundtrack are incredible, and Kubrick's ability to build tension are second to none. 

The chess takes up a relatively short amount of screen time, but is extremely important to the plot. Hal 9000 playing Poole, unleashes an attack like only an engine can, it then announces that there is a mate in two...the engine is a filthy liar...it is a mate in four, with best play.

If this was any other director we could be forgiven for thinking that they had simply made a mistake while filming, but this is Kubrick. He is subtly telling us that Hal 9000 is lying. One of the first signs that the computer has if fact gone Mad...

The position is based on a real game Roesch vs Schlage, Hamburg 1910. I'd suggest you unleash your inner Tal for this position. Mate in five with best play.

#1. The Queen's Gambit

"You're A Marvel, My Dear. I Have Just Played The Best Chess Player In My Life."

~ Luchenko

Haters will say that The Queen's Gambit is a TV series not a Film...Well, the thing about that is...I don't care...O_o...

The Queen's Gambit is the biggest thing to happen to chess since Bobby Fischer; it is without doubt the best chess drama ever made. There is a good chance, that many of you are only reading this blog because a few years ago you got turned onto chess because of the series. Hence, I don't care if it's not a "Film", it deserves the top spot.

The Queen's Gambit is a 2020 coming of age period drama, based on the book by Walter Tevis, directed by Scott Frank and starring Anya Taylor-Joy. The story follows the life of Beth Harmon a fictional chess prodigy who is orphaned at a young age. Despite this she battles alcohol and drug addiction to rise to the top of the chess world during the 1960's.

In the climatic scene Beth faces off against Borgov, the Soviet World Champion. Borgov has beaten her twice before, but in this encounter Beth is able to call on her super power...that's right, the world famous Beth Harmon ceiling gazing maneuver, she is able to visualize the entire continuation in order to overpower Borgov.

The game was amended by Garry Kasparov himself and is based on a match between Vassily Ivanchuk and Patrick Wolff.

Objectively the best move is Qe6, but this is a disgusting engine line that not even Beth could find. Instead she proceeds more directly. Can you remember what she played and how she finished off Borgov? I will give you a hint...the show is called the QUEEN'S Gambit... Good Luck.

And that was it, that was the Top 5 Greatest Chess Scenes in Film...well according to me.

What did you think? Did I miss one of your favorites? Or do you so somehow actually agree with me?

Let me know what you think in the comments, I'm pretty sure I have seen every chess film ever made, but perhaps there are a few hidden gems out there.

As always, thanks for reading and feel free to share these puzzles with your friends down at the Library or Theater.

Cheers, SheldonOfOsaka.