Chess Gaffs in Films

[Ian Thompson]

One of the games in the first series of Dominic Lawson's "Across the Board" had an obvious continuity error. Daniel King spoke about the position that had been reached in the game and some time later Dominic Lawson said they had just reached what was clearly an earlier position in the game.

[Nick Grey]

Knight Moves 1992 Great film, excellent actors
Biggest gaff as in many US thrillers the opening sequences let's everyone know who the killer is

http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BM ... 17_AL_.jpg

[Stewart Reuben]

Nick Grey >Biggest gaff as in many US thrillers the opening sequences let's everyone know who the killer is<

It is nearly always the GM who is the villain. I thought Knight Moves was very weak. If you know who dun it, you'll know why. Surely the worst is the episode of Columbo where the GM (Laurence Harvey) allows Fool's Mate in a simul because he is rattled.

[Kevin Thurlow]

The chess in "The Thomas Crown Affair" (original one, not the pointless remake) didn't make sense, but most people would not notice. The demeanour of the players looked convincing.

[Stewart Reuben]

When I first saw 'Chess, The Musical', at one point in the second act the game started on a normal-sized board with just 30 pieces. I asked Bill Hartston why this was so. He said that day, when the pieces were swept to the floor in the first half, they couldn't find the other two pieces in the interval.
5 of the numbers were made into a video version. This included 'The Arbiter's Song'. The board was around the wrong way. When I asked Bill how he could have allowed this, he explained he wasn't consulted for the videos.

The section in 'Outnumbered' either had the board round the wrong way, or the king and queen misplaced. But that could have been deliberate. The adults were supposed to be weaker players than the 9 year old.

In the Certificate of Merit, the Arbiter's Quiz, there is a question about the board being the wrong way round with the original position. Kevin Thurlow devised that and I was not consulted. But the answer suggested that both the board was round the wrong way AND the kings and queens were incorrectly placed.
But it is impossible to place the kings and queens correctly in the centre on a board with the corner white square on the left.

[Geoff Chandler]

Forgot to mention it, I saw 'Interstellar' it's Matt Damon who in some scenes
looks incredibly like Magnus Carlsen. At first I thought it was Carlsen.

Good film, a tad mushy and no space monsters eating humans, but enjoyable.

Going to see the Turing film 'The Imitation Game' in a few days.
Saw a clip. Hugh Alexander tries to stop Turing from inventing the computer.

"It will create an Internet full of chess forums which will become a paradise for idiots and fools."

"OK Hugh, after the war we will destroy it." (but Turing made back-up copy on a flash drive.)

[Kevin Thurlow]

"In the Certificate of Merit, the Arbiter's Quiz, there is a question about the board being the wrong way round with the original position. Kevin Thurlow devised that and I was not consulted"

I don't remember that! Stewart should have been consulted of course.

[John Saunders]

Well said, Geoff and Kevin! Two (intentionally) hilarious posts in a row - is this a forum record? An equivalent of the Facebook 'like' button is sorely needed.

[Stewart Reuben]

John. You have overlooked. That makes it three in a row, or is it now four?

[Jon Mahony]

Going to see the Turing film 'The Imitation Game' in a few days.
Saw a clip. Hugh Alexander tries to stop Turing from inventing the computer.

Yeah I'm dragging the missus to see that at the weekend, hopefully there will be some chess in it!

Do we know yet when the Bobby Fisher film “Pawn Sacrifice” will be out on general release? Quite looking forward to that one, the guy playing Spassky looks pretty good

[Clive Blackburn]

Going to see the Turing film 'The Imitation Game' in a few days.
Saw a clip. Hugh Alexander tries to stop Turing from inventing the computer.

Yeah I'm dragging the missus to see that at the weekend, hopefully there will be some chess in it!

Do we know yet when the Bobby Fisher film “Pawn Sacrifice” will be out on general release? Quite looking forward to that one, the guy playing Spassky looks pretty good

No UK release date yet apparently

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1596345/rel ... f_=tt_ql_9

[Nick Grey]

Stewart - 5 of the numbers were made into a video version. This included 'The Arbiter's Song'. The board was around the wrong way.

The video was 'Chess Moves' & the board error more than compensated for by the brilliant dancing & singing.
Obviously the arbiter character was inspired by yourself.

As for the stage production in London - I think the Palace - Trevor Nunn was the director.

Only time I got the wife to take an interest in chess.

[Jon Mahony]

Going to see the Turing film 'The Imitation Game' in a few days.
Saw a clip. Hugh Alexander tries to stop Turing from inventing the computer.

Yeah I'm dragging the missus to see that at the weekend, hopefully there will be some chess in it!

Do we know yet when the Bobby Fisher film “Pawn Sacrifice” will be out on general release? Quite looking forward to that one, the guy playing Spassky looks pretty good

No UK release date yet apparently

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1596345/rel ... f_=tt_ql_9

Another year at least then or import it and watch it on a PC

[Gordon Cadden]

No chess whatsoever in the "Imitation Game". The actor Matthew Goode, did bear a strong resemblance to Hugh Alexander, who was forceful and aggressive to poor old Alan Turing, who was lucky to survive the war. This is a very rare example of a weak human being, holding the upper hand.
The "Eureka" moment was very good, but I find it hard to believe that Turin was such a miserable wretch. He really did save thousands of lives, and shortened the war by at least 2 years.

[Jon Mahony]

No chess whatsoever in the "Imitation Game". The actor Matthew Goode, did bear a strong resemblance to Hugh Alexander, who was forceful and aggressive to poor old Alan Turing, who was lucky to survive the war. This is a very rare example of a weak human being, holding the upper hand.
The "Eureka" moment was very good, but I find it hard to believe that Turin was such a miserable wretch. He really did save thousands of lives, and shortened the war by at least 2 years.

Just saw this tonight myself, really really good film. No chess at all, and only one mention of chess - and believe it or not this contained a gaff! When Hugh Alexander first comes into the film he is being introduced by the base commanding officer, and he says something along the lines of "This is Hugh Alexander - he won the British Chess Championship" and Alexander is quick to say "Twice!" - true enough, but the second time wasn't until 1956 so obviously Alexander was a psychic among his many talents!