BBC2 moves for Curve Media's Chess Masters

[John Upham]

This item deserves its own thread rather than being submerged in posts concerning chess being likened to football...

So, with less hyperbole than elsewhere:

https://www.televisual.com/news/bbc2-mo ... s-masters/

[MJMcCready]

Am I correct in understanding that BBC2 is going to produce a series on chess where chosen chess players compete against each other?

[Roger de Coverly]

Am I correct in understanding that BBC2 is going to produce a series on chess where chosen chess players compete against each other?

A revival of the "Master Game" format may be the offering. I can forsee one problem though. If the players aren't evenly matched it could be very one sided, although perhaps they will try to make it interesting by pitching IM/GM against talented youngster.

[MJMcCready]

Am I correct in understanding that BBC2 is going to produce a series on chess where chosen chess players compete against each other?

That's a massively underrated show, of which its revival is long overdue.

A revival of the "Master Game" format may be the offering. I can forsee one problem though. If the players aren't evenly matched it could be very one sided, although perhaps they will try to make it interesting by pitching IM/GM against talented youngster.

[Leonard Barden]

In the first two Master Games Short and Hodgson, aged 10 and 12 at the beginning, took part along with leading British players. That was very successful.

However, this series is different. Instead :

We are looking for chess players of all ages and backgrounds to take part in the series. You don’t have to be a professional chess player, and anyone with a passion for chess can apply. If you’re interested in being on the show, email the team here - [email protected]

which could interest sandbaggers among others.....

[Jon D'Souza-Eva]

Amateurs from 8 to 80 will get the opportunity to compete with the best ...

This seems very unfair as having an upper age limit of 80 will exclude most of the active membership of the ECF.

[Roger de Coverly]

This item deserves its own thread rather than being submerged in posts concerning chess being likened to football...

With 8 episodes, are they intending an 8 player knock-out? So that's 4 quarter-finals, 2 semi-finals, a final and a third place playoff. Or perhaps a seven round Swiss with a final playoff of the top two. An all play all of eight players plus play off is also possible,

[Derek Sinclair]

nice. When is this likely to be broadcast?

[John Upham]

nice. When is this likely to be broadcast?

Allegedly sometime in 2025 AD.

[MJMcCready]

2025 AD, that was a comic wasn't it?

[John Upham]

2025 AD, that was a comic wasn't it?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/334957624146

[Roger Lancaster]

Malcolm Pein mentioned this during Saturday's meeting, counselling against expecting a format which was a repetition of "The Master Game".

[Paul Cooksey]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/2024/ ... nd-iplayer

The old chestnut has come back again. As that headcount was first announced ten years ago or more, if chess really is rapidly growing shouldn't it have gone up by now?

It is estimated that around six million regularly player chess in the UK, and with celebrity fans include Will Smith, Madonna, Leonardo de Caprio and Lily Cole all talking about it, chess is arguably becoming a global phenomenon.

It remains to be seen what the playing level of the contestants will be. In its 1970s and 1980s fomats didn't the Master Game series get audiences in the millions?

I've been bingeing "The Rest is Entertainment" podcast recently. Based on what I have learned from them, TV viewing figures are completely different now to the 70s and 80s. There are so many more channels, both old fashioned and streaming. Apparently the TV industry went through a period of depression when they saw, for example, Coronation Street drop from 20 million viewers in the 80s to 5 million now. But this is old news to them, and current thinking is if you can get 5 million viewers regularly than you are massively successful.

I think the Great Pottery Throw Down might be a fair comparison to the new Chess program. I'd guess 2 million is about the threshold for it to be considered successful.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

I had not realised the host is Sue Perkins. Regret not applying now...

Maybe there will be a second series!