TV at the British

[Eoin Devane]

I know this is a thread about a chess documentary that didn't get made, but does anyone have a list of TV documentaries that were made about chess, and which ones are available and worth trying to watch if they do come up. Not just ones about junior chess, and not just English chess, but any factual programme-making about chess anywhere in the world. The last one I saw was the one about Kasparov and computer chess - which I found a bit confusing.

The most recent one was this which was first broadcast on BBC Four in December. I think it's not too bad as a sort of introductory documentary intended for the general public. Not too sure about the huge Union Flag, though!

[Christopher Kreuzer]

I know this is a thread about a chess documentary that didn't get made, but does anyone have a list of TV documentaries that were made about chess, and which ones are available and worth trying to watch if they do come up. Not just ones about junior chess, and not just English chess, but any factual programme-making about chess anywhere in the world. The last one I saw was the one about Kasparov and computer chess - which I found a bit confusing.

The most recent one was this which was first broadcast on BBC Four in December. I think it's not too bad as a sort of introductory documentary intended for the general public. Not too sure about the huge Union Flag, though!

"Available until: 2:49am Sunday 22nd August 2010"

I hadn't realised that was still available on the BBC iPlayer! Will watch that in the next few days.

[Stewart Reuben]

Christopher Kreuzer >does anyone have a list of TV documentaries that were made about chess, and which ones are available and worth trying to watch if they do come up. Not just ones about junior chess, and not just English chess, but any factual programme-making about chess anywhere in the world.

You can find my list of chess programmes in English that I have on the ECF website. As far as know this is the biggest collection in the world and you can view it at the Hastings Library. They include not just documentaries, but also fictional material and such as the Master Game. They do not include instructional DVDs and Videos. apart from some films there is very little hope of any of it again being broadcast on television.
If you want to see programmes made of chess games in progress, the best series is 'The Master Game'. Ray Keene has reissued a number of chess programmes commercially under his imprint IMPALA.

Stewart Reuben

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Christopher Kreuzer >does anyone have a list of TV documentaries that were made about chess, and which ones are available and worth trying to watch if they do come up. Not just ones about junior chess, and not just English chess, but any factual programme-making about chess anywhere in the world.

You can find my list of chess programmes in English that I have on the ECF website. As far as know this is the biggest collection in the world and you can view it at the Hastings Library. They include not just documentaries, but also fictional material and such as the Master Game. They do not include instructional DVDs and Videos. apart from some films there is very little hope of any of it again being broadcast on television.
If you want to see programmes made of chess games in progress, the best series is 'The Master Game'. Ray Keene has reissued a number of chess programmes commercially under his imprint IMPALA.

Thanks. I did a quick search of the ECF website with your name, and I found this:

http://www.englishchess.org.uk/?page_id=2769

I presume that is the document you are referring to. I'll make a note of that for future reference.

I also found the entry on the Chess Library in Hastings, which was interesting as well:

http://www.englishchess.org.uk/?page_id=34

[Jonathan Bryant]

We have Bill Hartston talking about TV chess on the blog today.


http://streathambrixtonchess.blogspot.c ... peaks.html

[Sean Hewitt]

What kind of fomat would people want to see if chess were to return to TV?

[Andrew Camp]

What kind of fomat would people want to see if chess were to return to TV?

Something akin to The Mastergame on BBC4.

[Leonard Barden]

We have Bill Hartston talking about TV chess on the blog today.


http://streathambrixtonchess.blogspot.c ... peaks.html

Not the first time I've been written out of chess history.....

[John Upham]

What kind of fomat would people want to see if chess were to return to TV?

See http://www.ecforum.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=116#p478

[Jonathan Rogers]

Feel free to set the record straight, Leonard; I for one would be interested.

One documentary I have not seen mentioned here was the one on Matthew Sadler, though it was shown in children's TV viewing time. Here the producers had a real stroke of fortune - the cameras were following him at Lloyds Bank 1988, where he wrapped up the IM title with his third norm, at the age of 14.

At the time, Sadler was still something of an oddity, and one had the impression that some work had been done with his appearance. It was at least a supportive documentary, from that perspective, in comparison to the type which seem to be contemplated today. The BBC interviewed at the venue pretty much anyone who would speak to them (including myself, I still remember signing that consent form ....) but very few of these interviews were shown, I suspect because not many chess players were inclined to sing his praises at the time. One of the few interviewees who did make the final cut was not a grandmaster contestant but a young girl (around ten years old) at his local club in Maidstone who looked solemnly into the camera and said slowly and deliberately that "he is really good!" (But as I say, the programme was made for children primarily).

However there were some very good moments, especially the footage of the tournament hall as time trouble approached. Anxious faces, legs shaking and nervous twitches everywhere.

[Stewart Reuben]

I did notice that the fact Leonard Barden had been the chess commentator on the first Master Games was glossed over in the Streathambrixton blog. If I remember correctly, Cutty Sark supported the first Master Game pilot. They sponsored the 1973 British Championships (inappropriately). They then turned their attention to the Grand Prix at Leonard's urging in 1974 and we still have a GP, although a shadow of its former self.
Posters have not mentioned that following the World Championship in London in 1986 there were about 100 chess programmes on Thames Television often presented by Ray Keene. Often these were only broadcast in London, but that was partly the fault of regionally chessplayers not putting enough pressure on their local stations.

Jonathan mentions just one documentary. There have been several on children: Nigel Short; Michael Adams together with Gary Lane; David Howell. All showed chess in a favourable light.

Stewart Reuben

[Jonathan Rogers]

I don't remember the one on Adams. Are you sure about that? I heard it said during the Lloyds 1988 tournament that he was annoyed that a programme was being made on Sadler, but nothing had been made on him.

[Stewart Reuben]

'To Kill a King' featured Michael Adams and Gary Lane. It was shot substantially at Hastings. I suspect Gary was brought in partly because Michael at that time was very shy. That is no reflection on him of course.
'Grandmaster of Dundee' was about Paul Motwani and Colin McNab. Of course they were not children.
There has been one on Magnus Carlssen as a child.
I have copies of some from US TV.
Stewart Reuben

[Adam Raoof]

'To Kill a King' featured Michael Adams and Gary Lane. It was shot substantially at Hastings. I suspect Gary was brought in partly because Michael at that time was very shy. That is no reflection on him of course.
'Grandmaster of Dundee' was about Paul Motwani and Colin McNab. Of course they were not children.
There has been one on Magnus Carlssen as a child.
I have copies of some from US TV.
Stewart Reuben

Anyone who volunteered to visit Stewart and put his superb collection on YouTube would be doing the chess world a service.

Ask Stewart first, naturally.

[Jonathan Rogers]

When was the Lane/Adams documentary? (If it was late 1988 then their dual appearance may conceivably be explained by the fact that, apart from the Cornish connection, they were joint winners of Lloyds in 1988. Presumably the only time when two IMs won it....)