Master Game on YouTube.

[Roger de Coverly]

I am interested in somethig technical. Digital chessboards did not exist in this country until 1986 when David Levy and Kevin O'Connell when they started Intelli9gent Chess Software. Do you know how the Master Game system worked?

I thought Bill Hartston explained it in an article somewhere. Something about putting a camera underneath a glass board with illuminated pieces. That way the game could be demonstrated as normal by the players in 3d whilst being filmed in 2d. I'm trying to recall whether they had threat arrows and highlighted squares as well. Perhaps these were added after the recordings.

Digital chessboards did not exist in this country until 1986

From memory ChessBase 1.0 was 1986 as well.

Before that, there was Tolinka in 1977/78 (one game at a time cassette tape powered ChessBase substitute displayed on a TV screen). Also in 1979, the chess game on the Atari console had high quality (for the era) Black & White graphics.

The first series of the Master Game was when, 1975? I think it predated the first commercial video games. Non-commercial video games existed back in 1968 - I was shown one on a visit to the university computer centre.

[Stewart Reuben]

Dear John,
They are all on DVD except some VHS film material which is copy-protected. Some of the DVD material is also copy-protected. One problem I have had is copying my DVD copies to a new DVD. I must have used a poor system for many of them and the Israelis had considerable problems copying my originals. But they did manage it. Others who have quite a high proportion of my archive include Nigeria, South Africa and Alec Toll who provided a huge proportion of the archive.
The BFI (British Film Institute) does have some of the master game in its archive. That is possible to view in their library. When I looked at their catalogue it did not seem worth going to the trouble of accessing it.
Typically I am a collector. Actually viewing the material again and again is not my bag.

I should have worded better my technical question about how the Master Game worked. I certainly know what Bill told me about the way it was done (decidedly not high tec). But do most readers? This is not a tease. I don't think it is possible completely to work it out.
Stewart Reuben

[Stewart Reuben]

Apologies. I messed up somewhat replying to myself without having noticed Roger's comments. What Bill told me was done is as follows:
1. The games were played in the normal way. That is certain. I was the arbiter in 1983 and was the spectators on more than one occasion (yes, my grammar is correct).
2. Then the players spoke their thoughts into a tape recorder, often being plyed with liquor first.
3. Then a script was written.
4. The players mimed playing again.
5. The game was filmed from above the table with a transparent black board. The camera was above the table.
6. A technician moved the magnetic pieces from underneath the table.
7. To help prevent the technician being seen, he was clothed in a black velvet suit.
Once you know, you can see the pieces wobbling on the board, which is not digital of course.
7. Remember Bill told me this - and he has a keenly developed sense of humour.

Reverting: The Hastings archive is not as complete as mine. It is not advertised because of copyright fears. But it can be accessed if you ask. I have no idea why they worry about copyright - provided they don't allow copying. After all, all books are copyright for a period, but are available in reference libraries.
Stewart Reuben

[Jon Mahony]

Andrew Camp >In the comments on Youtube, someone mentioned that the BBC no longer owned the copyright on these.<

If that is true and it can be established, then I am sure Impala would be delighted to reissue whatever can be found. I have 31 (roughly) episodes.

Stewart Reuben

Hi Stewart

I seem to remember a Ray Keene interview in CHESS where he said he didn't fancy doing that - mind you he may have been referring to dubbed commentary he did for the Miles / Karpov game on GBCT as opposed to releasing episodes of the Master Game with original soundtrack. Would be great to see them, the Miles / Short reconstruction has got me hooked.

Mind you, if it happens, Impala will release them in a series of about 3 episodes to one DVD costing 30 quid a shot

That same channel on YT also features a lot of other rare chess footage including a game between Spassky and Karpov done in the Master Game style (sound is sadly a bit low).

[Jonathan Bryant]

That same channel on YT also features a lot of other rare chess footage including a game between Spassky and Karpov done in the Master Game style (sound is sadly a bit low).

There are a pair of games. One when Spassky plays the King's Gambit and another when, I think, he defends a Pirc. In the first he lights up a fag before playing his first move and in the second he seems to have a bottle of beer on the table.

Them were the days.

[Geoff Chandler]

I had the lot. Everything in Betamax.

I sent them on, at his request, to John Henderson 2/3 years ago and have not hear from him since.

Emails have been totally ignored. Letters to the Scotsman (John's column) ignored.
I get adverts with his name on about his website, I answer but no reply.

Has anybody seen John in the flesh within the last two years?

If you are sure the BBC is no longer interested I'll try again and
contact a friend whose wife worked in the BBC archive and says she saw them
but was not allowed to copy them.

Don't give up on the radio broadcast. Lost episodes of 50's and 60's programmes
are turning up all the time from people who taped them on old reel to reel.
You never know....

Getting Chess on the Telly:

Maybe, just maybe, we going for the wrong approach.
We know that chess is hard to sell due to the very nature of the game.
It's slow, it has a terrible PR, it is just not TV friendly.

So make that the selling point.
Come in from the angle that viewers are totally fed up with
whizz bang 'in your face' presentations.

A simple, no arty farty approach, a bit like Antiques Roadshow.

I have no interest in antiques (apart from the wife) but I like the
pace of the programme and I enjoy listening to genuine people who
know what they are talking about in their chosen field.
(So apparently do millions of other viewers).

Pick a famous game. Brief bio on both players with pics.

Show game with low grade comments on full screen board.

(Press the red button to give viewer choice of 4 different board designs)

Simple, smooth, uncomplicated and very cheap.

Just a thought.

[Kevin Thurlow]

"Pick a famous game. Brief bio on both players with pics.

Show game with low grade comments on full screen board."

Rather like the Ray Keene series from years ago, where he had Donald Woods as an assistant, asking the sort of questions weak players would ask. (And some of them DW had to dumb down, as he was a reasonably competent player.)

[Ian Kingston]

"Pick a famous game. Brief bio on both players with pics.

Show game with low grade comments on full screen board."

Rather like the Ray Keene series from years ago, where he had Donald Woods as an assistant, asking the sort of questions weak players would ask. (And some of them DW had to dumb down, as he was a reasonably competent player.)

It was called Duels of the Mind, and was shown on ITV in 1989. I think it was given a post-midnight slot. I remember asking someone from Thames TV (who made the show) about the scheduling. He told me that it didn't matter what you put on at that time of night - you'd get pretty much the same number of viewers for anything. Of course, the TV world was much less fragmented then, so people didn't have many other options.

It was a decent show - Woods came over very well and RDK was... RDK.

A quick Google shows that the series is available on DVD.

[Roger de Coverly]

It was called Duels of the Mind, and was shown on ITV in 1989.

There was a short five minute filler programme of chess miniatures back in the early sixties. I don't recall the title (it might even have been "Chess Miniatures"). One of the games was that Caro-Kann trap where you play an early Qe2 with the idea that a careless Nbd7 can be met by Nd6 mate.

[Matt Mackenzie]

"Minature Chess Masterpieces", I believe. Still being shown (on ITV, I recall) in the mid/late 80s......

[Simon Ansell]

"Minature Chess Masterpieces", I believe. Still being shown (on ITV, I recall) in the mid/late 80s......

I was flicking through 'Secrets of Grandmaster Chess' this morning and John Nunn mentions a program in the 60's called 'Chess Masterpieces' (page 7).

[Jon Mahony]

"Pick a famous game. Brief bio on both players with pics.

Show game with low grade comments on full screen board."

Rather like the Ray Keene series from years ago, where he had Donald Woods as an assistant, asking the sort of questions weak players would ask. (And some of them DW had to dumb down, as he was a reasonably competent player.)

It was called Duels of the Mind, and was shown on ITV in 1989. I think it was given a post-midnight slot. I remember asking someone from Thames TV (who made the show) about the scheduling. He told me that it didn't matter what you put on at that time of night - you'd get pretty much the same number of viewers for anything. Of course, the TV world was much less fragmented then, so people didn't have many other options.

It was a decent show - Woods came over very well and RDK was... RDK.

A quick Google shows that the series is available on DVD.

Yeah it’s a good DVD, well worth splashing out on (beats spending the money on a foxy opening anyway) The analysis is a little bit simplistic as it’s squeezed into 20 minutes per show but it’s good enough, and I enjoy the segments on the history of the players concerned.

There’s not a great deal of technical Chess information to be learned from DOTM, but you can stick the DVD on while you are having your tea, good entertainment value.

Two other Impala DVD’s are also out entitled ‘Prelude to Armageddon’ and ‘Great British Chess Triumphs’ Prelude also well worth it, it has some interesting (although again a little simplistic) analysis from the late great Bob Wade.

I’d stay away from Great British Chess Triumphs though - the content is a little bit thin on the ground for the price.

[John Upham]

in the second he seems to have a bottle of beer on the table.

I believe that the beer in question was Kingfischer.

[Richard James]

"Minature Chess Masterpieces", I believe. Still being shown (on ITV, I recall) in the mid/late 80s......

If you google 'Miniature Chess Masterpieces" you'll find them all listed on the BFI website. They were made by Carisbrooke Films in 1950. I remember watching them in the early 60s: they may have been broadcast under the title "Chess Masterpieces".

[Geoff Chandler]

Yeah, Something along the lines of Duels of the Mind.
It's possible the only and best way to do it.

The bio's of some (all) of the games greatest players are fascinating.
And we have some beautiful, instructive and easy to explain games.

Let the whole simplicity of it and the calming nature be the hook.

Surely by now the poublic are fed up to the back teeth (!) of cookery programmes.