Media comments on chess

Discuss anything you like about chess related matters in this forum.
User avatar
JustinHorton
Posts: 10364
Joined: Mon Aug 04, 2008 10:06 am
Location: Somewhere you're not

Re: Media comments on chess

Post by JustinHorton » Fri Aug 27, 2021 12:10 pm

On the theme of old cultural references that I'd previously missed, here's George Eliot in Felix Holt:
Fancy what a game at chess would be if all the chessmen had passions and intellects, more or less small and cunning: if you were not only uncertain about your adversary's men, but a little uncertain also about your own; if your knight could shuffle himself on to a new square by the sly; if your bishop, in disgust at your castling, could wheedle your pawns out of their places; and if your pawns, hating you because they are pawns, could make away from their appointed posts that you might get checkmate on a sudden. You might be the longest-headed of deductive reasoners, and yet you might be beaten by your own pawns. You would be especially likely to be beaten, if you depended arrogantly on your mathematical imagination, and regarded your passionate pieces with contempt.

Yet this imaginary chess is easy compared with the game a man has to play against his fellow-men with other fellow-men for his instruments. He thinks himself sagacious, perhaps, because he trusts no bond except that of self-interest; but the only self-interest he can safely rely on is what seems to be such to the mind he would use or govern. Can he ever be sure of knowing this?
"Do you play chess?"
"Yes, but I prefer a game with a better chance of cheating."

lostontime.blogspot.com

Stewart Reuben
Posts: 4539
Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2007 11:04 pm
Location: writer

Re: Media comments on chess

Post by Stewart Reuben » Fri Aug 27, 2021 6:25 pm

Justin. I was at a meeting of the CCPR (Central Council of Physical Recreation) and Prince Philip was working the room. We spoke briefly and we told him we were chessplayers from the BCF and WCU. He did not mention that he was a player. He did allude briefly to our difficulty getting chess recognised by the Sports Councils.

Stewart Reuben
Posts: 4539
Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2007 11:04 pm
Location: writer

Re: Media comments on chess

Post by Stewart Reuben » Sun Aug 29, 2021 10:32 pm

BBC1 NEWS tonight
Wheelchair rugby 'Described as chess with violence'.

User avatar
Gerard Killoran
Posts: 1003
Joined: Sun Oct 04, 2009 11:51 am
Contact:

Re: Media comments on chess

Post by Gerard Killoran » Tue Aug 31, 2021 5:55 pm

Stewart Reuben wrote:
Sun Aug 29, 2021 10:32 pm
BBC1 NEWS tonight
Wheelchair rugby 'Described as chess with violence'.
Or as Hackney Chess Club used to call it, 'chess'.

Simon Rogers
Posts: 2337
Joined: Tue Apr 21, 2020 4:30 pm

Re: Media comments on chess

Post by Simon Rogers » Thu Sep 02, 2021 4:15 pm

Monday 23rd August
BBC2 7.30pm to 8pm
New series of Mastermind presented by the new host Clive Myrie.
The first question of the General Knowledge round he asked the contestant called Megan the following question:
"Which chess piece can move diagonally only?"
Megan correctly replied "The Bishop".

Stewart Reuben
Posts: 4539
Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2007 11:04 pm
Location: writer

Re: Media comments on chess

Post by Stewart Reuben » Thu Sep 02, 2021 5:15 pm

Watching old 'Who wants to be a millionaire?' repeats on TV. There was a question, 'Who was the British player who challenged Gary Kasparov for the World Championship in 1993?' The contestant immediately chose Nigel Short correctly.

LawrenceCooper
Posts: 7167
Joined: Tue Dec 20, 2011 8:13 am

Re: Media comments on chess

Post by LawrenceCooper » Thu Sep 02, 2021 9:02 pm

Rob Green
Former England goalkeeper on BBC Radio 5 Live

"England have not had a shot in anger, it has been about patience. They need to regroup at half time and a bit like chess, they have to find a clinical way through this tight Hungary defence."

Geoff Chandler
Posts: 3484
Joined: Mon Jul 06, 2009 1:36 pm
Location: Under Cover
Contact:

Re: Media comments on chess

Post by Geoff Chandler » Fri Sep 03, 2021 7:54 pm

That is a good spot Lawrence, wonder if Rob Green knows he slipped in two references to chess.

Meanwhile 'Queens Gambit II' though strongly suspect this is a spoof as it mixes in footage of 'Pawn Sacrifice.'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_H1G9BsxhDw&t=3s

Phil Neatherway
Posts: 662
Joined: Thu Apr 12, 2007 4:10 pm
Location: Abingdon

Re: Media comments on chess

Post by Phil Neatherway » Sun Sep 05, 2021 11:15 am

BBC text cricket commentary said:-
Posted at 11:0911:09
Post update

Stephan Shemilt

BBC Sport at the Kia Oval

There's a chap in the stand right next to the press box who has been in the same seat for each of the first four days. He's playing chess on a tablet computer. I've got a lot of time for him.

David Sedgwick
Posts: 5249
Joined: Mon Apr 09, 2007 5:56 pm
Location: Croydon
Contact:

Re: Media comments on chess

Post by David Sedgwick » Sun Sep 05, 2021 11:15 am

From the BBC website feed of the 4th Test Match between England and India:

Stephan Shemilt

BBC Sport at the Kia Oval

There's a chap in the stand right next to the press box who has been in the same seat for each of the first four days. He's playing chess on a tablet computer. I've got a lot of time for him.

Simon Rogers
Posts: 2337
Joined: Tue Apr 21, 2020 4:30 pm

Re: Media comments on chess

Post by Simon Rogers » Sun Sep 05, 2021 8:09 pm

Channel 4 Formula 1
Highlights of the Dutch Grand Prix
Lap 59 out of 72, Lewis Hamilton chasing Max Verstappen.
The commentator and former Formula 1 driver David Coulthard said:
"This is a chess match rather than a boxing match."

Simon Rogers
Posts: 2337
Joined: Tue Apr 21, 2020 4:30 pm

Re: Media comments on chess

Post by Simon Rogers » Sun Sep 05, 2021 8:56 pm

Channel 4 Formula 1
Highlights of the Dutch Grand Prix
After the race highlights, the Team Principal of Red Bull Racing, Christian Horner, was interviewed by Steve Jones and David Coulthard.
He was asked about the World Championship.
Christian Horner said: "It was a chess match between us and Mercedes. "

Roger Lancaster
Posts: 1906
Joined: Tue Mar 17, 2015 2:44 pm

Re: Media comments on chess

Post by Roger Lancaster » Tue Sep 07, 2021 12:45 pm

Those of you who feel, probably with some justification, that you hear quite enough of me here should avoid BBC Three Counties Radio at 3.15 this afternoon when I'll be discussing the chess explosion of the past year or so with presenter Roberto Perrone. Probably very little of interest to forumites - these programmes aren't targeted at regular chess players.

John Swain
Posts: 412
Joined: Sun Jun 20, 2010 10:35 pm
Location: Nottingham

Re: Media comments on chess

Post by John Swain » Tue Sep 07, 2021 12:56 pm

Roger Lancaster wrote:
Tue Sep 07, 2021 12:45 pm
Those of you who feel, probably with some justification, that you hear quite enough of me here should avoid BBC Three Counties Radio at 3.15 this afternoon when I'll be discussing the chess explosion of the past year or so with presenter Roberto Perrone. Probably very little of interest to forumites - these programmes aren't targeted at regular chess players.
This "chess explosion" is also the subject of an article on p.3 of The Times today:

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/ches ... -5vk3jsh5k

Roger Lancaster
Posts: 1906
Joined: Tue Mar 17, 2015 2:44 pm

Re: Media comments on chess

Post by Roger Lancaster » Tue Sep 07, 2021 2:08 pm

Yes, indeed. It's a safe bet that it was The Times piece, which I hadn't seen, which prompted BBC 3CR to contact me.

Post Reply