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As the popular board game continues to gain popularity, documentaries about chess have become incredibly popular for viewers of all ages and genres. From biopics to historical dramas, these films offer an in-depth look at how chess has evolved and shaped our world today. Here are some of the best documentaries about chess that you won’t want to miss! From the classic game of strategy to modern day competitions, two of the most notable documentaries about chess are ‘Bobby Fischer Against The World’ and ‘Chess in Havana’.
1. Chess documentary: Bobby Fischer Against The World
I take a glimpse into Bobby Fischer’s soul and I can see that he was a boy who desperately wanted to be treasured. He dedicated himself to the game of chess, an obsession which kept him alive and drove his greatness. Yet what this meant for him personally remained largely unknown to him – it is heartbreaking that he didn’t realise how much he was admired and cherished by all who knew him. Bobby Fischer was a figurehead for the chess world, embodying a tragically heroic spirit.
2. The History Of Chess: The World Chess Championship
Travel through the history of chess with The World Chess Championship. This documentary takes you back to the start of this beloved game and explores its evolution over time. Witness the most celebrated world champions like Paul Morphy, Bobby Fischer, Garry Kasparov, and Magnus Carlsen in their rise to fame. Hear commentary from some of the greatest players of all time including Viswanathan Anand, Bruce Pandolfini, Ben Finegold, and Danny Rensch. Journey through the fascinating story of chess that spans the centuries and learn how this beloved game has evolved into a modern day phenomenon.
3. The Great Chess Movie
Fascinating drama has been behind international chess since it began. Anatoly Karpov, Viktor Korchnoi and Bobby Fischer have been integral figures in the politics and psychological complexity that surrounds the game. This documentary dives into their stories to illustrate how much of an influence each person had on the international stage. From rivalries and triumphs to epic losses, the film captures these moments in a captivating way. It shows how much determination and dedication each person brought to the game, pushing it further and making international history.
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#1 Best Overall
- ♕EXCELLENT QUALITY♛: The Staunton style wooden chess set is made up of walnut and maple with well polished and smooth. The 34 pieces are also carved beautifully and clearly, felt bottoms to prevent chess board scratching. The wood grain and color of the board and pieces that make it a classic and nicely finished feel. So good idea for room decoration also if you want to play there.
- ♕FOLDING CHESS BOARD♛: The magnetic chess board is large enough but quite compact when folded up. The extended size is 15 x 15 x 1 inches, the brass hinges allow the board to be flexibly extended without warping. Folded is 15 x 7½ x 2 inches, the closure snaps are aligned perfectly. The size of the squares is approx 1.61 inches. Portable chess set at 3.6 pounds of weight, both you and your children can easily carry it around to play.
- ♕MAGNETIC CHESSMEN♛: These handcrafted pieces are constructed of nice quality wood, not lightweight. Built in strong magnetism, pieces stay in place during play, even if the board is jostled or tilted, making this set ideal for travel or outdoor use. Comes with 2 extra queens for pawn promotion rule.
- ♕EASY TO SET UP AND STORE♛: Annoyed to lose pieces? Our chess board itself is a storage box, its interior foam inserts to securely hold each piece, preventing rattling and loss while carrying.
- ♕Nice Gifting Idea♛: Safe and smooth edge chess sets for kids and adults. Perfect Birthday and Christmas present for tournaments, learner or display in living rooms or sitting rooms. Unique and portable wooden chessboard game, it really helps to keep your mind and thoughts in shape! Ideal for all ages.
4. MVL is a Chess Genius | Inside the Mind of a Genius
Maxime Vachier-Lagrave is a name that will go down in history as one of the greatest chess masters ever. His genius has taken the game of chess to new heights and made him an icon around the world. We followed MVL during his time on the Grand Chess Tour in Abidjan, a tournament unlike any other seen before in Africa. It was a chance to get an up close and personal look at his incredible skills and the amazing strategies he utilizes on the board. We watched as MVL analyzed every move, evaluated each option, and made decisions in milliseconds.
5. Chess – A State of Mind
Chess is a game of strategy, wit and mind-boggling tension. Grandmaster Victor Korchnoi knew this full well – his words describing the ‘supernatural’ sensation of playing chess are still remembered today. Unfortunately, he was not always the best ambassador for the sport; he infamously insulted young player Sofia Polgar when she managed to beat him in a match. Despite such regrettable outbursts, Korchnoi was a chess genius and will never be forgotten by the tight-knit community of players around the world. Chess is an incredibly serious game, requiring immense levels of concentration from those who attempt to master it.
Rank #2
- INTELLIGENT ENLIGHTENMENT - Not only suitable for kids playing with fun, this magnetic chess set could be a useful tool to enlighten your family and stimulate their intelligence. Chess learning is no longer boring, but with joy and interest. Perfect for beginners and those indulged in electronic gadgets
- MAGNETIC CHESSMEN - The hand carved wood chess pieces are magnetically attached to the board and won’t fall off during the game, which allows you to play the board game on the road, in car, airplane or any mobile vehicles
- EASY TO CARRY - Lightweight and folding board design makes it portable to carry around and easy to travel with. Compact board size fits your luggage or bag when travelling while chess pieces are large enough to handle, playing with comfort
- PREMIUM QUALITY - Handmade with high quality wooden material, the smooth surface of the entire chess board ensures optimal touch comfort while playing chess and checkers game. 2 extra queens are added to the board as free accessories at your disposal
- PERFECT GIFT - Promote the relationship between children and friends or parents, sharing board game, suitable for indoor and outdoor, widely used in schools, families, camping and travel, is the most popular board game, can be used as a gift at Christmas , Children’s Day, birthday, New Year gift for children or friends, parents
6. Karpov v Kasparov: The Soviet Chess Rivalry Of The USSR
The intense rivalry between Anatoly Karpov and Garry Kasparov spanned two decades, from their first match in 1984 to the fall of the USSR. Through their chess games, these two grandmasters found themselves bound together in a psychological drama that transcended time and place. It was more than just a battle for victory on the board – it was a war between the old Soviet guard and the young liberal dissidents, a face-off between two ideologies.
https://youtu.be/WgZeHCakLYo
7. to Win at Chess – BBC Documentary | LevonFisch
Chess is one of the oldest and most beloved board games around, but few realize the deep rules and strategies that lie just beneath its simple surface. LevonFisch explores the world of chess in this BBC Documentary, offering an insightful look into how to play like a pro. Through interviews with experts, players and coaches, we gain an understanding of the nuances and strategies behind this ancient game.
Rank #3
- Magnetic Travel Chess Set：All chess pieces are magnetic and felt for non-slip,and the surface of the chess board is also magnetic to hold the pieces securely and prevent them from shifting when playing.It stays firmly attached to the board even on bumpy roads or when the board is upside down.
- High Quality Wood：Made of wood ,walnut coloring design.All chess pieces and chess boards are polished,with a smooth surface,smooth cutting and excellent touch feeling.There are two metal locks with retro design on the outside of the chessboard, which will not be oxidized by sweat and can lock the chessboard firmly.
- Folding Wooden Box Design：The game board measures 15.4 X 7.68 X 2 inches when folded, and 15.4 X 15.35 X 1 inches when unfolded, opens up to give you the ultimate gaming experience,takes up little space when folded, easy to store and portable. Chess sets includes sponge card slots, each piece has its own slot location. This internal storage design avoid the chess from bumping into each other and getting damaged.
- Design of Rounded Corners and Collision Color : The color clash design not only adds a sense of fashion to the chess board for adults, but also retains the beautiful natural grain of the original wood, the color is soft and not dazzling,making it a beautiful classical chessboard with a great artistic flavor.Our chess sets has a round edge,elegant and smooth lines,improving the ability to resist falling.
- Multi-purpose：Our magnetic folding chess board set is suitable for everyone and every occasion! You can use it when traveling, party, outdoor leisure time, chess clubs, game nights, suitable for both young and old, it is the best learning tool for adults and professional beginner, it is also an ideal gift for Christmas, birthdays, anniversaries and so on.
8. EMPIRE STATE OF CHESS – Documentary on Chess in NYC During
Chess is a beloved pastime that has connected New Yorkers for years. In parks, squares, and tournament halls, the game of chess brings people together in an extraordinary way. But how can this age-old tradition survive amidst a pandemic? Empire State of Chess is a documentary that examines how New York’s most interesting grandmasters, club owners, street players, and pawn pushers are keeping the love of chess alive against all odds.
9. The Love for Wood (chess documentary 1979 – ENG subs)
Chess has always been a popular game – it’s no surprise that in 1979, Dutch chessplayers were taking the world by storm. In The Love for Wood, we take a look at some of the biggest names of the era and get a glimpse into their enthusiasm for the game. Featuring Jan Timman, Hans Ree, Piet Hein Donner and Max Euwe, this documentary takes us back to a time of grand strategies and thrilling wins.
Rank #4
- Travel Chess & Checkers Set: Juegoal dual functional 2 in 1 Chess Sets meets US Chess Federation and FIDE requirements for Official Tournament use. The board measures 20 inches with 2.25 inch squares, boundaries are designed using numbers and letters algebraic coordinates to describe and record chess moves. Include 32 chess pieces and 24 checker pieces, and 2 extra Queens & 2 extra checkers for easy promotions.
- Folding Chess Board Mat: The professional roll up chess board is made of thick rubber, features clear pattern, could not be more convenient to carry and keep in place. The board can be laid flat on your table, providing a pleasant heavy weight surface, hard to wrinkle and stain, UV and scratch resistant. While we recommend you store it flat or rolled, this floppy chess board mat is very light but very strong, and will easily fold to a compact size for travel.
- Perfect Learning & Entertainment Tool: The chess and checkers board are available to everyone, either for social and family entertainment or as an excellent tool for kids will be a useful start for an intellectually stimulating hobby. This is a classic game, also great for parties or some friends who like brains games.
- Portable & Easy to Storage: Come with a soft green carry storage canvas bag. It has plenty of storage space for chess & checkers pieces as well. Just roll up the mousepad chess board and put it into the bag together with the chess & checker pieces. Convenient to carry and travel with a Bag.
- Funny & Easy Board Game: An easy to understand instruction is attached to provide some extra help to use the game board. Makes your game more appealing and exciting. This portable chess kit is suitable for outdoor / indoor use. Perfect for Christmas gifts, family gathering, picnics, birthdays, parties. Attention- Not suitable for children under the age of 6 years. Small parts! Choking hazard.
10. Capablanca || Life and Games || Chess Documentary
Jose Raul Capablanca was a chess grandmaster and one of the greatest players of all time. His life and games are an interesting example of how to be successful in such a complex game as chess. This documentary takes a deep dive into his three most iconic games, analyzing each move for deeper insight. The documentary traces back to the roots of Capablanca’s career, uncovering the strategies and tactics that enabled him to become a legendary chess grandmaster. From there, it dives into his three most famous games:
Quick Recap
Best Value
- ♕EXCELLENT QUALITY♛: The Staunton style wooden chess set is made up of walnut and maple with well polished and smooth. The 34 pieces are also carved beautifully and clearly, felt bottoms to prevent chess board scratching. The wood grain and color of the board and pieces that make it a classic and nicely finished feel. So good idea for room decoration also if you want to play there.
- ♕FOLDING CHESS BOARD♛: The magnetic chess board is large enough but quite compact when folded up. The extended size is 17 x 17 x 1 inches, the brass hinges allow the board to be flexibly extended without warping. Folded is 17 x 8½ x 2 inches, the closure snaps are aligned perfectly. The size of the squares is approx 2 inches. Portable chess set at 4 pounds of weight, both you and your children can easily carry it around to play.
- ♕MAGNETIC CHESSMEN♛: These handcrafted pieces are constructed of nice quality wood, not lightweight. Built in strong magnetism, pieces stay in place during play, even if the board is jostled or tilted, making this set ideal for travel or outdoor use. Comes with 2 extra queens for pawn promotion rule.
- ♕EASY TO SET UP AND STORE♛: Annoyed to lose pieces? Our chess board itself is a storage box, its interior foam inserts to securely hold each piece, preventing rattling and loss while carrying.
- ♕Nice Gifting Idea♛: Safe and smooth edge chess sets for kids and adults. Perfect Birthday and Christmas present for tournaments, learner or display in living rooms or sitting rooms. Unique and portable wooden chessboard game, it really helps to keep your mind and thoughts in shape! Ideal for all ages.
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