Video Index

A directory of all the video clips mentioned on our blog.


PLAYERS
Kasparov
Advert for Alta Vista (1:00)
Gazza runs into trouble during a simul.

Advert for Pepsi (0:59)
Gazza does over a computer - technology takes revenge. Curiously, for reasons best known to themselves the advertising folk decided Mr. Kasparov's own voice was not good enough for them. Strange.

Advert for Schweppes (0:15)
An early demonstration of capitalist spirit, this advert for fizzy water was recorded when Gazza was technically still a communist.

Announcement (0:44)
Kasparov quits.

Poker Face
Kasparov blunders in a rapid-play game against Anand - not that you'd ever know it from his reaction.

Strange Interruption
A political rally featuring a Kasparov speech interrupted by what can only be described as a flying cock. Really.


Korchnoi
Advert for milk (0:32)
Victor takes on an unusual opponent.

Fischer
Interview on a bench (1:42)
Evidently recorded prior to the 1972 world championship match, Bobby discusses his chess development, lack of High School Diploma and his record against Spassky.

Receiving the title of World Chess Champion (0:46)
Black & White, commentary in Spanish

Fischer and Spassky
Montage from Reykjavik 1972 (4:00)
Quite a few bits and bobs some black & white but mostly in colour. Includes the moment when Bobby played ... Bxh2?? in the opening game. At the end of the video Bobby is shown getting on an aeroplane with an assistant who appears to be carrying the garland Bobby was given on being awarded the title (see clip above). Most of the leaves have fallen off - which seems somewhat prophetic given what followed for Bobby.

Reykjavik Documentary
A half hour long programme about the '72 match in four easily digestible chunks. We couldn't embed the videos but we've provided links to each part - coz we're kind like that.

Kramnik and Leko
the guys filmed in a press conference and post-mortem during the Mexico City 2007 World Championship tournament.
mentioned in my post of 21/9/07.

Topalov
Another chess guy does TV advert ... this one's for a bank. I must admit I quite like this one even though Toppy comes across more Postman Pat than uber-Flirt. Perhaps that's why I'm fond of it. Anyway, strange that the lyrics for the song playing in the background should be in English don't you think?

Anand
Another chess player, another commercial. This one for computer chips.


CHESS ON TV
Dr. Who
I'm putting this Dr Who episode - Sunmakers - at the top of the list because I'm the one who keeps the S&BCC video index up to date and I can do things like that. BBC don't allow their videos to be embedded but there's a link to click on that will take you to youTube.

Now here's the thing ... when I published this blog article the Sunmakers clip was way down the order of chess clips on youTube. Now it's quite high up. Is that because so many people have clicked through from our little blog? Do we have the power to change the world? Do we?


Blake's 7
Speed Chess (1:26)
Excerpt from the episode "Gambit" of series 2.

Games (9:59)
An inventor, a computer called 'Gambit' (not very imaginative these Blake's 7 scriptwriters) and a game that looks a lot like chess.

Derren Brown
Mind Games (9:38)
Everybody's favourite mind reader takes on 9 masters at once.

Bottom
Eddie v Richie(5:32)
What happens when you try to teach an idiot how to play chess but don't have a full set of pieces.
Very funny [well to me it is. Other people found the series rather low-brow and childish]

Seinfeld
Constanza the chess genius?! (0:40 and 2:28)
Two clips here. George, my favourite comedy character of all time, taking on his girlfriend at chess - then conducting a post mortem with Jerry.

Frasier
Panov-Botvinnik Attack??? (1:20, 1:02 and 0:38)
Three clips here. Everybody's favourite curmudgeonly radio shrink gets an antique chess set.

Mission Impossible
Computer assistance at the highest level? MI was there decades before Kramnik and Topalov. Two clips, unfortunately the main one has been withdrawn from Youtube for the moment. You can still see the opening credits (0:50) though.

The Wire
Yo. I've never seen this one but I like this clip. The programme itself is somewhat less interesting than scratching the cheese out of your toenails according to T. Chivers or "the best TV show since the invention of the radio" according to C. Brooker. The choice is yours.

Still, I think we can all agree that the Queen "ain't no bitch. She got all the moves" and it's essential to co-ordinate your muthafuckers to defend your King.

Lost
No idea what's going on here other than that computer is rubbish at chess and the little fellow who turns up on the television screen was a character in Wing Commander IV. Some kind gent has explained the plot a bit in the comments if you're really interested.

Paul Merton
You'd think it would be funny wouldn't you? Unfortunately it isn't.

Alfred J. Kwak
"File under !?" Tom says and who am I to disagree. I'm not entirely convinced there ever was a children's cartoon called Alfred J. Kwak but the evidence here would seem to be against me. There's a suspiciously accurate reconstruction of a chess game in the middle of it all too.


FILMS
Chess Fever (19:09)
The film that famously features a cameo from Capablanca.
mentioned in Justin's post of 21/12/06

The Thomas Crown Affair (5:46)
This clip includes the least subtle, "this bishop represents your penis" sequence ever to appear on film. This chess geek also notes truly dire continuity as far as the position on the chess board is concerned. Still it's well worth a look if only for the "do you play?" - "try me" opening.

2001 (0:49)
Humanity, in the shape of Frank, takes on the smuggest computer in the history of time. Humanity doesn't do very well. Classic stuff.

The Seventh Seal (4:01)
Possibly the most famous chess clip of all. I wonder if Bergman, just prior to finally popping his clogs, had the presence of mind to start reciting, "Who are you? ... You have come for me?" then ask somebody at his death bed to rustle up a chess board. That would be a pretty cool way to check out.

Betty Boop in Chess-Nuts (6:09)
Does your ultimate fantasy mix chess with getting an eyeful of Betty Boop's underwear? If so:-

(I) watch this clip
(II) seek professional help

Blazing Saddles
Not the bit where they sit around farting but the bit when chess gets a mention.



CHESS INSTRUCTION
Endgame lesson (3:15)
Young girl does a Minnie Mouse impression while analysing a King and Pawn endgame.
Mentioned in Tom's post of 25/3/07

Chess Lesson (14:30 approx)
Analysis of Addison-Fischer, 1964 demonstrating the importance of translating an advantage from one type to another throughout the game.
Mentioned in Tom's post of 25/3/07

Amateur Game (19:26)
Some bloke (a kid I suspect) sniffs and coughs his way through demonstrating a game he played that started 1. e4 c5, 2. Nf3 d6, 3. Be2 Nf6, 4. c3 Nc6, 5. d4. For some reason he has music playing softly in the background. Not the best use of 20 minutes of your life.
Mentioned in Tom's post of 25/3/07


RANDOM BITS AND BOBS
Madonna Ray of Light (5:10)
Music video which contains a couple of seconds of 'chess' -although not only is the board set up the wrong way around (not uncommon) the Knights and Bishops are on the wrong starting squares too.

I Like Trains A Rook House for Bobby (4:44)
Another music video - from one of Angus' obscure bands. Proper chess in this one at least - and in the song too ("... if they find me let them indict me. I just don't care anymore.")


Bughouse (2:52 and 0:34)
Andrew Stone takes on Lev Aronian at Bughouse Chess

Bughouse II (0:32)
A demonstration of Bughouse Chess. Quite possibly the least spectator friendly game ever invented.

GM Mihail Marin @ chess vibes
Mentioned in Tom's post of 31/5/07

GM Jonathan Rowson @ chess vibes
Mentioned in Tom's post of 31/5/07

Morelia/Linares @ Chess Vibes
12 minutes of Anand and Carlsen's post mortem from round 3. You can't really see what's going on though - at least I can't. Also, 3.5 minutes of chess being played (not thrilling).
Mentioned in Tom's post of 25/3/07

Chess Now Episode 1 (26:14)
Watching this clip without first taking large quantities of drugs is not recommended. In fact, watching this clip is not recommended under any circumstances. Imagine the worst possible chess programme you can think of - this is about ten times worse than that. A. Big. Sack. Of. Cack.
Mentioned in Tom's post of 28/3/07

Chess Now Episode 2
Phoning up a (very) minor cable tv station and asking the host to insert a chess piece up her foofoo is not big and not clever. Is that worse than phoning a (very) minor cable tv station chess show for a chat about the weather? It's hard to tell.

Chess Now Episode 3
More of the same. The presenter from episode one is back though frankly I prefered her from episode two.

2005 European Individual Chess Championship (19:57)
Includes interviews with Karjakin, Radjabov and Magnus Carlsen's dad (no - really), amongst others. Fairly high chaff to wheat ratio as far real chess content goes.
Mentioned in Tom's post of 25/3/07

Bullet Chess (1:08)
A rather ordinary blitz game that somehow got a mention on The Guardian's Sports on YouTube round-up.

Rapid Chess (5:22)
A rapid end to some game or other that ends in complete chaos.

Domino Effect
The guys who filmed this sequence must have spent an eternity on it ... yet still managed to miss a mate in one during the chess bit.

Jay-Z (0:59)
... turns corporate whore for Hewlett Packard while simultaneously trying to retain his credibility as a "rock star". He fails.

e2-e4
A cartoon. Not sure what the underlying message is. Chess is war? Big business is out to screw us all? All I know is the guy in the picture before the video starts looks like he's trying to dump a football. That and the fact that I can't be bothered to put the length of the clip in brackets after the title anymore - far too much hassle.

This video is well worth a watch though - and when you do please be kind enough to let me know how long it lasts.