Chess on the telly

What is it like to play chess? Once in a while, I try to convey the atmosphere of a competitive chess tournament to someone who has never witnessed it. I liken it to sitting an exam, in that it lasts for hours and makes your brain hurt; at least everyone can relate to that. But that fails to explain why you would want to do it. So I also mention the thrill of a mental cage-fight, which resonates with some while horrifying others, and then I sow confusion by adding that the game is deeply beautiful.

Here’s hoping that Chess Masters, an eight-episode series to be broadcast on BBC2 next year, will succeed where words often fail, and bring the game’s drama to a new audience. According to Catherine Catton, Head of Commissioning, Factual Entertainment and Live Events, the production company Curve Media ‘has devised a format that makes chess both entertaining and accessible for all’. The BBC press release (spectator.co.uk/bbc-chessmasters) explains that ‘highly skilled players from all backgrounds will battle it out across a series of rapid games before one will be crowned the title of Chess Master.’ Anyone with a passion for chess is invited to apply by email to casting@curvemedia.com.

I wonder what inspiration they will draw from The Master Game, which aired on the BBC between 1976 and 1983. Grandmasters competed in a real tournament, and recorded their thoughts after each game. That footage was then spliced with the live games to create the illusion of hearing their thoughts unfold as the games progressed. The production – once innovative but now quaint – remains gently compelling, and several episodes are available to view online.

More recently, the format was resurrected in a TV series Checkmate, which lasted for two seasons in 2015 and 2016. Presented by Anna Richardson and grandmaster Simon Williams, it featured a selection of top male and female players, including Ju Wenjun, who is now the reigning women’s world champion.