Closing Gambit

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JustinHorton
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Re: Closing Gambit

Post by JustinHorton » Sun Jan 03, 2021 7:05 pm

Kevin Thurlow wrote:
Sun Jan 03, 2021 3:15 pm
"Like Fischer did?"

That would not have been surprising either
I should know better than to bite, but yes of course it would, because neither the Soviet Union nor (to my recollection, would appreciate examples to the contrary) any other state had or has any particular track record in assassinating sporting figures who had defeated their own. Presmably this is because even if any state has even contemplated it, they would have assumed it would be a giant diplomatic own goal with the potential downsides vastly exceeding any perceived gains.

I don't recall any reflections on this point making it into the movie, mind, but it ought to occur to anybody watching with their brain switched on.
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Re: Closing Gambit

Post by Richard Thursby » Sun Jan 03, 2021 8:51 pm

JustinHorton wrote:
Sun Jan 03, 2021 7:05 pm
... neither the Soviet Union nor (to my recollection, would appreciate examples to the contrary) any other state had or has any particular track record in assassinating sporting figures who had defeated their own.
Not quite the same, but there is the tragic case of Andrés Escobar after the 1994 FIFA World Cup; having scored the own goal that effectively eliminated Colombia, he was murdered shortly afterwards.

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MJMcCready
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Re: Closing Gambit

Post by MJMcCready » Sun Jan 03, 2021 9:08 pm

Yeah but the state didn't kill him, that was irate fans that did that.

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Re: Closing Gambit

Post by Kevin Thurlow » Sun Jan 03, 2021 9:43 pm

"I should know better than to bite"

and to quote selectively...

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MJMcCready
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Re: Closing Gambit

Post by MJMcCready » Mon Jan 04, 2021 12:33 am

Is it possible to watch the documentary online? I looked around but couldn't find a site for that channel.

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MJMcCready
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Re: Closing Gambit

Post by MJMcCready » Mon Jan 04, 2021 12:34 am

John Sellen wrote:
Sat Jan 02, 2021 12:39 pm
I notice that PBS America ( available on Freeview channel 91 ) is screening Closing Gambit on Thursday at 8.20 pm
A documentary about the famous 1978 Karpov Korchnoi World Championship Match
Can this be seen online?

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Re: Closing Gambit

Post by Geoff Chandler » Mon Jan 04, 2021 1:58 am

Hi MJM,

I cannot see it on online. Maybe after Thursday some will appear.

It's good, just remember it's a documentary primarily aimed at non-players.

There is very little actual chess in it, the games are not dissected, (get RDK's book for that and more background info).
You see a chess clock with the score of the match flicking past so you do not get the drama of what happened in these games.

The drama comes when all of the shenanigans are revealed, the flags, the chair, the mind games, the assassination rumours,
the cigar (returned), the soap, the no handshake which led to Karpov's first win, the yoghurt (how could I forget the yoghurt)

No major T.V. covered it from start to finish, the no exact finish date in a first to 6 match saw to that.
No company was going to write to a blank cheque for a T.V. crew to go to the Philippines for x amount of months.

So you get the players entering and leaving the playing hall, players sitting at the board, drinking at a party. etc
using local news and personal home camera footage. (like Korchnoi in swimming trunks running on a beach.)

The comments from, Keene, Stean, Karpov, Kasparov, Short, Timman, Seirawan, Anand, Sosonko, Adams...
make up the meat of the film and all, using Justin's words, 'come out of it well.'

All, well all who have been there, telling us about the scars playing in a W.C. match leave.
Recall Nigel saying he could not bear to look at his games v Kasparov for years afterwards.

it goes past the '78 match, Some of the many Karpov interviews are good.

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MJMcCready
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Re: Closing Gambit

Post by MJMcCready » Mon Jan 04, 2021 3:02 am

It is written for chess players. It's informative rather presentational or explanatory, and why on earth would a non-chess player want to watch that! If they are on drugs then perhaps, if not what reason could there be? I think the accounts presenting, especially by GM Stean make for interesting viewing for what became something of a thorny topic concerning a character often described as thoroughly despicable by those when they wanted to be nice to him. Meeting Korchnoi once was quite enough, thankfully it was only the once.

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Re: Closing Gambit

Post by JustinHorton » Mon Jan 04, 2021 7:40 am

Geoff Chandler wrote:
Mon Jan 04, 2021 1:58 am
.

There is very little actual chess in it, the games are not dissected, (get RDK's book for that
Do me a favour, the analysis is threadbare and one of the weaker parts of his instant book
"Do you play chess?"
"Yes, but I prefer a game with a better chance of cheating."

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Re: Closing Gambit

Post by John Upham » Mon Jan 04, 2021 10:30 am

MJMcCready wrote:
Mon Jan 04, 2021 12:34 am
John Sellen wrote:
Sat Jan 02, 2021 12:39 pm
I notice that PBS America ( available on Freeview channel 91 ) is screening Closing Gambit on Thursday at 8.20 pm
A documentary about the famous 1978 Karpov Korchnoi World Championship Match
Can this be seen online?
Yes,

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Closing-Gambit ... 154&sr=8-1
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JustinHorton
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Re: Closing Gambit

Post by JustinHorton » Mon Jan 04, 2021 11:06 am

Incidentally, I notice just how little attention Closing Gambit has received: one searches in vain for mainstream reivews, or even for so much as a Wikipedia entry. Which may not mean very much, but it's kind of odd for such an apparently interesting documentary with such intriguing claims to make.
"Do you play chess?"
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Re: Closing Gambit

Post by Geoff Chandler » Mon Jan 04, 2021 1:16 pm

Hi MJM,

"It is written for chess players..."

Of course, that is why it was released for sale at the Cannes film festival the real hot-bed of international chess.

You do not pacifically aim a documentary at those who already have an interested or study the topic.
It's selling point is to entertain and hopefully educate those not familiar with a particular person or event.
Having watched it a non-player will be able to discuss the incidents without even knowing how the pieces move.

Alan Byron, the director/producer.

I pitched the idea for the film at Cannes in 2015 and as soon as I said the word ‘chess’ you could
see the investors’ eyes starting to close. But once they listened to how the story played, the finance
was literally on the table after two meetings. This is far more than a documentary about chess,
it is about life and society stripped bare.”

https://en.chessbase.com/post/closing-g ... ocumentary

Making a doc just for chess players who are on the whole a frugal lot when it comes to their hobby
would not make financial sense. (pleading for an online link to perhaps watch it for free is a case in point.)
Especially as the games in the film are not looked at in any depth.
A DVD with Danny King or Andrew Martin on the games is what chess players would seek for a digital fix.

Which brings me onto:

Hi Justin,

I was comparing the book to the game analysis given in the film, None in the film.

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JustinHorton
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Re: Closing Gambit

Post by JustinHorton » Mon Jan 04, 2021 1:39 pm

Geoff Chandler wrote:
Mon Jan 04, 2021 1:16 pm
I was comparing the book to the game analysis given in the film, None in the film.
I tend to think "dissected" means a bit more than "better than nothing" but whatever
"Do you play chess?"
"Yes, but I prefer a game with a better chance of cheating."

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Re: Closing Gambit

Post by Geoff Chandler » Mon Jan 04, 2021 3:28 pm

JustinHorton wrote:
Mon Jan 04, 2021 1:39 pm

I tend to think "dissected" means a bit more than "better than nothing" but whatever
Yes the wrong word regarding depth, though I prefer games lightly noted.
Long analysis shooting off in a direction that neither play saw or gunk that
no human will ever see from a computer is not for me. RDK's book hits the spot.

But I ran with 'dissecting' here as I was trying to get across in extreme terms the difference
between the book and the documentary to someone had not seen it. But I agree, an overkill.

I cannot recall using 'better than nothing.' where did that come from?

I did however recall 'dissected' being highlighted as the wrong word recently....where was it...Oh Yes.

viewtopic.php?f=36&t=11031&p=254805&hil ... ed#p254805

A good fun thread devoted to those of a pedantic nature who feel the need to relieve themselves.
It's in the 'Not Chess' section.

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JustinHorton
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Re: Closing Gambit

Post by JustinHorton » Mon Jan 04, 2021 3:32 pm

Do you have anything on précis
"Do you play chess?"
"Yes, but I prefer a game with a better chance of cheating."

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