Film: Late Call

[James Pratt]

A belated call that the film 'Pawn Sacrifice' is on BBC2 this evening at 11.30pm.

Check local listings obviously and enjoy the tale of Bobby versus Boris in this film, shot in 2014, which runs for a modest 115 minutes, a blessing for a late night screening I'd say.

Directed by Edward Zwick and written by Steven Knight, it stars Tobey Maguire as the much troubled 'Stubborn Boy' we all knew so well, though eventually not at all.

[Andy Stoker]

Pawn Sacrifice: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m ... -sacrifice

[John Upham]

As we can all predict this film will not be on JHs list of films he approves of that we can watch.

In fact, there are no films on that list.

[JustinHorton]

Are you indulging your inner twelve-year-old this morning John

[John Upham]

Since it is snowing, yes.

Amuse us all by revealing at least one chess film that you approve of....

[JustinHorton]

"Approve of" is a silly term, it's not an ethical issue

[John Upham]

Amuse us all by revealing at least one chess film that you would say is worth watching....

[JustinHorton]

Can I suggest all postings in this thread after the first two are deleted as a complete waste of everybody's time

[Geoff Chandler]

So not only are we being told what chess film to watch, but now what posts to read.

Any chess books we should also be wary off?

[MJMcCready]

I would say the genre as a whole is something to be wary of.

[Geoff Chandler]

Hi MJM,

What 'genre ' should we wary off, chess films, chess books....Justin's posts? ( )

[MJMcCready]

lol, all of the above but mot of all chess books.

[Paul McKeown]

Well, that was cack. A completely one-sided portrayal of RJF as a fruit-cake, with zero attention to accuracy.

For example, it was actually Carmine Nigro that sought out Fischer, not Regina who sought out Nigro. And Fischer was still a very weak player at that stage - Nigro had seen him lose in quarter of an hour to Max Pavey in a simul. And it was at Buenos Aires, 1960, where Fischer is supposed to have been involved with women of easy virtue, rather than at the 2nd Piatagorsky Memorial, Santa Monica, 1966. And at the 2nd PM, he had a terrible start, he definitely didn’t win 8 in a start. And he didn’t play Spassky in the last round. And who the hell was his second round opponent, “Ivanovich”?

I’m not a Fischer nut, who knows every detail of the man’s life and every game he played, although I have friends who are. However, I know enough to spot a steaming pile when I see one.

[Geoff Chandler]

Hi Paul,

I thought everyone had seen this, it's been around for a while.

Yes loads of errors but only the minority (us chess players) spotted them.
The handful of non-players I know who watched most said they enjoyed it.
I liked it. There are lot worse film out there that I've sat through. (and I knew how it ends!)

The mistakes are rather annoying because in one part of the film - the meeting Lombardy scene they have it correct.

Lombardy did play Petrosian 1961 and the position and analysis is spot on so they obviously had a chess person in there somewhere.
Why did they not stick around and point out some other errors, correcting them would not harm the storyline in any way.

Notes and comments based on Bobby to Lombardy telling him how he could beat Petrosian in 1961.

[FEN "1r1q1rk1/2b3pp/1p6/3Ppn2/Pp6/3QB2P/3N1PP1/RR4K1 b - - 0 25"] 25... Nd4 {This is Bobby's suggestion in the film} 26. Rxb4 Qxd5 27. Bxd4 Bd6 {"You gotta attack the Russians from all sides...confuse them."} 28. Rc4 exd4 {White should probably play Rac1 (it's possibly what Petrosian may have played.) but we now continue with Bobby's demonstration to Lombardy.} 29. Rxd4 Qe5 {White is in trouble now. 5.f4 meets 5...Qxd4+ and Bc5. Bobby showed....} 30. Nf3 {And after the coming exchange sac on f3 it's lost for White.} 30... Rxf3 31. gxf3 Qh2+ 32. Kf1 Qh1+ 33. Ke2 Qxa1 {In the film Lombardy actually suggests White's next move but no matter what is played here Black is winning.} 34. Rxd6 {And Bobby now continues.} 34... Re8+ 35. Kd2 Qe1+ 36. Kc2 Qxf2+ 37. Kc3 Re3 {And Lombardy says' Holy $&!@.'} *

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Is there a (subtle?) point in the final position there that the Black king needs to be able to escape the perpetual by fleeing to g3 (or rather, taking on f3 or h3)? (e.g. if there was a White pawn on g3 it would be a perpetual?)

Did Petrosian actually play 29.Rac1?

(No, I didn't watch Pawn Sacrifice, though it is available for 29 days.)