Archived footage

Historical knowledge and information regarding our great game.
User avatar
MJMcCready
Posts: 3178
Joined: Mon Jun 24, 2013 2:30 pm

Archived footage

Post by MJMcCready » Thu Mar 25, 2021 2:50 am

After watching a mishmash of footage from the 1930s, I wondered what the oldest surviving chess footage actually is. Does anyone know?

Neville Twitchell
Posts: 110
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2010 10:22 am
Location: Harlow, Essex

Re: Archived footage

Post by Neville Twitchell » Thu Mar 25, 2021 11:11 pm

The earliest I have come across is the 1925 Soviet feature film, "Chess Fever", made at the time of the 1925 Moscow tournament and which features shots of most of the players in the tournament and of course a cameo performance by Capablanca.

User avatar
MJMcCready
Posts: 3178
Joined: Mon Jun 24, 2013 2:30 pm

Re: Archived footage

Post by MJMcCready » Fri Mar 26, 2021 1:42 am

Yeah, I know that one but assumed there must be something a bit older. I have a feeling I once saw something filmed around 1910 but can't quite remember what it was.

John McKenna

Re: Archived footage

Post by John McKenna » Fri Mar 26, 2021 2:29 am

There's a you-cannot-be-serious "chess dispute" from 1903 -

https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0000430/

User avatar
MJMcCready
Posts: 3178
Joined: Mon Jun 24, 2013 2:30 pm

Re: Archived footage

Post by MJMcCready » Sat Mar 27, 2021 12:28 am

There must be something classified as, or considered to be, the oldest surviving chess footage though?

John McKenna

Re: Archived footage

Post by John McKenna » Sat Mar 27, 2021 10:59 am

"Which was the first occasion when chess masters were filmed? The earliest case that comes to mind is the New York, 1915 tournament..." (Ed. Winter)

https://www.chesshistory.com/winter/extra/film.html

The footage may no longer exist.

User avatar
John Clarke
Posts: 710
Joined: Sat Apr 30, 2011 1:07 pm

Re: Archived footage

Post by John Clarke » Sat Mar 27, 2021 8:39 pm

Some pretty ancient stuff to be seen by following the YouTube link given here.
"The chess-board is the world ..... the player on the other side is hidden from us ..... he never overlooks a mistake, or makes the smallest allowance for ignorance."
(He doesn't let you resign and start again, either.)