Do You Remember When Chess Grandmasters Were Headline News?

Na, you're quite right.

Every so often there was a news story about the latest grandmaster showdown.

It was so newsworthy that even Colombo had a plotline around chess.

And then there was Nigel Short, the British grandmaster.

So your mind isn't playing tricks.

We started watching that show last night as well and it looks promising. And you're right, we don't hear about grandmasters anymore, or chess for that matters.

You do see to odd report on the reigning World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen. Although, it's unlikely it'll get much coverage unless a British grandmaster is in contention for a future World Chess Championship.

I've never played chess. I vaguely remember this programme from my childhood even though I've tried not to.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Master_Game

Just seen this headline in the News "Chess icon sues Netflix over Queen's Gambit"

Georgian chess Icon Nona Gaprindashvili sues defamation

A Chess Pioneer Sues, Saying She Was Slighted in ‘The Queen’s Gambit’

Nona Gaprindashvili, a history-making chess champion, sued Netflix after a line in the series mentioned her by name and said she had “never faced men.” She had, often.

So the queen is on the attack

Here's a game of chess for you ....

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0050976/

The big chess tournament was taking place at the Ritz around Christmas. After the first day's competition, many of the winners were sitting around in the lobby of the hotel talking about their matches and bragging about their wonderful play. After a few drinks they started getting louder and louder until finally, the desk clerk couldn't take any more and kicked them out.

The next morning the Manager called the clerk into his office and told him there had been many complaints about his being so rude to the hotel guests....instead of kicking them out, he should have just asked them to be less noisy. The clerk responded, "I'm sorry, but if there's one thing I can't stand, it's chess nuts boasting in an open foyer."

Bobby Fischer and his amazing rants. Is that what can can happen if you go down the rabbit hole of chess too far?

I like a good game of chess but don't play much these days. As you say you don't hear much about the game in the press anymore but it was very popular at the time they even made a musical about it. Funnily enough, it was called 'Chess'. You would probably know the songs if you heard them particularly 'I know him so well' and 'One night in Bangkok'.