directed by Thomas Tancred
Do you think that chess is such a relaxing activity for the elderly? Sitting in the park on Sunday and chit-chatting while playing? Not at all, my dear, not at all. When I was little, I was taught to play chess by my neighbour, and I remember how fascinating it was to me. However, I feel like some people get obsessed with it too much. We often talk about addictions to alcohol or drugs, but having a passion that takes over our life might be equally dangerous. In this documentary, you get to meet players, for whom losing a game is unacceptable. Even if you’re not a fan of chess or you don’t really follow any news about it (like me), the film should still be quite entertaining for you. Imagine the World Champion, the guy that wins without much visible effort, who one day loses to a total newbie. Shame? Panic? Anger? Perhaps all three… Magnus Carlsen, unbeatable chess player lost a game in 2022 to Hans Niemann, a random player, known for his online activity. Hans liked to play chess on the Internet and stream his games, where he already presented himself as a clever opponent. However, despite all his admirable successes and techniques, there were many people accussing him of cheating. Magnus also didn’t trust Hans, especially, since he didn’t lose only once to him. The documentary lets us investigate and at some point we will even reach the topic of sex accessories. Who would have known that those cute nerdy chess players might be hiding a dirty little secret… But I don’t want to spoil too much, because I was shocked myself and I wish you to exprience the story in the same way. Perhaps some of you find a new motivation to learning this game… who knows?
My rating: 7/10
S.
I have nothing to watch 