International Chess Day 2022: 5 chess movies you should not miss

Chess is one of the most popular sports in the world. On International Chess Day 2022, we look at the five chess movies one cannot miss.

Image credit: PTI

When it comes to one of the most popular sports in the world, there are countless of them. However, if we can curtail it to some of the most popular indoor sports, we have some limited but trendy options. And one of them happens to be chess. Although it is not an Olympic sport yet, it is still a global sport played by many worldwide, while numerous grandmasters, including a few young ones, are throughout. The sport has some top global competitions, while it also has its day, popularly known as International Chess Day, which is celebrated today (Wednesday). As for the same, we present the five chess movies you should watch.

Image credit: Wikimedia Commons

Searching for Bobby Fischer (1993)
IMDB states: "Seven-year-old Josh Waitzkin is a chess prodigy in the making. He trains under Bruce Pandolfini, a ruthless instructor who tries to make him more like chess wizard Bobby Fischer." The film has a star-studded cast of Joe Mantegna, Ben Kingsley, Laurence Fishburne, and Joan Allen, which is fantastic at its best. It is based on Fred Waitzkin's book of the same name, which depicts his son Josh's journey through the sport. Despite being a top chess star, he left the sport to pursue martial arts later.

Brooklyn Castle (2012)
IMDB states: "Chess helps transforms a New York school into one of the city's best, but recession-driven budget cuts threaten to undermine the school's championship chess team." It is a documentary film based on Intermediate School 318 (IS 318) and its class teacher Elizabeth Spiegel in New York. The movie depicts the school's struggle in terms of budget cuts which threatened a popular chess tournament. Still, it became the most successful school in the sport, becoming the first middle school to bag the National High School championships title.

Queen of Katwe (2016)
IMDB states: "Phiona's life changes after she meets Robert Katende, who teaches her to play chess. Under Katende's guidance, Phiona becomes a top player and sees an opportunity to escape from a life of poverty." It is based on the book of the same name from 2012, on chess player Phiona Mutesi of Uganda. Madina Nalwanga plays her role, as Phiona was taught to play chess by Robert Katende, the latter played by David Oyelowo. Coming from the Katwe slums, her excellent chess skills allow her to explore life outside Katwe as she continues to dominate chess internationally.

Pawn Sacrifice (2014)
IMDB states: "Bobby Fischer, an American grandmaster, challenges the best player in the Soviet Union in a chess championship, causing the two nations to use this to fuel their respective agendas." The movie happens to be based on the life story of Fischer, played by the famous Spider-Man actor Tobey Maguire. The film reveals the dark side of Fischer's paranoia, besides giving a glimpse of his rise through chess as a kid and how he became a sensation who pushed to win every game. It also depicts his mental pressure before the World Championship win, which somewhat damaged him.

Magnus (2016)
As the name suggests, it is a documentary based on the reigning world champion Magnus Carlsen from Norway. The docu focuses on his family and rise to stardom, including his childhood, the showdown with Kasparov when he was 13 years old, and his top showdown against Indian GM Viswanathan Anand.