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Chess Olympus

@chessolympus.bsky.social

A daily celebration of chess marginalia. Author of this book about Alexander Alekhine: https://www.mcfarlandbooks.com/product/Chess-Villain/

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Chess Olympus @chessolympus.bsky.social · 17h ago

Veering off chess content today to mark the birthday of Kwon Sang-woo, who starred in *two* movies about being a badass go player. This picture is from The Divine Move 2: The Wrathful (2019).

In a scene from The Divine Move 2, Kwon Sang-woo looks directly into the camera and holds a go stone between two fingers. He sits behind a rustic wooden table where a game is in progress.

Chess Olympus @chessolympus.bsky.social · 2d ago

Hans Kmoch hangs out with fellow VIPs at the 1954 USA/USSR team match. From Chess Review, July 1954.

"A vistitor at the match was Sophia Euwe, daughter of Dr. Max Euwe and now a graduate student in the USA. She is flanked here by Referee Hans Kmoch and Mrs. Kmoch."

Chess Olympus @chessolympus.bsky.social · 3d ago

Happy birthday to Jon Foster, who played chess in a big way in The Door in the Floor (2004).

In a scene from The Door in the Floor, Jon Foster lounges by a window next to an oversized wooden chess set with a king about ten inches tall.

Chess Olympus @chessolympus.bsky.social · 4d ago

Myrna Loy, seen here hustling William Powell, was born August 2, 1905. The myrna.loy.archive Instagram page identifies this as a having been taken during the making of The Thin Man (1934).

William Powell and Myrna Loy sit at a small chess table. Loy reaches to move a piece and Powell reacts with exaggerated surprise.

Chess Olympus @chessolympus.bsky.social · 5d ago

Happy birthday to Anatoliy Beliy, who suffered for want of an opponent in Quarantine (2021).

In a scene from Quarantine, Anatoliy Beliy sits behind a wooden chess set at a kitchen counter.

Chess Olympus @chessolympus.bsky.social · 6d ago

Happy birthday to Wesley Snipes, who posted this pic to his FB page a few years ago to promote his clothing line.

Wesley Snipes sits on a park bench at a concrete chess table and reaches to make a move.

Chess Olympus @chessolympus.bsky.social · 7d ago

Happy birthday to Phil Davis. You wouldn't know it from this picture, but that's him playing the black pieces in High Hopes (1988).

In a scene from High Hopes, Phil Davis and Ruth Sheen, photographed from above, lounge on the floor playing chess on a travel set.

Chess Olympus @chessolympus.bsky.social · last wk.

The late, great Lou Albano was born July 29, 1933. He had an amazing career, but it might have peaked when he played chess as Mario on The Super Mario Bros. Super Show.

In a scene from The Super Mario Bros. Super Show, Danny Wells and Lou Albano, in costume as Luigi and Mario, sit at a table playing chess. Some kind of green swamp/sewer monster kneels between them with its arms around their shoulders.

Chess Olympus @chessolympus.bsky.social · last wk.

Happy birthday to Harry Kane, who nerded out over chess in a 2024 GQ interview: youtu.be/833cyqaLCG0?...

HARRY KANE: 10 Dinge, ohne die der England-Kapitän nicht leben kann | 10 Essentials | GQ Germany

YouTube video by GQ Germany

youtu.be

Chess Olympus @chessolympus.bsky.social · last wk.

Happy birthday to Cliff Curtis, seen here working out some moves during the making of The Dark Horse (2014).

Cliff Curtis stands outdoors and makes a move on a chess set while James Napier Robertson stands to one side and watches.

Chess Olympus @chessolympus.bsky.social · 2w ago

Happy birthday to Jason Statham, who played with intensity (and hair) in Revolver (2005).

In a scene from Revolver, Jason Statham sits behind a wooden chess set wearing a suit and a serious expression.

Chess Olympus @chessolympus.bsky.social · 2w ago

Happy birthday to Matt LeBlanc, who had pretty nice chess gear for a guy who didn't know how to play in Friends.

In a scene from Friends, Lisa Kudrow and Matt LeBlanc play chess at a kitchen counter.

Chess Olympus @chessolympus.bsky.social · 2w ago

Happy birthday to Eric Szmanda, who solved crimes with his big chess brain on CSI.

In a scene from CSI, Jorja Fox, Ted Danson and Eric Szmanda stand side by side and look down at a plastic chess set, which is dramatically lit in the extreme foreground.

Chess Olympus @chessolympus.bsky.social · 2w ago

Happy birthday to Kathryn Hahn, voice of the black side of this chess game on Central Park.

In a scene from the animated series Central Park, Paige and Abby sit at a dining table playing chess.

Chess Olympus @chessolympus.bsky.social · 2w ago

Happy birthday to John Leguizamo, chess inspirer in Critical Thinking (2020).

In a scene from Critical Thinking, John Leguizamo sits behind a tournament chess set looking deadly serious, in an inspirational movie kind of way.

Chess Olympus @chessolympus.bsky.social · 2w ago

Happy birthday to Michel Ray de Carvalho, who enjoyed chess in bed in an era before smart phones in Flood Tide (1957).

In a scene from Flood Tide, Michel Ray lies in bed with a tournament-sized chess set on his lap, while George Nader and Cornell Borchers stand to one side.

Chess Olympus @chessolympus.bsky.social · 2w ago

Happy birthday to Sandra Oh, who interrupted Brent Jennings' chess with a bunch of medical talk on Gray's Anatomy.

In a scene from season 3 of Gray's Anatomy, Brent Jennings lies in a hospital bed with a chess position set up in front of him. Sandra Oh and Isaiah Washington stand by the bed, and Oh reaches to shake Jennings' hand.

Chess Olympus @chessolympus.bsky.social · 3w ago

July 19 is Max Fleischer's birthday, a good day to remember the time Betty Boop was a chess queen: youtu.be/NYGLDk02EVg?...

In a photo of a chess board, the tops of the black king and queen are replaced with the upper bodies of a grumpy old man and Betty Boop, respectively. It's a still from the cartoon short, "Chess-Nuts."

Chess Olympus @chessolympus.bsky.social · 3w ago

Happy birthday to Elizabeth McGovern, seen here rehearsing with Aaron Costa Ganis for a 2023 Geffen Playhouse production of Ava: The Secret Conversations.

In a photo by Isaak Berliner, Aaron Costa Ganis and Elizabeth McGovern sit at a small, round table grinning broadly and playing chess.

Chess Olympus @chessolympus.bsky.social · 3w ago

Happy birthday to Bitty Schram, who put up with a lot to play chess with her boss in Monk.

In a scene from Monk, Bitty Schram sits opposite Tony Shalhoub at a coffee table where a chess game is in progress. She looks up at her opponent skeptically.

Chess Olympus @chessolympus.bsky.social · 3w ago

Happy birthday to Eleanor Matsuura, seen here probably shopping online for a nice wooden chess set in the Peacock series The Day of the Jackal.

In a scene from The Day of the Jackal, Eleanor Matsuura sits at a table in what looks like a hotel room, working on a laptop computer. Just in front of her is a glass chess set.

Chess Olympus @chessolympus.bsky.social · 3w ago

Happy birthday to Patrick Wayne, seen here entertaining his dad.

John Wayne, in western costume, plays chess with Patrick Wayne, who looks to be in his twenties and wears a polo shirt.

Chess Olympus @chessolympus.bsky.social · 3w ago

Polly Bergen, born July 14, 1930, matches wits with Gregory Peck during the making of Cape Fear (1962).

Gregory Peck and Polly Bergen sit at a makeshift table made of boards and concrete blocks, leaning in close to a small travel chess set. Crew members can be seen milling around the background.

Chess Olympus @chessolympus.bsky.social · 3w ago

From American Chess Bulletin, May 1913: Chess as boardwalk attraction.

"Chess has recently been introduced among the entertainments at Coney Island. A man there, togged out to look like a farmer, invites visitors to play chess with him for fifteen cents a game. There are so many strong chess players in New York that "the farmer" is likely to have some exciting experiences. --The Staten Islander."

Chess Olympus @chessolympus.bsky.social · 4w ago

July 12 is Bill Cosby's birthday, although I hesitate to wish him a happy one.

Cover of the June, 1987 issue of Chess Life magazine, featuring a still from The Cosby Show in which Bill Cosby sits on his living room floor studying a chess position on the coffee table.

Chess Olympus @chessolympus.bsky.social · 4w ago

Patrick Wymark (playing black), seen here confronting Clifford Evans in 1969 to promote their series The Power Game, was born July 11, 1926.

In a Getty Images photo, Clifford Evans and Patrick Wymark sit at a table playing chess. Both men wear suits and ties and lean in close to the board.

Chess Olympus @chessolympus.bsky.social · 4w ago

Happy birthday to Sofía Vergara, secret chess sharp on Modern Family.

In a scene from Modern Family, Ed O'Neill and Sofía Vergara play chess while Rico Rodriguez watches.

Chess Olympus @chessolympus.bsky.social · 4w ago

Happy birthday to Paul Merton, seen here hamming it up in a 1996 episode of Paul Merton in Galton and Simpson's....

In a scene from Paul Merton in Galton and Simpson's..., Paul Merton sits at a table in a messy garage, playing chess via ham radio.

Randall Munroe @xkcd.com · 4w ago

Offside xkcd.com/3268/

Comic. [chessboard with red dotted line and flag at second line. Highlighted rook is positioned next to King behind the red line.] [caption] I thought I had checkmate, but I didn’t realize my rook was offside.

Chess Olympus @chessolympus.bsky.social · 4w ago

Happy birthday to Anjelica Huston, who I assume is waiting to play winner in this scene from The Addams Family (1991).

In a scene from The Addams Family, Raul Julia plays chess with Thing while Anjelica Huston watches from the background.