The Essay - Checkmate
Series exploring the history and importance of chess around the world, in countries including India and Russia
The Essay - Checkmate - Fool's Mate - Bringing Chess Back Home to India
Author Anuradha Roy explores the power and poignancy of chess as a metaphor in Indian culture, where it has so often been used in stories and films.
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The Essay - Checkmate - Over the Board
Dr Irving Finkel of the British Museum's Middle Eastern department asks what makes chess better than other more ancient games? How did it spread across the world?
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The Essay - Checkmate - Queening - Mad Queen's Chess
Dr Marilyn Yalom explores how the queen in chess transformed from a piece as week as a pawn to what she is today. When Chess came to Europe from Persia she was a vizier to the king.
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The Essay - Checkmate - Simultaneous Display - Chess on the Air
Historian of radio David Hendy discusses how chess was played and lost on the Third Programme.
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The Essay - Checkmate - The Sacrifice - How to Lose Against a Tsar
Writer Andrey Kurkov reflects on the murderous history of chess in Russia. Ivan the Terrible died during a match and Stalin got Krilenko to promote chess before killing him.
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