Chess Masters The Endgame Season 01 Episode 08
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00:01Chess, the king of games.
00:04Chess is no longer a hobby.
00:06It's war on a board.
00:09Give up!
00:11For seven weeks, 12 of the UK's rising chess stars
00:15have battled through a series of heats.
00:19It's one-on-one mental combat.
00:21Anthony, it's checkmate in one move.
00:24Strategies scrutinised by Grandmaster David Howell.
00:27Pushing a pawn on the edge of the board, this is bizarre.
00:31Motives unpacked by chess coach Anthony Mathurin.
00:34As we see him, hands to his head.
00:38Now the strongest four remain and will compete in the grand final.
00:43There is danger, danger, danger on the board.
00:47Who will topple and who will rise victorious?
00:51Oh, my days!
00:53To be crowned Britain's chess master.
00:58This one is going to go down to the wire.
01:06To get this far, the four fabulous finalists needed skill, stamina and composure.
01:13Wow, that's grandmaster genius.
01:16Former England junior player Talia...
01:18Really sneaked from Talia.
01:20...has shown flair with her tactical prowess.
01:22I'm just waiting for the catching sink to come with me.
01:25There's no chance I'm going to be going down without a fight.
01:28I'm 100% going for this trophy.
01:30Kel...
01:32...has racked up over 50,000 online games.
01:35Kel trying to let his opponent know about his physical presence.
01:39Check.
01:41...and loves an attacking style of play.
01:43Check.
01:44Finals, man, finals.
01:45Let's go all the way.
01:47Trade queens, make love.
01:49Great.
01:51Chess content creator Lula...
01:52This is the board you set up.
01:54...has enjoyed a string of successes.
01:56That's a lot of green.
01:58I'm so, so close to the trophy and I just hope I can do my best today and be the winner.
02:04And finally...
02:05I have 50 years experience but I've forgotten 40 of it.
02:09Former RAF aircraft technician Richie...
02:12He's a military man and it's all about discipline.
02:15...has shown his strategic prowess.
02:17Oh, that was good.
02:19How much do I want to win?
02:20War on the stars in the sky.
02:21That'd be mega.
02:25Now, with the final upon them, only one player can walk away with the trophy.
02:31Hello and welcome finalists. How does that sound?
02:42Mental.
02:43Exciting, exciting.
02:45These guys are going to put you through your paces, make no mistake.
02:48Anthony, what's in store for them?
02:50Players, you will face the mind-boggling checkmate challenge.
02:55You will now attempt a series of five puzzles which I will set up on the tables behind me.
03:01They will be a series of increasingly difficult endgames and your job is to put me in checkmate.
03:08Now, the person who completes the fewest puzzles will be eliminated.
03:15I'm going to give you some time to just hang in the players lounge. Off you go.
03:24Now we've got to the business end of the contest.
03:27Just a few more rows of concentration altogether.
03:30Are you guys nervous?
03:32Yeah.
03:33Yeah.
03:34I did not expect to get anywhere near this far.
03:36Not 100% sure how it's going to go but I've just got to give it my best shot really.
03:39Not really.
03:42The finalists will attempt the challenge one at a time and won't know the results until everyone has played.
03:51Deep breath.
03:53You ready?
03:54Nervous.
03:55Very nervous.
03:56Very nervous.
03:57Your time starts now.
03:59You're playing white.
04:00Checkmate in one move.
04:04In the checkmate challenge, we're going to test how players close out the game.
04:07It's going to test their speed of thought but mainly their finishing technique, their killer instinct.
04:12Who has got it, Sue?
04:13Puzzle complete.
04:14Wow.
04:15Hook traps.
04:16King on the vertical.
04:17Backed up by the bishop.
04:18Checkmate.
04:19Puzzle complete.
04:20Puzzle complete.
04:21Puzzle complete.
04:22Puzzle complete.
04:23Puzzle complete.
04:24Puzzle complete.
04:25Puzzle complete.
04:26Checkmate in two moves.
04:31This one is much harder, Sue.
04:32Remember, once you make a move, you can't take it back so you really have to forecast it what is going to happen.
04:51Here, they have to move their bishop to put the black king in check.
04:55It's forced to take the bishop, then the knight on the back roll moves in for the kill.
05:00The king in checkmate because all the surrounding squares are guarded.
05:07It's so nerve-wracking being this far into the contest.
05:11If your mind is swamped with all the nerves, then you're not going to be spending all that time thinking about the chests.
05:17It's now crunch time.
05:24Puzzle complete.
05:30Puzzle complete.
05:31Kel and Talia are on to puzzle three, leaving Richie and Lula trailing at the second table.
05:43Oh, yes.
05:44What's most important here is they don't have to get to the last table, but they will be out if they finish the fewest puzzles.
05:53Can you imagine?
05:54It's a pleasure.
05:55Being a content creator, my job is chess.
06:00I've been traveling the world, playing chess, and so I really don't think there's anyone here that's more immersed in the chess world than me.
06:07I'm doing this for myself, but I'm also doing it for my parents because they supported my choice, sorry, to not follow a normal path.
06:20I'm doing this for myself.
06:24His hands are reached out.
06:26He's desperately trying to break it out.
06:32Puzzle incomplete.
06:34Oh, well.
06:38Breathe, Lula, breathe.
06:46Puzzle incomplete.
06:50Puzzle incomplete.
06:54It's okay.
06:55It's okay.
06:56It's okay.
07:03Kel and Talia play on.
07:06Checkmate in three.
07:09Not knowing whether they are still at risk of elimination.
07:14Puzzle incomplete.
07:17Puzzle incomplete.
07:21There's a lot of tension because you don't know whether you are going out, whether you solve more, whether you solve less.
07:27I didn't complete all the challenges, but hopefully I managed to pull through and get through to the final three.
07:32You get punished as a chess player if you make the wrong move, and I made the wrong move.
07:38Solving one puzzle out of five can never be a good result.
07:41I think I'm just going home.
07:42I think I'm just going home.
07:51It's time for the results.
07:52The person who cleared the most boards, Talia, well done. You cleared four boards.
08:04Second is Kel.
08:07You cleared three boards.
08:08Well done.
08:10Okay.
08:11That leaves Richie.
08:12That leaves you, Lula.
08:14You both cleared one board.
08:18When that happens, we look at the time it took for you to do that.
08:24And it was a dead heat, which means you will be playing another puzzle.
08:36Lula, Richie, your time starts now.
08:42Checkmate in two moves.
08:46To avoid elimination, Lula and Richie must spot that the first move is to sacrifice their queen.
08:53Moving her hair puts the black king in check.
08:57The white bishop and pawn block his escape, so black's move is to capture the queen.
09:03Then white's other bishop can swoop in for the checkmate.
09:06Think it through, think it through.
09:17Puzzle complete.
09:28Puzzle complete.
09:31Never thought I'd hear that.
09:32Lula and Richie both found the checkmate.
09:37But it's crunch time.
09:39The slowest will be eliminated.
09:44Lula, you completed your puzzle.
09:50In 30 seconds.
09:52Richie, you completed it in half that time, which means you go through to the next round.
10:06And Lula, I'm very, very sad to say, you've been eliminated, my friend.
10:11Lula, everyone.
10:14I've really loved the whole experience.
10:17I am really proud, but also I'm a little bit relieved that I don't have to find out what the next challenge is.
10:27Three players remain.
10:30One last challenge stands between them and the final showdown.
10:34This could be a good doorman.
10:36I've been given a second bite at the cherry.
10:39It's such an intense contest.
10:40You need to make sure that you're thinking on your feet, making sure that you're prepared for the next round.
10:45Bring the fire.
10:47Bring the action.
10:49This challenge, you will simultaneously be playing just one man.
10:57This guy is a chess titan.
11:00Please welcome international chess grandmaster.
11:08Mr David Howell.
11:10This game is called survival of the fittest.
11:14Your aim is to stay on the board as long as possible, while this ferocious predator hunts you down.
11:22The first person to be checkmated will leave the contest.
11:28Take your seats and settle yourselves at the board.
11:31I'm especially excited about this next challenge.
11:35The players will have their work cut out, keeping me at bay.
11:38Because I've been watching them throughout this contest, so I know all their strengths and weaknesses.
11:42Let battle commence.
11:46David Howell unleashed, ferociously going from board to board.
11:52He's going to win in every match. I mean, that's a foregone conclusion.
11:56Yep, but I'm fascinated to see what their survival strategy is going to be soon.
12:03Oh, the French defence.
12:04A wonderful choice by Talia here. The French defence, one of the hardest defences to break down, characterised by these three pawns in the middle of the board.
12:16It looks like she's ditching her usual attacking style and going defensive to weather the storm.
12:21We also see, on the board against Richie, another defensive strategy. A wall of pawns to deflect White's advance. Classic play from the strategists. David won't be able to attack just yet.
12:35It's going to take some time.
12:39Let's talk about Kel. Look at how his board differs. It's just blown wide open.
12:44The action man has decided the best form of defence is a good offence. And he's launching those pawns down the board. He is here to fight.
12:54It's a fight.
12:56Uh-oh. Coming at me.
13:01I'm a non-conformist. Your opponent already has something in mind that he's expecting you to play. Surprise them, man. What good is it if you don't surprise your enemy?
13:14Very aggressive.
13:17David, two pawns up now, but Kel capturing one back.
13:22Making me think.
13:27As all three matches enter the middle game, the Grand Master goes on the attack.
13:33Look, Sue, that's Richie losing the pawn to David's knight. And with that knight move, David's queen is now threatening Richie's queen.
13:42This has just got super interesting. Richie's now got a decision to make. Let's look at the board.
13:48Will Richie take this queen, relieving David of his most valuable piece, which inevitably will slow David down in the long run.
13:59But look, if he does, David's knight is poised to recapture Richie's queen. This is a dilemma, Sue.
14:05David's one of the biggest chess players on the planet. It makes me strive to try and find small advantages. You might be able to hang on a bit longer.
14:18And he's gone for the queen exchange. No more queens on Richie's board.
14:26Sue, look at Kel, the action man, blasting David's knight off the board, trying to annihilate as many pieces as quickly as possible.
14:35Oh, there goes a rook as well. He's putting up a fight, but the GM is still one pawn up.
14:44Talia, moving her king into the corner, playing a very different game.
14:49She got her knights protecting each other. Rooks and queens working together protecting each other.
14:54Even the bishop getting in on the act, protecting the rook.
14:59But David now, ramping up the pressure, pushing his pawns forward.
15:03She's driving her pieces backwards. We see her knights retreating.
15:08If you're playing at someone on that level, you're not going to win.
15:11It's a matter of survival, just trying to survive as long as possible.
15:16As the end draws near, are three players scrambling to stay.
15:24David smells blood. Richie is trying to hold on.
15:31But there goes another pawn. He's losing ground fast.
15:38Ooh, Talia getting mocked up there.
15:41That was her queen, Sue. Her defence getting thinner by the second.
15:46Wow! Kel taking David's last bishop.
15:51He's been so aggressive in this match.
15:53However, Fortune is not favouring the brave at this moment in time.
15:58Because we have David, his rook, looking to take down Kel's most prized possession, his queen.
16:05Kel can try to remove the threat, but you can't stop a grandmaster.
16:10David's queen finishes the job.
16:12Now we have a tense situation on all three boards.
16:17Who will be eliminated?
16:20Talia's defence has been destroyed.
16:24Now she only has one line.
16:27That's a check on Richie.
16:30That is a critical moment.
16:32Oh, David pushing a pawn for promotion on Kel's table.
16:39Tal's looking in trouble here, I think.
16:41And that's double queens.
16:44Another queen promotion against Richie.
16:47Look, Sue.
16:49Checkmate is coming.
16:50Checkmate.
16:51Wow! It's checkmate. It is Kel who falls first.
17:09He's king in check by one queen and his escape cut off with the support of David's two pawns.
17:13Checkmate.
17:15I'm sorry, man.
17:17Unfortunately, Sue, Kel's aggressive instincts losing him the game against the grandmaster.
17:23At the end of that particular contest, it's Kel. You're going to be leaving.
17:29Talia, you're super emotional.
17:30Yeah.
17:31We've been spending so much time together and he's honestly been such a laugh the whole time.
17:37Have you had fun, my friend?
17:39It's not too much fun to lose at the finish line, but I lost to David Howe.
17:44It's all right.
17:45Kel, everyone.
17:49I would have loved to really go all the way, but I lost to the international master.
17:53He's offered to buy me a drink.
17:55Get me that drink, man, because you are the one that cost us.
18:01The only thing that stands between me and the trophy is an incredibly formidable opponent.
18:10And I'm very scared, actually.
18:12Everything's at stake in this game.
18:14It's going to be fraught with tension.
18:16The trophy's so near to being won, I could almost kiss it.
18:23Talia and Richie, you're playing for what is behind me, this magnificent trophy.
18:28I want you to take your seats and put your pieces out.
18:33David, the cream has risen to the top.
18:37We have Talia, the tactician, versus Richie, the strategic supreme.
18:42Yeah, they're so different as players, but they are equally strong.
18:47Talia and Richie, you have 20 minutes each on the clock, plus a five-second increment every time you make a move.
18:53Your time starts now.
18:58Have a good game.
18:59Have a good game.
19:01And we're off.
19:02Richie playing white, Talia black.
19:06Richie looks like he wants to play the Queen's Gambit, pushing two pawns forward in front of his queen, hoping to control the center of the board.
19:13He loves his strategic positions, and the Queen's Gambit is an old traditional strategic opening.
19:20Doesn't look like Talia is too interested in what Richie's doing.
19:24She's concentrating on her own defense.
19:27Don't be too aggressive.
19:30Absolutely, there's no need to take unnecessary risk.
19:33We're ten moves in, Antony, and I really like Richie's opening strategy. Let's take a look.
19:40The Queen's Gambit often does result in this fixed pawn structure.
19:44White's pawn looking one way, black's pawn looking the other, but mainly it's blocked.
19:48Richie has nice centralized pieces. He has solid foundations to build from.
19:53Talia will be looking for a way to break Richie down, though, David.
19:56And that is an aggressive move from the tactician. A defensive pawn turns attacker.
20:02She's so desperate to get active here, Talia, that she's trying to create tension between these pawns.
20:07If these pawns disappear, pieces will be able to start pouring into the center of the board.
20:12This is a good move. He won't have been expecting this. Richie having a deep think.
20:19She's a very creative player. I can't be missing basic tactics against Talia, otherwise I'll be punished.
20:27Talia has succeeded in making Richie burn time on the clock.
20:31Later on, this could be crucial.
20:35He's burnt four minutes.
20:42Finally, he moves. A night jump into Talia's camp here.
20:46That's menacing, David.
20:50I've seen quite a lot of these matches now, and the energy here is very different.
20:53It's heavy, it's focused, it's freighted with anticipation because they're playing for that trophy on the illuminated plinth.
21:00That's not a sentence I say very often. That's how important this moment is.
21:05Oh, sneaky. Richie looks like he's retreating his bishop, but he's actually preparing to launch an attack with his knight deep into Talia's territory.
21:25That knight aiming to jump in, hitting one rook in the corner, hitting another rook, supported by its bishop.
21:32That would be a huge blow to Talia's chances.
21:35Talia begins to see Richie's evil intent. She senses she needs to change the tide.
21:40Wow, Talia, she's scuppered Richie's plan. A knight now threatening Richie's bishop. He'll have to rethink his attack.
21:52Every time she muddies the waters, she takes more time off of him.
21:57Chess is in a large part psychological. One good move in a position, that can waste their time and that can break their psychology a lot easier than if you just play a simple move that has about five different solutions.
22:12Richie stepping back to challenge Talia's knight, but Talia swooping in for Richie's remaining bishop.
22:19What a tussle, David. This really could go either way.
22:22Eve away.
22:32Chess can be a situation where both opponents are stalking each other, waiting for their moment to pounce.
22:39So you've got to be constantly aware there might be a winning tactic right now.
22:43Ooh, Talia moving her bishop away from her king. A dangerous move, leaving Richie with a game-changing opportunity.
22:53He should bring his queen forward on this light square diagonal. If he does invade here, then Talia is doomed.
23:02Richie will bring his rook up to the top of the board, giving a check.
23:04Yes, this rook can be captured, but the black king would be lured into checkmate.
23:11This is a key moment.
23:15If Richie spots this potential checkmate, he could win the whole contest in just a few moves.
23:21He is looking. His eyes are wide.
23:24We see Talia. She must realise there is danger, danger, danger on the board.
23:29I feel like Richie is going to move in with the queen.
23:35His hand is hovering over the queen, but will he find that vital move?
23:41No! He misses it! Richie!
23:46Oh, my goodness, David! What a relief for Talia. Oh, my gosh.
23:57The clock is ticking. Both players moving at breakneck speed to claw back time.
24:07Talia, one point up Anthony, but Richie, he's threatening her every move.
24:13This game is on a life edge, David.
24:18Richie's queen checking that king into the corner.
24:23His knight finding a check now.
24:28Look at Richie's hand, it's shaking.
24:31Another knight check. Richie really going for it.
24:35Talia's king back in the corner.
24:38Living life literally on the edge here.
24:40This game is getting wowed.
24:43Richie, he needs to use his queen, his knight and his rook together in unison.
24:47He's so close to checkmate.
24:49Oh, but big mistake. He's just given Talia a get-out-of-jail card.
24:55Richie captured a pawn with his knight, but Talia can save herself with a difficult move.
25:00But a great defensive one if she places her queen here.
25:05Defended by her bishop, she'll hold everything, trade queens and survive.
25:09Will she find it, Anthony?
25:13There we go. She does find it.
25:16Richie, he's panicking. He did not see that coming.
25:19Another check from Richie's queen.
25:23I've been playing stressful competitions now for 16 years of my 20-year life so far.
25:30So I've kind of got used to being able to manage to stress.
25:33Talia removes the threat, Richie taking her queen in return.
25:38But the chance of a checkmate disappearing fast.
25:41He's let it slip. From his grasp it's suddenly turning around.
25:47Richie, visibly shaken, he wants to move his knight.
25:51But has he spotted that Talia's rook is waiting to pounce from the far side of the board?
26:00He's in danger of timing out here, David.
26:03Time's very important in chess because that could decide the game.
26:07The best thing to do is not to get into time trouble.
26:11Which again is the easier said than done.
26:14Time pressure is when the blunders start to come.
26:20Ah, he drops his knight, David!
26:23My goodness!
26:25Oh my gosh, he's just blown away.
26:30David, this will have turned the tide.
26:33Panic stations for Richie. He's desperately trying to win back a few seconds.
26:40Talia now with a clear advantage.
26:44And here we go.
26:47The rook's disappearing.
26:49Richie looks distraught. He's trying to keep a poker face but...
26:52His position's suddenly looking hopeless.
26:54Six pawns against five pawns in Talia's favour.
26:57And the time's ticking.
26:58Richie, another desperate look at the clock.
27:03You're out of time.
27:05Well done. Well done. Very well, please.
27:08Oh my dears.
27:10Oh my dears.
27:13Oh my dears.
27:15Oh!
27:17Celebrations from Talia and rightly so.
27:19She kept her cool when it mattered.
27:20She was rewarded, Anthony.
27:21She hung on even when the odds were against her.
27:23A wonderful performance.
27:25Come on, up you come.
27:27My legs are trembling.
27:28My legs are trembling.
27:29I'm not surprised because you were put under an inordinate amount of pressure.
27:33That was such a good kick.
27:35It was a good kick.
27:37It was a good kick.
27:39It was a good kick.
27:41It was a good kick.
27:43It was a good kick.
27:44It was a good kick.
27:46It was a good kick.
27:47It was a good kick.
27:48You were put under an inordinate amount of pressure.
27:50That was such a good game from Richie.
27:52It was a near thing.
27:53But yeah, well played.
27:54Come here.
27:57Talia, she played well.
27:59Deserves to win.
28:01I've done my best.
28:02Proven that there's still life on the old dog yet.
28:05David, your thoughts on that extraordinary game?
28:08You both saved the best for last.
28:10Richie, you could smell the checkmate.
28:11I could see it in your eyes.
28:13Yeah, I knew it was there somewhere.
28:14I just couldn't find the moves.
28:16Talia, meanwhile, great defensive skills.
28:17I just thought if I give Richie some really difficult decisions to try and make in such a short time period, they might make some kind of slip up.
28:23That was such a difficult game.
28:24And I honestly think that I couldn't have had a better opponent than Richie.
28:28I'm going to let the honours fall to the GM.
28:32Talia, you did emerge victorious.
28:34Very consistent performance throughout the contest.
28:38Many congratulations.
28:39You are the Chess Masters champion.
28:47This is probably the best day of my life.
28:49And I'm honestly just so proud of all of this.
28:51I've got a boost on this.
28:52I've got a boost on this.
28:54I've got a boost on this.
28:55I think I've got a boost.
28:59Let's go.
29:01Let's read to see every move in this Chess Masters full match on iPlayer.
29:06on iplayer and hidden codes in nature listen to the infinite monkey cage to discover what's where
29:11and why on sans and not interested in beautiful defeats in the beautiful game watch how to win
29:18the champions league now on iplayer