Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. e4 e5
"Every journey begins with a single move" is the tagline of "Searching for Bobby Fischer" (1993). Seven-year-old Josh beats his father at chess and learns the speed version from a street hustler. Josh's parents hire a chess coach with the aggressive "win-at-all-costs" attitude of the famous Bobby Fischer, one of the game's youngest ever Grandmasters. The film explores the conflict between these different approaches to winning at chess.
Which of these words describes a child with extraordinary talents?
2. Nf3 Nc6
"The Dark Horse" (2014) is a New Zealand film set in the city of Gisborne on the east coast of the North Island. ______ Potini who suffers from a severe bipolar disorder, becomes involved with the "Eastern Knights" chess club and begins teaching the game to underprivileged children, before leading them to the Junior National Championships.
What is Mr Potini's first name, which he shares with the first book of the Bible?
3. Nc3 Nf6
"Everything starts with how you think" says Richard Mason as he begins to teach his fourth grade (year 4) class to play chess in "Knights of the South Bronx" (2005). In this television movie, Mason is a substitute teacher at an inner-city elementary school and chess is the vehicle used to motivate his students, who go on to win city and state championships.
What US City is home to the "Bronx Community Elementary School 70"?
4. a3 d5
Maxine (Max) is 10 years of age and a loner, having newly enrolled at a prestigious private school. In "A Little Game" (2014), she is ridiculed by fellow students for not knowing how to play chess and seeks help from the irascible Norman, an older outdoor player. The death of Max's beloved "YaYa" compounds her problems.
In what language is "YaYa" a word for grandmother?
5. exd5 Nxd5
"Pawn Sacrifice" (2014) tells the story of Bobby Fischer, a child prodigy and in 1958 the world's youngest chess Grandmaster at 15 years of age.
In 1972, set against the backdrop of the Cold War between the Soviet Union and the United States of America, the World Chess Championship saw Fischer (USA) challenge Boris Spassky (USSR), the defending champion.
Somewhat ironically, which country hosted the so called 'Match of the Century'?
6. Be2 e4
In the film "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" (2001), Harry, Ron and Hermione are confronted with a life-sized game of Wizard Chess, part of the security for the Philosopher's Stone. Ron directs Harry to take a Bishop's position, Hermione becomes a Rook and Ron himself assumes a Knight's role.
The film's director shares his last name with a famous explorer and a US state capital. What is the director's surname?
7. Nxe4 Nf4
"Hatley High" (2003) is a Canadian comedy set in the small lakeside town of North Hatley. The jocks at the high school play chess and are part of an internationally ranked team known as the Knights.
In which Canadian Province is North Hatley located? The provincial motto is "Je me souviens".
8. O-O Nxe2
"Brooklyn Castle" (2012) is a documentary about Intermediate School 318 Brooklyn (I.S. 318), a public middle school in New York. The film's tagline is "Imagine a school where the cool kids are the chess team. Welcome to I.S. 318".
More than half of the students "live below the federal poverty line". Now, state budget cuts have threatened I.S. 318's after-school chess program.
In the previous decade, the school won more championships than any other school. This led to inevitable comparisons with a professional New York sports team.
By 2012, which New York sporting franchise had won more championships than any of the others?
9. Qxe2 Bg4
Disney's "Queen of Katwe" (2016) is based on a true story. Phiona is 10 years of age and lives with her mother and family in Katwe, one of Kampala's slums. A missionary teaches her to play chess and soon she excels at the game. Her successes lead to national and international competitions.
Which African country has Kampala as its capital city?
10. Nf6#
"Life of a King" (2013) is the true story of Eugene Brown who spent 18 years in prison for bank robbery. While serving his sentence he learned to master chess, gambling for cigarettes.
After his release, Brown had problems reintegrating with society. Contact with school students in detention led to him establishing the "Big Chair Chess Club" in a rented house in Washington D.C. with the goal of discouraging young people from a life of crime.
What is the significance of the "Big Chair" in the Chess Club's name?
Source: Author
psnz
This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor
spanishliz before going online.
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