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And yes, it gets emotional.
“You have this image of two very sober people silently moving pieces,” says host Sue Perkins.
“Its a much livelier enterprise than the stereotype would have you believe.”
Episodes will also be available tostream FREEand in full onBBC iPlayer.
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Can I watch ‘Chess Masters: The Endgame’ in the U.S?
Watch ‘Chess Masters: The Endgame’ online and on-demand in the U.K. ## Can I watch ‘Chess Masters: The Endgame’ online or on TV in Canada?
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Come back here to find out when.
They face a brain-boggling puzzle and a high-stakes speed chess battle.
How does the series “Chess Masters: The Endgame” work?
Its an eliminator and there will be one winner."
Do you think the show will break down the stereotypes about the kind of people who play chess?
“I think post ‘The Queens Gambit’, we know for a fact that it is sexier.
Its played by billions of people so you could no longer hurl around those stereotypes.
A lot of the matches Ive played are against kids in Brazil or India.
I think the show absolutely does challenge that stereotype.
Theres a broad range of people who have come to the show.
There are all sorts of people coming to it.
They are all at the top of their game.
We know for a fact they are the best players”
Did you play chess as a youngster?
“No, we didnt have a chess club at school.
Weirdly the only person I knew who played chess was my dad who was none of those things.
Hed gone to a south London comprehensive but was extremely good at chess.
He got really into it.
I was terrible at it and had no aptitude for it.
In fact, right up to his death, he was beating me.
He wasnt very well, and he was still absolutely slaughtering me when we played.
Ive come to chess from doing this show.
Ive played a lot since I started doing this.
Theyve been extremely gracious with their time.
Who knows where it could lead?
Its a fantastic game.
Its quite extraordinary for a game that is just a black-and-white checkers board and some horses.
Im into it now.
Im fully invested.”
If you could play anybody at chess, who would you play and why?
“Well, Id like to be good enough to play Magnus Carlsen the grandmaster.
Hes got a sort of power and psychological potency that I think probably extends beyond the board.
Hes also quite maverick.
I think if youre going to wish for anything, why not wish for the best?
I wish to be good enough to play the best.
How does it work as a spectator sport?
What I like about the game is you dont need money to play.
Those are timeless things.
Im not a chess master and I enjoy being part of it.
I find it incredibly stimulating and enjoyable to watch.
My hope is that the audience do too.”
What was it like to work with chess experts David Howell and Anthony Mathrin and see their enthusiasm?
“They are just gorgeous humans.
I got so much from being around them and its very infectious.
There were boards everywhere, there were pieces everywhere and you had crew sitting down and playing.
They are really good people.”
What mistakes do people make when they play chess?
“The people we use are extremely high-ranking.
But its a lifetime study.
If I dont think about what Im doing, Ill get whooped every time.
Also, be flexible.
Your plan will be thwarted in real-time and you havent got any other options.
Being flexible is really important and not getting stuck on one idea.
The time clock can be off-putting, cant it?
“The thing is for me, I can only play with a timer.
I have sensory issues so I couldnt play a longer game.
It would become stressful, the idea that time would feel never-ending and unmanageable.
The game has developed so its no longer these two-day battles.
you’ve got the option to play for 10 minutes.
I play a lot on the bus or the tube.
Its pretty addictive when you get going.
Its got me in trouble.
My partner is like what are you doing, oh its chess again.'”
Did things get emotional?“Yes.
Very, very emotional.
Its a strange thing to say but you make yourself very vulnerable in chess.
Your thought processes, your evaluations, the way you structure your brain, the way you anticipate.
Its a battle and when you lose, its painful and difficult.
There were a couple of times when people were almost overwhelmed by it.
But thats my job.
My job is to go This is important, but its also a game.
There was some mopping up to be done but they were exceptionally good folk.
Unreachably high for most of us.”
How often are there unexpected twists in a game?
“A lot actually.
Theres a lot of trash talk, it gets quite spicy as it goes on.
Theres a trap that has been set and it springs and the game turns completely the other way.
There are a lot of those moments.
Theres screaming at one point.
Anthony is screaming with excitement.
Did you watch the “Queens Gambit” and do you think thats what has made chess cool again?
“Yes, I think in part.
Its an exceptional series and I rewatched it recently and its a great piece of television.
I do think that plays into this show as well.
In terms of making it sexy it just puts a spotlight on how much graft goes into it.
The hotness of watching someone do something sincerely and well.
And that is very much in evidence.
They take it seriously and it really means something.
One of the guys says it was the thing that saved his life.
Can you tell us about the contestants and any you were rooting for?”
They werent there because they wanted to be on television.
Its my job to put them at ease.
Nicks story, the prison story is very affecting.
And Cai is very easy on the eye.
I was delighted there were so many women playing and I think it shows that perceptions have changed.
This is chess and this is who plays it.
Some of them are kids.
Weve got 20-year-olds and then weve got someone in his 60s who is retired.
It spans the whole range and I hope the whole range of audiences come to it.”
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