Chess Masters The Endgame Season 01 Episode 07
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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!
00:10Never.
00:11For six weeks, twelve of the UK's rising chess stars
00:15have battled through a series of heats.
00:18It's one-on-one mental combat.
00:21Now the six who remain will compete for a coveted place in the final.
00:27Do you like your possession?
00:28This is none of your business.
00:29Wow.
00:30Navi leaving the board.
00:32Scrutinizing strategy, Grandmaster David Howell.
00:35Wow.
00:36This is bizarre.
00:37Unpacking the motives behind the moves, chess coach Anthony Mathurin.
00:41This is catastrophic.
00:43Oh, that was good.
00:44Who will topple and who will rise victorious.
00:48Yes!
00:49Oh, my days!
00:51To be crowned, Britain's chess master.
00:55This one is going to go down to the wire.
00:58Wow.
00:59Cool.
01:00Previously...
01:01Look at all these lights.
01:02Look at all these lights.
01:03I think if I just called you.
01:04Caitlin...
01:05That is checkmate.
01:06Trade queens, Maitlers.
01:07Great.
01:08Great.
01:09...and Lula...
01:10Great.
01:11...cruised through the rounds.
01:12Woo!
01:13But never give up Navi needed all three eliminators to stay in.
01:14Good luck Navi.
01:15The unrelenting warrior living up to his reputation.
01:16Morning all.
01:17Hi!
01:18Hi!
01:19Heat two saw Talia and Richie team up to triumph.
01:20Checkmate.
01:21While Kel contested two eliminators before taking a semi-final spot.
01:25Oh, my days.
01:26Now the two heats top trios will clash as the surviving six will be whittled down to the
01:33final four.
01:34Feeling quite nervous.
01:35People that we're going to blame against today are the strongest of both groups.
01:36You have to put the friendship aside and face it on the board.
01:41It's the semi-final, and in chess there can only be one winner, and I want that winner to
01:42be me.
01:43You have to put the friendship aside and face it on the board.
01:46It's the semi-final, and in chess there can only be one winner, and I want that winner
01:48to be me.
01:49Welcome, my glorious semi-finalist.
02:15lists goes back you know you know I know I know well listen I can't wait to see
02:22all of you in action I really really can't and this absolute men she's gonna
02:26tell us what you're in for next today players carnage awaits you you'll be
02:32playing a game called war and pieces you're going to need all your powers of
02:38creativity on the chessboard now you're probably wondering hmm where is the GM
02:45he awaits you're gonna go one by one over there the rest I'm gonna leave it to
02:51Grandmaster flash David created this unusual game especially for the semi-final
02:58as you know chess is a war game yeah and this is a battlefield the players will
03:03now take turns secretly choosing an army to fight with war and pieces is the
03:09toughest challenge in the contest so far the players will be generals of their
03:13own army choosing their own pieces worth up to 24 points the king and pawns they
03:19get for free the queen is valued at nine points the rook is worth five and bishops
03:23and knights three I want a rook I want a rook and their opponents won't know the
03:27pieces they've picked until they reveal them at the table good luck
03:33good luck time to get out your pieces and assemble them on your boards
03:38brilliant David and Anthony will keep a close eye on the games from chess HQ as
03:45heat one and heat two players are pitted against each other this is fun on board
03:51one chess princess Lula who loves to attack and Tali are the tactician who revels in
03:57unexpected moves you have two dark squad bishops interesting Talia and Lula they've
04:04chosen a combination of long-range bishops short-range knights they want a bit of
04:07everything I think I've made the wrong choice on board to the battle of the
04:12Scots junior chess champion Caitlin against retired RAF engineer Richie
04:18the strategist he's gone for the most powerful tools with two queens and a rook while Caitlin
04:25has gone for strength in numbers I think I needed more pieces oh on board three the clash of the
04:35comeback kings unrelenting warrior Navi and action man Kel who've both survived multiple
04:41eliminators to get here Kel and Navi chose the exact same pieces that's crazy queens and knights
04:51perfect attacking combo this will be an exciting match David okay guys the three winners of this
04:59game will be straight through to the final five minutes each your time starts now okay good luck
05:06we do arm wrestling and then he tries to show he's got oh my god David on board two
05:14Richie and Caitlin are sizing each other up
05:19Richie seems like a nice gentle man elderly man
05:26people may think well he's past his best but I would say don't underestimate me because there's a
05:34pretty good chance you're going to get beat oh wow a daring move here Richie is trying to entice
05:43Caitlin to capture his queen on the side of the board this looks too good to be true and it is
05:50if Caitlin does oblige Richie's other war and pieces queen is waiting in the wings to swoop across
05:56Caitlin should be reluctant to let go of her only queen this early in the game
06:01and we do see it Richie takes Caitlin's only queen off the board
06:10that's a huge strategic victory for him
06:14while battle-hardened Richie ramps up the pressure
06:18on board one Navi and Kel's identical pieces are waging war
06:26it's queens and knights and it's about who gets the first blow in here if I'm a chess piece I'll
06:34be the knight it's the only piece that jumps and I've seen my life jump a lot of times in 2020 we got
06:44news that my immediate elder sister Chinwen had passed away
06:51playing chess makes me remember my sister
06:53because she was the one that dragged me to chess club
06:56the one that put the fire for me to be playing chess
07:00I can literally hear her voice in my head right now
07:04and that's what I need that extra fire that extra ginger
07:11and could we see the first big decision of this game
07:14this black pawn is threatening Navi's queen and look at Kel's knight controlling the center of the board
07:20ooh I'm not sure he wants to do that
07:25look at this if he does take his hand off the queen on this square he's about to get forked
07:31Kel will jump forward with the black knight here into the center attacking not one but two queens
07:37let's not forget time is a factor and it's costing him valuable seconds
07:43he presses the clock he's just made a huge plunder
07:47the keller instig is coming to the fall will he reach out for that knight
07:52and it duly does David this is catastrophic for Navi
07:59Navi saves one queen but he cannot save the other
08:03wow
08:04he's up now a whole queen for a knight
08:07it's a clear first hit for Kel
08:12Navi has recovered in previous weeks from almost hopeless positions
08:17could he make a comeback here again
08:19David never underestimate Navi
08:21the atmosphere is so heavy here
08:27you couldn't cut it with a knife you're going to need a chainsaw
08:31on board three
08:33Lula and Talia are locked in a standoff
08:37do you like your position?
08:39oh that's for me to know actually
08:41this is none of your business
08:42wow
08:43so I haven't been playing chess for that long but I really want to prove that I do belong here
08:48and that all this time and energy that I've spent learning this game
08:52and loving this game has been you know valuable and worth it
08:58now the first real clash between the two armies
09:02Talia's offering a pawn up to be recaptured by Lula's bishop
09:06I wasn't expecting that
09:08let's check out what Talia the tactician is really doing
09:11in chess we call it a fianchetto when you put your bishop on the longest possible diagonal
09:16but here because it's war and pieces she doesn't just have one bishop
09:20she has two
09:21they protect each other and line up against a key shelter pawn in front of the black king
09:26will Lula spot the true intent of these bishops?
09:29I don't think so David
09:33Lula taking her eye off the ball and is about to be punished
09:36tactical Talia swooping deep into enemy territory and capturing that valuable shelter pawn
09:42back on board two the battle of the Scots ramps up with the strategist Ritchie on the attack
09:51oh Jesus Christ that was good
09:55exchanging her only queen early on has meant that Caitlin's had to play a more defensive game
10:00just eating all my pawns
10:04I grew up in a small town outside of Glasgow and there wasn't much like opportunities
10:10and I really did struggle
10:12but chess has opened up so many doors it means a lot to me
10:17so when you start to lose it's quite painful
10:21strategist Ritchie has four pawns to Caitlin's one and is looking to promote one to a queen
10:28get yourself another queen why don't you?
10:31I don't mind if I do it
10:33there it is Ritchie's now got a huge advantage with two queens on the board
10:40good game
10:49checkmate
10:50Ritchie's choice of two queens paying off
10:53here Caitlin's king is surrounded
10:55it's a really masterful checkmate
10:57yeah
10:58not quite
10:59over on board one
11:02despite losing one of his two queens earlier in the game
11:05Navi is standing his ground against Kel
11:08Kel has the upper hand with an extra queen on the board
11:11but it's been a real war of attrition
11:16now Navi's earlier indecision has cost him so he's also fighting against the clock
11:20we're about to see a third queen enter the board as one of those platforms about to touch down
11:27here we go a third queen lands on the board
11:32Kel beginning to rise to the occasion
11:34Navi meanwhile he's down to his last 10 seconds
11:41he's facing a checkmate
11:43is Kel going to get the satisfaction of a checkmate?
11:49oh my days
11:51well played
11:52thank you
11:53no he's not
11:54the clock's run out
11:56Kel is through to the final
11:58Navi ran out of time
11:59but it was ultimately Kel's war and peace as knights that won him the game
12:04good luck man thank you
12:06back on board three
12:08Lula and Talia are locked in a close skirmish of kings and pawns
12:14the two gladiators have both proven their strength in the end game
12:18Talia's promoted the pawn
12:20she's now got a queen on the board
12:22she's simply going to use that queen now to capture remaining pawns
12:27this is a calculated play
12:28she's going to sacrifice her queen to clear the board
12:31knowing that she still has the one pawn advantage
12:35and the queen is back on the board
12:37we're going to see a classic checkmate
12:40queen against king
12:41Lula's king
12:42there's no escape
12:43Lula's king's chased into the corner
12:50well played
12:51good game
12:52good game
12:53whew
12:54a close battle
12:55in the end though it's Talia who wins
12:57trapping Lula's king in the corner with her queen
13:00her path to the final has been assured
13:01okay players
13:03up you come
13:05you are in the final guys
13:08listen I want you to go up to that balcony
13:11former Olympian Sally Gunnell is doing a silent disco
13:15they're not getting better than that
13:16thank you
13:17catch yourselves up there
13:22I'm so excited to be on the winner's balcony
13:25I've made it to the finals man
13:27back on the couch
13:29the losers get a chance to take stock before the next challenge
13:33you just got to get back on the horse don't you
13:35and then you have to fight for your life
13:36wasn't my best
13:38this is like the first game I've lost so far in the contest
13:42obviously I have another chance to make it through to the final but it's very hard to just you know pick yourself back up and go again
13:50the pressure is on as our runners up return to the hall to face a unique elimination round
14:00I don't need to tell you that things are really hotting up in the grand hall
14:04at the end of this challenge one of you will be going home
14:09your next game is going to be special
14:13you will be taking on an England international
14:15a chess Olympian and the most feared player in the country
14:20please welcome
14:22nine-year-old prodigy
14:24Bodnar Sivanandan
14:32how are you feeling guys?
14:33nervous
14:35so Bodnar is going to play all three of you at the same time
14:37she'll most likely win
14:39so this is a game of survival
14:41whoever Bodnar beats with the fewest moves
14:43will be eliminated
14:46players
14:48go and settle yourself at your boards
14:52there's nothing more intimidating in chess than facing a child prodigy
14:56can the players stay calm?
14:58will they be able to hold their nerve?
15:01your game begins
15:03when Bodnar makes
15:05her first move
15:06Katelyn, Navi and Lula, they should have the advantage
15:20they get more time to think than Bodnar does
15:22but they need to be ready
15:24she is fearsome
15:27this is the stuff that nightmares are made of
15:29this is serious
15:31this is serious
15:35Navi starts with the Kingspawn opening
15:37it's actually the most common opening in chess
15:39so it's unlikely to surprise Bodnar
15:42Katelyn meanwhile has chosen the Sicilian defence
15:45a famously aggressive opening
15:47preventing White from fully controlling the centre
15:50showing she's up for a fight
15:52in contrast Lula has gone for the French defence
15:54this is known to be a solid opening
15:57as Black tries to build a wall of pawns on the light squares
16:00so we'll see how this plays out
16:02only six moves in and Navi is already in a dangerous spot
16:14Bodnar seizes his Queen
16:17now Navi must respond by taking Bodnar's Queen back
16:20the best move here is to take with his King
16:24this might not feel natural though
16:26as the King might later be exposed
16:28Navi should not get tempted to recapture with his Knight however
16:32as the Knight is guarding a central pawn
16:36oh he's not thinking about defending
16:38he attacks with that Knight
16:40it's too easy
16:42she snatches up that central pawn
16:44Bodnar takes an early lead in that game
16:46kids are really really sharp
16:49they're very inventive
16:51very quick
16:53I got diagnosed with stage 4 cancer
16:55I wanted to leave my kids with something
16:58that's long lasting
17:00so I taught them how to play chess
17:02I think I've kind of missed my opportunity of being a grandmaster
17:06but they've still got the potential
17:08Bodnar grabbing one of Navi's knights
17:11disaster starting to strike
17:13Navi is in serious danger of exiting this competition
17:18on board 2 after castling her King into the corner for protection
17:22Kaitlyn has some element of control
17:25Bodnar stopping
17:27having a pause, having a think at Kaitlyn's board
17:29Kaitlyn nice and calm
17:31I think this is a very good strategic approach from Kaitlyn
17:34the death stare from Bodnar as she moves on
17:37we know Lula's playing a defensive game
17:42but Bodnar has just found a way to break through
17:45Lula in a huge trouble here
17:48this is a fork
17:50Bodnar's knight checking the black king
17:52also attacking the black bishop
17:54but there's a second element to this
17:56a double attack
17:58the white rook from the bottom of the board
17:59also has its eyes set on Lula's bishop
18:03incredible play by Bodnar David
18:06indeed and to escape check
18:08Lula's forced to take the enemy knight
18:10allowing Bodnar to blast the bishop off the board with her rook
18:14Bodnar's brilliance is revealed here
18:17she puts Lula's king in check
18:19and she's going to win the black knight in the corner
18:21all with a single rook
18:23Lula hands going to the neck
18:25that's when you can feel the noose closing in
18:27Lula is forced to move out of check again and Bodnar gobbles up that night
18:34no insult she is a master
18:37yeah exactly yeah
18:39Navi loses yet another pawn
18:41and Bodnar's turning the screw
18:43who is going to crack?
18:45who is going to survive the longest?
18:47hard to think of another game
18:49where you could have a room dictated by a nine year old
18:53where somebody that small could be that proficient
18:56Katelyn's held her own against Bodnar so far
19:02but she's in trouble for the first time
19:04Bodnar lands a really scary move against Katelyn
19:09this is a trap
19:11if Katelyn does pick up this pawn
19:14Bodnar will bring her bishop back
19:15this is what we call a skewer
19:17this is a check
19:19forcing Katelyn's king out of the way
19:22and next move the rook would fall prey to the bishop or rook
19:25Katelyn must avoid this
19:31oh she takes the pawn that's a blunder
19:34Bodnar brings her bishop back
19:36Katelyn has to move her king
19:37and just as you predicted their goal's the rook
19:43and she's simply lost her best piece
19:47David she needs to cling on for all she's worth
19:54full of confidence now Bodnar
19:56she knows these games aren't going to last much longer
19:59Navi fighting hard Katelyn in trouble
20:02Lula on the brink
20:04it's so unclear who's going to survive the longest
20:08they're all making mistakes on the board
20:10the pressure's getting to them
20:12Navi's king stuck in the corner
20:15Lula meanwhile running out of pawns
20:17running out of pieces
20:19the net closing now around Katelyn's king
20:22Katelyn looks devastated
20:24completely all for David
20:26wow
20:28we're going to see three checkmates
20:30and here we go
20:32Navi
20:35Katelyn
20:37Lula
20:38checkmate
20:40yeah the handshake it's over
20:43we see Bodnar showing off her vast array of checkmates
20:48Bodnar come up here my lovely
20:50guys you want to come up and join us?
20:52how was that for you?
20:53that was good
20:54did you enjoy it?
20:55yeah
20:56can we give a round of applause for the extraordinary Bodnar
20:57thank you my lovely
20:58thank you
21:04right
21:05you knew that one person would be eliminated from this game
21:10and that would be the person with the fewest moves against Bodnar
21:15with 46 moves
21:17Lula you won this challenge well done
21:20with 41 moves
21:25Lula you came second
21:27and with 38 moves
21:29that was you my lovely
21:30you're out of the contest
21:32I'm so sorry
21:33no
21:34no
21:35be sorry
21:36it doesn't matter if you win or lose
21:37it's been engaged
21:38and I felt like that happened there
21:39so I'm
21:41quite pleased with it
21:42round of applause for Katelyn
21:44off you go my darling
21:45off you go
21:46what an absolute player
21:47absolute player
21:48this contest has been so fun
21:50I was like so close to being in the finals
21:53it's been a really great experience
21:59Navi
22:00Lula
22:01so the two of you are going head to head now
22:03you know what's at stake
22:04a place in the final
22:06I'll see you in a short while
22:07thank you
22:12chess means so much to me
22:13like it's all of my life
22:15I'm going to do everything in my power
22:17to make it through to the final
22:19I really want to do well
22:20I'd like to win the game
22:21for my boys
22:23but Lula's really good
22:24so it'll be a difficult game
22:29as winner of the last challenge
22:30Lula is playing white
22:34Navi this is his fourth eliminator
22:36he's battle-hardened by now
22:38the princess
22:40first time
22:41she's desperately trying to clamp down the nerves
22:43okay
22:48this is the big one
22:49there's a lot riding on this
22:50and one of you will ascend to the balcony of dreams
22:52and take part in the chess masters final
22:56and one of you will be going home
22:59you have five minutes each on your clock
23:02your time starts
23:04now
23:05we see this game kick off
23:06Lula brings her king's pawn forward
23:07bringing out the bishop
23:08bringing out the queen
23:10instead of making a move
23:12Navi's adjusting his pieces
23:14he's definitely going for the mind games
23:16what is he meditating?
23:18psychologically
23:20you want to display like maybe a sense of confidence or superiority
23:24it kind of throws people off
23:28and Navi pushing a pawn on the edge of the board
23:30this is bizarre
23:31usually you want to fight for the center of the board
23:33I think his idea is to try to unsettle our princess
23:40see if he can ruffle her feathers
23:43we've seen our first exchange of pieces
23:48and this has opened up a line for Navi to launch his trademark attack
23:53he swings his rook across lining up with Lula's king
23:56Navi clearly in the mood for a fight
23:59now he wants to add pawns to the mix
24:04to put on a bit more pressure
24:06Lula has an extra pawn on the other side of the board
24:09and she's just thrown it forward
24:11aiming to advance to threaten Navi's knight
24:14yes, but Navi's completely focused on his mission
24:17to break down that fortress around Lula's king
24:20Lula's defended
24:22I don't think he's looking at the other side of the board, David
24:27Lula pushing her pawn forward
24:29huge threat against the enemy knight
24:32last chance for Navi to stop Lula's attack
24:37we've seen a blunder
24:39oh my goodness
24:41Lula snatches the knight off the board
24:43Navi gets a pawn in return
24:44but look at this
24:46Lula establishing a beautiful knight in the center
24:47she has an extra knight
24:50just peace down
24:52it's going to be difficult for him
24:54we've seen this on multiple occasions
24:57and we've seen him survive
24:59I sometimes think if you're losing slightly
25:02it's not that bad because you have more fight
25:05and the other person gets overconfident
25:07and could make a silly mistake
25:11Lula with this devastating check
25:14forcing Navi's king out into the open
25:17wow
25:20Navi leaving the board
25:22he's desperately trying to rattle her composure
25:26I think Navi's afraid of me
25:28I think he thinks that I'm better at chess than he is
25:31chess is an incredibly psychological game
25:34and this pressure is one of the hardest things about chess
25:37but you have to believe that you can win the game
25:39so unbelievably tense
25:43so unbelievably tense
25:45Navi disrupted that tension by getting up
25:47I think Lula's going to retaliate with perhaps
25:49a box split and some burpees
25:51and who knows
25:52maybe some deep squats from Navi to end the game
25:55Lula wins at bishop
25:57she now has an extra rook
25:59an extra knight
26:01yeah it's what we call a material advantage
26:03you just want to simplify the equation
26:05you want to get the queens off the board now
26:06it just makes your task easier
26:09and minimises the chance of a turnaround
26:11there is the move
26:13forget the eye of the tiger David
26:15she has the eye of the princess warrior
26:19I didn't know she's this aggressive
26:28killer move Anthony
26:30she's created a fork here
26:31she's put Navi in check
26:33he can go and grab Lula's knight
26:35but then his rook would fall
26:37Lula would be able to make a new queen on the board
26:42as you predicted David
26:44the princess is now coronated
26:46she is now elevated into a queen
26:51and there she goes forcing the unrelenting warrior into the corner
26:55there's no chance for Navi
26:56it's as simple as that
26:57she's going to deliver the final nail in the coffin
27:08well done congratulations great wayne great game
27:10thank you
27:12Lula's queen and rook covering every escape square
27:15Navi's king with nowhere to go
27:17Navi has finally lost an eliminator
27:20I really enjoyed competing with you
27:21oh thank you yeah
27:22oh you get emotional yeah that's good
27:24I'll give you a hug
27:25hope you're going to win it
27:26I'll be awesome
27:28Lula was too strong
27:30Navi how you doing?
27:31yeah it was a really tough game
27:33I tried every trick I had
27:35five minutes is hard against such a good player
27:37but I tried my best it was very difficult
27:39we've loved having you Navi
27:41thank you so much
27:43Navi everyone come on
27:44thank you
27:46never gave up
27:47kept fighting right to the end
27:48I'm the best player one
27:50even though I didn't get into the final
27:51I'm really happy with the semi-final
27:53I just think my family will be really proud
27:55and they'll say he's put in a good fight
27:57are you scared about facing this extraordinary chess princess?
28:01she's a warrior princess no doubt
28:03but we'll play her anyways
28:04I tell you what she's coming for you
28:05you
28:10I feel like I'm part of your group now
28:13getting through to the final
28:15in the last elimination
28:17it's amazing
28:19I'm so happy
28:21oh it was so fantastic
28:22thank you
28:24next time
28:26welcome finalists
28:28the hardest tests yet
28:30checkmate in two moves
28:32oh
28:33and who will be in
28:34the final eliminator
28:36somebody in this room
28:37will get crowned
28:38the chess master
28:40exciting exciting
28:45Will a deep snow drift
28:46put the brakes on our pilgrims
28:48follow the path when new pilgrimage
28:50continues here in half an hour
28:52and two pals
28:53top chat and places out of a picture book
28:55watch Mortimer and Whitehouse gone fishing
28:57now on BBC iPlayer
29:03you
29:06will be the best
29:12áng5
29:25at 2 p.m.