Chess Masters The Endgame episode 8
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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 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.
00:28Pushing a pawn on the edge of the board. This is bizarre.
00:31Motives unpacked by chess coach Anthony Mathurin.
00:35As we see him, hands to his head.
00:38Now the strongest four remain and will compete in the grand final.
00:44There 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.
01:15Former England junior player Talia...
01:17Really sneaky from Talia.
01:19...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.
01:30Kell has racked up over 50,000 online games.
01:35Kell trying to let his opponent know about his physical presence.
01:38Check.
01:39And loves an attacking style of play.
01:42Check.
01:43Finals, man!
01:45Finals!
01:46Let's go all the way.
01:47Trade queens, make loads.
01:49Great.
01:50Chess content creator Lula...
01:52This is the board you set up.
01:53...has enjoyed a string of successes.
01:55That's a lot of green.
01:57I'm so, so close to the trophy and I just hope I can do my best today and be the winner.
02:03And finally...
02:04I may have 50 years experience but I've forgotten 40 of them.
02:09Former RAF aircraft technician Richie...
02:11He's a military man and it's all about discipline.
02:14...has shown his strategic prowess.
02:16Oh, that was good.
02:18How much do I want to win?
02:19More 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.
02:33Hello and welcome finalists. How does that sound?
02:42Mental.
02:43Exciting, exciting.
02:44These guys are going to put you through your paces, make no mistake.
02:47Anthony, what's in store for them?
02:49Players, 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.
03:19It's going to be difficult.
03:24Now we've got to the business end of the contest. Just a few more Ryo's concentration altogether.
03:30Are you guys nervous?
03:31Yeah.
03:32Yeah.
03:33Yeah.
03:34I did not expect to get anywhere near this far. Not 100% sure how it's going to go but I've just got to give it my best shot really.
03:41The finalists will attempt the challenge one at a time and won't know the results until everyone has played.
03:50Deep breath. Are you ready?
03:53Nervous. Very nervous.
03:55Your time starts now.
03:59You're playing white. Checkmate 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.
04:16Who just got it, Sue?
04:17Puzzle complete.
04:19Wow.
04:20Rook traps. King on the vertical. Backed up by the bishop. Checkmate.
04:25Puzzle complete.
04:27Puzzle complete.
04:29Puzzle complete.
04:30Puzzle complete.
04:34Checkmate in two moves.
04:40This one is much harder, Sue.
04:42Remember, once you make a move, you can't take it back, Sue.
04:46You really have to have forecasted 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,
05:15about the chest.
05:17It's now crunch time.
05:24Puzzle complete.
05:25Puzzle complete.
05:34Puzzle complete.
05:36Kel and Talia are on to puzzle three.
05:40Leaving Richie and Lula trailing at the second table.
05:43What'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.
06:06I'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.
06:19It's a normal path.
06:24His hands are reached out.
06:26He's desperately trying to work it out.
06:32Puzzle incomplete.
06:34No problem.
06:38Breathe, Lula, breathe.
06:39It's okay.
06:40It's okay.
06:46Puzzle incomplete.
06:55It's okay.
06:57It'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.
07:18Puzzle 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 this.
07:28I didn't complete all the challenges, but hopefully I managed to pull through and get through to the final three.
07:33You get punished as a chess player if you make the wrong move, and I made the wrong move.
07:37Solving 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.
07:52It's time for the results.
07:53The person who cleared the most boards, Talia, well done. You cleared four boards.
08:04Second is Kel. You cleared three boards.
08:10Well done.
08:11Okay, that leaves Richie. That leaves you, Lula.
08:15You 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.
08:29Which means you will be playing another puzzle.
08:36Lula, Richie, your time starts now.
08:43Checkmate in two moves.
08:45To avoid elimination, Lula and Richie must spot that the first move is to sacrifice their queen.
08:52Moving her hair puts the black king in check.
08:56The white bishop and pawn block his escape, so black's move is to capture the queen.
09:02Then white's other bishop can swoop in for the checkmate.
09:05Think it through, think it through.
09:18Puzzle 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.
09:40The slowest will be eliminated.
09:45Lula, you completed your puzzle.
09:50In 30 seconds.
09:55Richie.
09:57You completed it.
09:58In half that time.
10:03Which 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.
10:15I'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.
10:23Three players remain.
10:26One last challenge stands between them and the final showdown.
10:31This could be a good doorman.
10:32I've been given a second bite at the cherry.
10:33It's such an intense contest.
10:34You need to make sure that you're thinking on your feet, making sure that you're prepared for the next round.
10:46Bring the fire.
10:48Bring 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.
11:04Mr. David Howell.
11:08This game is called survival of the fittest.
11:15Your 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.
11:30I'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.
11:44Let battle commence.
11:45David 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.
12:00Isu.
12:04Oh, the French defence.
12:06A wonderful choice by Talia here.
12:09The 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.
12:23We also see, on the board against Richie, another defensive strategy.
12:28A wall of pawns to deflect White's advance.
12:31Classic play from the strategist.
12:33David won't be able to attack just yet.
12:36It's going to take some time.
12:38Time.
12:39Let's talk about Kel.
12:40Look 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.
12:49And he's launching those pawns down the board.
12:53He is here to fight.
12:57Coming at me.
13:01I'm a non-conformist.
13:03Your opponent already has something in mind that he's expecting you to play.
13:06Surprise them, man.
13:09What good is it if you don't surprise your enemy?
13:14Very aggressive.
13:17David, two pawns up now.
13:20But Kel capturing one back.
13:23Making me think.
13:27As all three matches enter the middle game, the Grandmaster goes on the attack.
13:32Look, Sue, that's Richie losing the pawn to David's knight.
13:37And with that knight move, David's queen is now threatening Richie's queen.
13:42This has just got super interesting.
13:45Richie's now got a decision to make.
13:48Let's look at the board.
13:50Will Richie take this queen, relieving David of his most valuable piece,
13:54which 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.
14:04This is a dilemma, Sue.
14:06David's one of the biggest chess players on the planet.
14:09It makes me strive to try and find small advantages.
14:14You might be able to hang on a bit longer.
14:21And he's gone for the queen exchange.
14:24No more queens on Richie's board.
14:26Sue, look at Kel.
14:28The action man blasting David's knight off the board.
14:32Trying to annihilate as many pieces as quickly as possible.
14:37Oh, there goes a rook as well.
14:39He's putting up a fight, but the GM is still one pawn up.
14:45Talia moving her king into the corner, playing a very different game.
14:50She's got her knights protecting each other.
14:53Rooks and queens working together, protecting each other.
14:56Even 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.
15:06We 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.
15:13Just trying to survive as long as possible.
15:19As the end draws near, are three players scrambling to stay.
15:25David smells blood.
15:29Richie is trying to hold on.
15:32But there goes another pawn.
15:34He's losing ground fast.
15:39Ooh, Talia getting mocked up there.
15:41That was her queen, Sue.
15:43Her defence getting thinner by the second.
15:45Wow.
15:47Kel taking David's last bishop.
15:50He's been so aggressive in this match.
15:53However, Fortune is not favouring the both 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.
16:13Now we have a tense situation on all three boards.
16:18Who will be eliminated?
16:20Talia's defence has been destroyed.
16:24Now she only has one night.
16:27That's a check on Richie.
16:30That is a critical moment.
16:33Oh, David pushing a pawn for promotion on Kel's table.
16:39Kel'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.
16:52Wow.
16:53It's checkmate.
16:54It is Kel who falls first.
16:56His king in check by one queen and his escape cut off with the support of David's two pawns.
17:14Checkmate.
17:16I'm sorry, man.
17:18Unfortunately, Sue, Kel's aggressive instincts losing him the game against the grandmaster.
17:24At the end of that particular contest, it's Kel. You're going to be leaving.
17:28Tyler, you're super emotional.
17:30Yeah.
17:31We've been spending so much time together.
17:34And 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.
17:56Because you are the one that cost us.
18:04The 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.
18:27This magnificent trophy.
18:29I want you to take your seats and put your pieces out.
18:34David, 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.
18:50Plus a five-second increment every time you make a move.
18:54Your time starts now.
18:58Have a good game.
19:00Have a good game.
19:02And we're off. Richie playing white, Talia black.
19:05Richie looks like he wants to play the Queen's Gambit, pushing two pawns forward in front of his Queen, hoping to control the centre 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. She's concentrating on her own defence.
19:27Don't be too aggressive.
19:29Absolutely. There's no need to take unnecessary risk.
19:34We'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.
19:47Richie has nice centralised pieces. He has solid foundations to build from.
19:53Talia will be looking for a way to break Richie down, though, David.
19:57And that is an aggressive move from the tactician. A defensive pawn turns attacker.
20:03She's so desperate to get active here, Talia, that she's trying to create tension between these pawns.
20:08If these pawns disappear, pieces will be able to start pouring into the centre of the board.
20:12This is a good move.
20:13He won't have been expecting this. Richie having a deep think.
20:19He's a very creative player. I can't be missing basic tactics against Talia, otherwise I'll be punished.
20:26Talia has succeeded in making Richie burn time on the clock. Later on, this could be crucial.
20:35He's burnt four minutes.
20:37Finally, he moves.
20:43A 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.
20:54It's heavy, it's focused, it's greeted with anticipation because they're playing for that trophy.
20:58On the illuminated plinth. That'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.
21:58Chess 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.
22:08Richie 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.
22:23Chess 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.
22:54He 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. Yes, this rook can be captured, but the black king would be lured into checkmate.
23:09This 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. You see Talia, she must realise there is danger, danger, danger on the board.
23:28I feel like Richie is going to move in with the queen.
23:36His hand is hovering over the queen, but will he find that vital move?
23:41He misses it, Richie. Oh my goodness, David.
23:54What a relief for Talia.
23:56Oh my gosh.
24:00The clock is ticking. Both players moving at breakneck speed to claw back time.
24:06Talia, one point up Anthony, but Richie, he's threatening her every move.
24:14This game is on a life edge, David.
24:18Richie's queen checking that king into the corner.
24:23His knight finding a check now.
24:27Look at Richie's hand, it's shaking.
24:31Another knight check. Richie really going for it.
24:36Talia's king back in the corner.
24:39Living life literally on the edge here.
24:41This 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.
24:48Oh, 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.
25:01But 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?
25:11There we go, she does find it.
25:16Richie, he's panicking. He did not see that coming.
25:20Another check from Richie's queen.
25:25I've been playing stressful competitions now for 16 years of my 20-year life so far.
25:31So I've kind of got used to being able to manage to stress.
25:34Talia removes the threat, Richie taking her queen in return.
25:37But 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.
26:08The 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.
26:17Ah, he dropped his knight, David. My goodness.
26:21Oh my gosh, this is going to be a good.
26:23David, this will have turned the tide.
26:27Panic stations for Richie. He's desperately trying to win back a few seconds.
26:41Talia 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...
26:51His position suddenly looking hopeless.
26:55Six pawns against five pawns in Talia's favour.
26:58And the time's ticking.
27:04Richie, another desperate look at the clock.
27:06You're out of time.
27:19Well done.
27:21Well done. Very well, please.
27:22Oh, my dears.
27:27Oh!
27:29Celebrations from Talia and rightly so.
27:32She kept her cool when it mattered.
27:34She was rewarded, Anthony.
27:36She hung on even when the odds were against her.
27:39A wonderful performance.
27:43Come on, up you come.
27:45My legs are trembling. My legs are trembling.
27:47I'm not surprised because you were put under an inordinate amount of pressure.
27:49That was such a good game from Richie.
27:52It was a near thing. But, yeah, well played.
27:54Come here. Come 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.
28:09Richie, you could smell the checkmate.
28:11I could see it in your eyes.
28:12Yeah, I knew it was there somewhere.
28:14I just couldn't find the moves.
28:15Talia, meanwhile, great defensive skills.
28:16I 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 and I honestly think that I couldn't have had a better opponent than Richie.
28:27I'm going to let the honours fall to the GM.
28:30Talia, 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.
28:50And I'm honestly just so proud of all of this.
28:51I'm so proud of all of this.
28:52I'm so proud of all of this.
28:53I'm so proud of all this.
29:21Do!
29:22itchree.
29:24It is a great day.
29:25I'm so proud of everybody.
29:26Thanks.
29:28We can only seize.
29:30Thank you very much.