Chess has an incredible history that dates back more than a millennia. As one of the oldest board games, chess is surrounded by tradition and grand story. From it’s origination in India to it’s diffusion and evolution around the world, chess has captivated hundreds of millions of people.

Chess’ history is intertwined with the story of it’s greatest players and champions and the battles of style, ideas, and philosophy that have been waged over the board since the first World Chess Championship was contested in 1886.

The story of chess has been told in books many times but has not been translated to video. Until now. Chess.com is proud to announce that for the first time you can enjoy the game’s history in a documentary dedicated to the topic: The History Of Chess: A Reflection Of Us.

From the game’s humble beginnings, it evolved into the game we know and love today. It spread across the entire world, and in the late 19th century, the game had its first official World Champion. From the first world champions, through the many Soviet champions, to Bobby Fischer and Boris Spassky’s Match of the Century in 1972, to the modern champions—this documentary covers it all. 

The History Of Chess: A Reflection Of Us was a nine-month project exploring the history of the World Chess Championship, chess champions, and their personalities. It also explores how the way the game developed throughout the years is a reflection of the players, politics, and the world we live in. Backed by in-depth research of thousands of newspaper articles, works of art, and historical footage and images, the documentary brings chess history to life.

The documentary also brings first-hand accounts from world champions, historians, and prominent chess personalities. World champions GMs Viswanathan Anand and Alexandra Kosteniuk, championship challenger GM Nigel Short, and legendary coach NM Bruce Pandolfini are only a few of the experts who shared their perspective on historical chess events. 

When I finally became world champion, I could then realize that I had done something historical, (…) and that from now on, India would always have its first world champion.
— Anand, former world champion

I was captivated by the game from the start, as many players have been. I just loved it. And that’s really what it’s about: loving the game. Realizing how much fun it can be; its sheer play, the challenge of it. (…) Drawing upon your resources to find just the right move will bring a smile to just about anyone’s face.
— Pandolfini, chess coach

Chess: A Reflection of Us starts with a brief history of the game and how it developed into a global sport. It then explores the first and all subsequent world chess championships. The documentary also explores the game’s top players and how they shaped the world championship over the years. Finally, it taps into the latest title match between GMs Magnus Carlsen and Ian Nepomniachtchi.

Make sure you watch Chess: A Reflection of Us in full on YouTube or right here in this article, and let us know your thoughts below.