27 Chess-Themed Movies and TV Shows

Brooklyn Castle follows I.S. 318, a public school in a low-income neighborhood where over 65% of students live below the poverty line. The school boasts an exceptionally successful junior high chess team – so strong, it would rank fifth in…

Gilles Carle's documentary frames a major chess match like a classic Western showdown. The film focuses on three prominent players: Anatoly Karpov of Russia, Viktor Korchnoi, a Russian who defected, and Bobby Fischer of the United States. Chess experts Camille…

At the peak of the Cold War, American chess genius Bobby Fischer challenges the Soviet Union, becoming a pawn in the struggle between the two superpowers.

This gripping thriller follows a chess grandmaster caught in a murder investigation during a major tournament. When his lover is found murdered, drained of blood and with intricate paintings on her body, he becomes the main suspect. A sinister killer…

World Chess Champion Akiva Liebskind (Michel Piccoli) faces his former student Pavius Fromm (Alexandre Arbatt) in a crucial match in Geneva. Fromm defected to the West five years ago, adding political weight to the game. The competition is not just…

This film tells the story of Alexander Kotov, a celebrated Soviet chess grandmaster, as he works to adapt his own novel about his idol, world chess champion Alexander Alekhine, into a movie. The film uses flashbacks to explore Alekhine's life…

This is the true story of Eugene Brown, who, after serving eighteen years in prison, dedicated himself to giving inner city children in Washington DC a better future. He founded the Big Chair Chess Club to pull kids away from…

Genesis Potini, a former Maori speed-chess champion, lives with bipolar disorder. He faces prejudice and violence as he fights to save his struggling chess club, his family, and his own well-being.

This is the story of a seven-year-old chess prodigy striving for success while staying true to himself. He possesses exceptional talent, but chooses a different approach than some famous players. As he competes in high-stakes tournaments and faces rivals, he…

In 1934, Diego Padilla triumphs at the Spanish Chess Championship and connects with French journalist Marianne Latour, and they fall in love. After the Spanish Civil War, Marianne persuades Diego to relocate to France with their daughter. Soon after, Diego…

This true story from 1998 follows five Latino and Black teenagers from a rough neighborhood in Miami as they strive to compete in the National Chess Championship. They are mentored by an unconventional but inspiring teacher who guides them every…

The American Computer Chess Convention brings together fans to compete. Programs face off against each other and human players in a tournament with a $7500 prize for the winner.

In a small southern frontier town, an elderly man known as "Nail Li" claims chess mastery by pinning a piece to the board, daring anyone to dislodge it. At the time, many young people were migrating to the countryside. The…

Tommy Rosemund, a brilliant scientist who abandoned chess after a childhood breakdown, develops an unbeatable chess program. However, his creation is defeated in a televised match by the Russian world champion. This prompts Rosemund, a West German mathematician, to become…

Hélène works as a housekeeper at a luxurious hotel in Corsica, deeply devoted to her family but feeling unfulfilled. Inspired by a passionate game of chess between a couple, she begins to play herself. Her working-class husband and spoiled daughter…

Set against the backdrop of political tension in late 1930s Austria, the drama follows Werner von Basil, a gifted but headstrong intellectual. He is arrested on smuggling charges and imprisoned by the Nazi regime, where he faces harsh interrogation and…

Art restorer Julia's careful restoration of a 15th-century painting uncovers a hidden Latin phrase. This discovery triggers a series of murders within the art world – among experts, patrons, and fellow restorers – spreading fear and suspicion. As police investigate,…

With tuition costs rising and student debt exceeding a trillion dollars, many are questioning the value of a college education. This film explores the challenges facing higher education, from elite institutions like Harvard to struggling public and private colleges, and…

A ten-year-old girl, recently moved from downtown to a wealthy uptown school and grieving the loss of her grandmother, struggles to fit in. She finds an unexpected guide in a grumpy chess master. He uses chess to teach her about…

At the Budapest International Chess Tournament, Cal Fournier (22), the reigning French champion, is the clear favorite. A brilliant but socially awkward and intensely focused player, he's used to victory. However, his carefully planned path to the title is thrown…

In 14th century Sweden, during the Black Death, Antonius Block – a knight returning from the Crusades – struggles with life and questions his faith. Witnessing widespread suffering and the apparent absence of God, Block defiantly challenges Death to a…

In 1856, the prosperous Indian kingdom of Awadh, ruled by Nawab Wajid Ali Shah, becomes the target of the British Empire. General Outram is sent to facilitate its annexation, creating intense pressure on the kingdom. But the Nawab prioritizes pleasure…

Inspired by Vladimir Nabokov's novel, the film follows a chess grandmaster who journeys to Italy in the 1920s for a tournament and experiences a passionate romance.

In the impoverished slums of Uganda, a young girl rises above difficult circumstances to achieve mastery in the game of chess.

Fresh, a young boy, becomes a drug courier for a criminal organization, exposing him to violence and death. Witnessing these events fuels his anger and disillusionment, prompting him to devise a risky plan. He intends to manipulate his employers into…

A businessman decides to become a teacher and takes a position at a challenging school in the South Bronx. He introduces his students to chess, and through the game, they gain valuable life lessons.

This is a story about a young girl who discovers the game of chess. As she learns to play, she unexpectedly begins a journey to find her father.