Movies About Chess

The list below details films about chess. It includes feature films, documentaries and shorts from around the world. The titles are linked to the movie/TV IMDb database. The date of release and a user rating (out of 10) is shown in parentheses.

The ***** indicates my favorites recommendations

• 5150 Elms Way (2009, 6.6)
• 8 × 8: A Chess Sonata in 8 Movements (1957, 6.3)
• Bobby Fischer Against the World (2011, 7.4) *****
• Bobby Fischer Live (2009, 4.2)
• Brainwashed (1960, 6.9)
• Brooklyn Castle (2012, 7.3)
• A Chess Dispute (1903, 6.0)
• Chess Fever (1925, 7.3)
• Chess Kids (1996, 7.3)
• Chess King (1988, 5.7)
• Chess Story  (2021, 6.8)
• Critical Thinking (2020, 6.5)
• The Chess Set (2005)
• Computer Chess (2013, 6.3)
• Dangerous Moves (1984, 6.6)
• The Dark Horse (2014, 7.9) *****
• Endgame (1999, 5.8)
• Fool's Mate (1989, 6.7)
• Fresh (1994, 7.7) *****
• Game Over: Kasparov and the Machine (2003, 6.8)
• Geri's Game (1997, 8.0)
• The Grass Arena (1992)
• The Great Chess Movie (1982)
• Ivory Tower (2010, 6.6)
• Knight Moves (1992, 6.0)
• Knights of the South Bronx (2005, 6.8) *****
• Life of a King (2013, 6.9)
• Long Live the Queen (1995, 7.2)
• The Luzhin Defense (2000, 6.9) *****
• Magnus (2016, 7.1)
• Me and Bobby Fischer (2009, 6.8)
• Odysseus' Gambit (2011, 8.1)
• Pawn Sacrifice (2014, 7.3) *****
• Queen of Cactus Cove (2005, 7.8)
• Queen of Katwe (2016) *****
• Queen Sacrifice (1988, 7.2))
• Queen to Play (2009, 6.8)
• Return from the Ashes (1969, 6.9)
• Black and White Like Day and Night (1978, 7.2)
• Searching for Bobby Fischer (1993, 7.5) *****
• The Seventh Seal (1957, 8.2)
• The Chess Players (1977, 7.8)
• The Tournament (2015, 5.5)
• Uncovered (1994, 5.7)
• Zatoichi and the Chess Expert (1965, 7.5)
• A Little Game (2014, 6.4)

Finally, if you liked the TV series, Columbo, he solved a chess murder mystery in 1973's Season 2 Episode 7, The Most Dangerous Match.