Ten tunes about Chess
Stephen Arnell
Broadcast/Streaming Consultant for TV & Film, Writer/Producer (Bob Fosse, Alex Cox, Prince, Sinatra etc), Media/Culture Commentator (BBC Radio, magazines, newspapers), author (novel The Great One published November 2022)
Kings - Steely Dan
Desperado - The Eagles (Desperado - a piece that seems determined to give itself up, typically to bring about stalemate or perpetual check. Also an en prise or trapped piece that sacrifices itself for the maximum compensation possible)
Queen Of Clubs - KC & The Sunshine Band
FM - Steely Dan (an abbreviation for the FIDE Master title)
Fortress Around Your Heart - Sting (in endgame theory, a fortress is an impenetrable position which, if obtained by the side with a material disadvantage, may result in a draw due to the stronger side's inability to make progress)
Castles In The Air - Colourfield
God Save The Queen - Whiskey Daredevils
Dancing with the Moonlit Knight - Genesis
Blitzkrieg Bop - The Ramones (a blitzkrieg is sometimes used to describe a quick attack on the f7- or f2-square early in the game)
Windmills Of Your Mind - Noel Harrison (Windmill - a combination in which two pieces work together to deliver an alternating series of checks and discovered checks in such a way that the opposing king is required to move on each turn. The most famous example is Torre–Lasker, Moscow 1925. Also called seesaw.)
EXTRAS:
The Seventh Seal
Tempo:
A unit of time considered as one move. A player may gain a tempo in the opening when the opponent moves the same piece twice. In the endgame, one may wish to lose a tempo by triangulation in order to gain the opposition.