VOB Studios Presents: Chess Players Twins In Animated Films
Hello everyone!
Today is the 30th, and that means it is the day to read another one of my nonsense analogy blogs. If you are an avid reader, you already know many important things about the chess world.
The list includes who the players would be if they played football; which historical matches can be compared to football games; which sports tournaments are equivalent to the most important chess events; and also some irrefutable revelations I made after a meticulous statistical investigation.
But this time, I would like to invite you to something more fictional, because we know that the ones mentioned above are all true and verified facts. So I thought: "Well, I have already written about chess scenes in fiction, but I did not mention any animated films in that text. How can I also include these amazing cultural pieces and relate them to the game?".
At first, I tried to see if there were any scenes involving chess that I could use for a second part of the previous blog, but I found that there weren't enough for a full article. Given the frustration, I was left with only two options:
• Give it up and find something else to write about.
• Take the madness to an even higher level by matching players to animated characters.
My name is Vanessa, and if you know me, it is easy to guess which one I chose. So, without further ado, here are my conclusions, and good luck trying to prove me wrong.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
(No spoilers, to keep you curious)
3. Mikhail Tal
4. Hans Niemann
8. Ding Liren
10. Judit Polgár
11. Conclusion
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1. Garry Kasparov ≈ Shrek (Shrek, 2001)
I thought a good one to start with would be Russian legend and GOAT contender Garry Kasparov, and what better character to parallel him with than our famous and favorite ogre from DreamWorks? The similarities that will be listed in this text are obviously not based on looks, but mainly on personality and sometimes on their backgrounds.
Popularly known as "The Beast of Baku", Kasparov was a very aggressive and intimidating player on the board. Most of his opponents were terrified just thinking about playing him or sitting at the table before the game started. He also showed a lot of strength and brutality in his moves, having no mercy on his opponents.
Shrek is also a character who could be very intimidating to anyone who confronted him and was not afraid to crush those for whom he had no affection. And the coincidences do not stop there. Let's not forget the huge influence they both ended up having in the politics of their country (or kingdom).
However, we are not just talking about crude and ignorant people. On the contrary, despite his appearance and strong personality, Shrek is very intelligent and clever, just like the former Russian world champion.
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2. Hikaru Nakamura ≈ Lightning McQueen (Cars, 2006)
Ka-chow! That's pretty obvious, isn't it? Blitz and Bullet legend Hikaru Nakamura is famous for being extremely fast in online games. His focus and his incredibly fast calculations are like a machine. And who else is a very fast and focused machine? You are right! The star of the movie Cars, Lightning McQueen!
"Ah, Vanessa, but that's just a superficial comparison. I expected more." Well, you're wrong, because their similarities don't stop there. We must not forget their personalities, as they are both confident in their abilities, contemptuous of their opponents and believe they are the best at what they do.
One more thing. If you have seen the film, you will remember that Lightning McQueen sacrificed his potential Piston Cup title to help the growth of a small community on Route 66. Nakamura did something similar when he decided to leave professional chess to focus on his streaming career, being a pioneer and contributing a lot to the growth of the game in different environments.
I hope I have convinced you that Hikaru is the perfect counterpart to one of my favorite Pixar characters. (Please don't mention Cars 2 and Cars 3. I prefer to pretend those sequences never happened).
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3. Mikhail Tal ≈ Genie (Aladdin, 1992)
Every chess fan knows that Mikhail Tal is "The Magician of Riga", a reference to his ability to deceive his opponents on the board, taking them into a deep, dark forest where 2+2 equals 5. Those brilliant sacrifices, unexpected moves, and creative ideas could only have been made possible by some kind of magic.
So, I decided to represent it comparing him to one of my favorite magicians, who is also a genius. I am talking about Genie, the "Genius of the Lamp" from the 1992 film Aladdin. There is a 2019 version, but I prefer the original one.
Like Mikhail Tal, Genie not only possesses magical powers but is also light-hearted, playful, and doesn't always use his powers most seriously. He also turns out to be sensitive and loyal to his friends. Tal was known to be a good friend as well, especially to the players he respected, such as Bobby Fischer.
Magical powers and a playful personality, but also very wise when it comes to giving advice or comfort. Aren’t they almost the same person? Ps: Mikhail Tal died on June 28, 1992. Genie was "born" on November 11 of the same year. Coincidence?
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4. Hans Niemann ≈ Alfredo Linguini (Ratatouille, 2007)
Well, this may sound cruel, but I couldn’t resist the opportunity! Before going any further, let's make it clear that I don’t believe that Hans Niemann cheats unless there is concrete evidence. But playfully assuming that the whole story is true, to whom could we compare him?
If you've seen the film Ratatouille, you'll remember that Alfredo Linguini, the new employee at Gusteau's restaurant, pretends to be a great chef. However, he cheats because he owes this talent to a rat called Remy, who controls all his movements by pulling his hair while hiding in his hat. The reference is so obvious that I don't need to explain what I mean.
Okay, I admit that their personalities are not very similar, as Linguini is shy and insecure, while Hans is sometimes almost overconfident. Still, it is also true that he often has trouble explaining some of his moves, just like our chef when he tried to explain his recipes to someone and had no idea what he was talking about.
I really hope that this analogy stays in this blog and never proves to be more than a joke, but as I said, it was impossible not to make the connection.
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5. Magnus Carlsen ≈ Simba (The Lion King, 1994)
The best player of all time, at least in my opinion, could not be left out of this text. Magnus Carlsen is by far the number one in the world today, and his reign has been solid for at least 12 years. Therefore, I think it is no exaggeration to say that, although having relinquished the crown, he can still be considered the king among chess players.
And who else is a king, but of the jungle? An easy guess when you think of perhaps the best and most famous Walt Disney film, The Lion King. Like Carlsen, Simba, the main character, was seen as a future and inevitable ruler from an early age.
However, it was only after a troubled childhood and many challenges along the way that Simba finally managed to reach his rightful place. It also took Magnus longer than expected to eventually win the crown he had already deserved.
Since 2010 everyone was sure that it would happen sooner or later, but problems with FIDE made him drop out of the World Championship cycle. The fans had to wait another 3 years to see him on the highest stage, but in the end, justice was made!
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6. Christopher Yoo ≈ Anger (Inside Out, 2015)
Oh, this was a stroke of luck. While planning this text I was struggling to find enough analogies. Then Christopher Yoo decided it would be a good idea to crumple up his score sheet after losing to Fabiano Caruana in the U.S. Championship. Not content with that, he also struck a videographer from behind. A reprehensible attitude, but I won't deny that it was perfect for my blog.
After all, the comparison with one of Pixar's best animation films was obvious. I'm talking about Inside Out, in which personified emotions live in the mind of the protagonist, Riley, controlling her actions and thoughts. One of them is called Anger, and well, this name is more than enough to describe his personality.
Of course, I don't think it is necessary to explain why I say that Yoo's Anger certainly controlled his mind at that moment. I'm sure that Joy, Fear, Disgust, and Sadness had no chance to stop him in time.
But I am not saying that Christopher Yoo can be defined by that. It is just a joke, a very well-timed one. I hope he has learned from his bad behavior and will avoid similar things in the future.
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7. Viswanathan Anand ≈ Diego (Ice Age, 2002)
If you have read my blog about Viswanathan Anand, you will remember that he is also known as the "Tiger of Madras", a reference to his birthplace and also to his style on the board. So all I had to do was find this same animal in animation that reminded me of him. Diego, a saber-toothed tiger who is one of the protagonists of the film Ice Age, was almost the perfect choice.
Just like Anand on the board, Diego knows how to be aggressive and merciless to anyone who dares oppose him. It is certainly not a good idea to provoke such a beast, and many have been their victims and prey.
But there is a good side to everyone. Throughout the story, Diego shows that he can also be a true gentleman and has a golden heart, just like we know Vishy to be, remaining polite and respectful to all his opponents when they are not fighting on the board.
As an added layer, the fact that Diego lives in the cold of the Ice Age is also a great reference to Anand's calmness and coldness when calculating the best lines during a game of chess. Twin brothers.
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8. Ding Liren ≈ Po (Kung Fu Panda, 2008)
World Champion Ding Liren was bound to turn up here sooner or later. Our favorite Chinese player also has a counterpart in the world of animation, and he too comes from China, bringing with him all the ancestral wisdom and culture of thousands of years. After thinking about it for a while, I realized that Ding has a lot in common with Po, the protagonist of Kung Fu Panda.
Firstly, while he is popularly known as "The Chinese Dragon", Po is also known in his universe as the Dragon Warrior. Both are capable of delivering fast, unexpected, and, above all, extremely accurate and powerful blows to their opponents.
And while they may not look particularly intimidating at first glance, these two are very dangerous warriors to anyone who chooses to underestimate them without knowing what to expect. Tai Lung, Ian Nepomniachtchi, and Shen learned their lessons the hard way. I suggest Gukesh be careful not to repeat this mistake.
OK, let's be honest and admit that Ding Liren still needs to put on a lot of weight before he can even come close to looking like a panda, but I hope the rest has been enough to make some sense.
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9. Dommaraju Gukesh ≈ Hiro Hamada (Big Hero 6, 2014)
And what about his challenger for the World Championship, the Indian prodigy Dommaraju Gukesh? Well, that is an easy one. We all know that he is one of the strongest talents in the world and can soon become the youngest world champion in history. Another well-known prodigy from the world of animation is Hiro Hamada, the protagonist of Big Hero 6.
Both showed great potential and intelligence from a very young age, impressing their peers, mentors, and competitors. They have also been inspired by amazing people who have come before them, such as Gukesh's chess idol Viswanathan Anand, or Hiro's older brother Tadashi.
Together with some of his friends and the inflatable healthcare robot Baymax, Hiro leads a group of superheroes to save Professor Callaghan's daughter Abigail from a teleportation portal. Gukesh can also be seen as the main representative of a great Indian generation of heroes, which includes Praggnanandhaa, Erigaisi, Vaishali, and Divya, leading this outstanding group to the title of FIDE Olympiad.
The film does not make it clear when their journey as protectors of San Fransokyo will end, and we also have no idea how far this Indian team can go and continue to dominate the chess world.
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10. Judit Polgár ≈ Elsa (Frozen, 2013)
The last person to be mentioned in this blog is the best female player of all time, none other than the legendary Hungarian genius Judit Polgár. And of course, she has to be compared to the best female character of all time, Elsa, the Snow Queen and main protagonist of Frozen. The similarities between them are as crystal-clear as ice.
First and foremost, they are two strong, independent women who take center stage and prove that they are equal to anyone who doubts their abilities. It is impossible to deny that they both live up to their titles as queens, whether of chess or the kingdom of Arendelle.
In addition, Judit Polgár has inspired a whole generation of young chess girls who have taken up the game thanks to her. At the same time, although I was a bit too old when Frozen came out, I am pretty sure that Elsa did the same for many kids of that generation.
In the end, Elsa's ability to control ice and snow is crucial to defeating Prince Hans, and this trait reminds me a lot of Judit's incredible coolness in the game. A true cold fighter, but with a warm heart.
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I hope you enjoyed reading this and had fun with the analogies I made. This is one of my favorite types of blogs to write and it was quite a challenge to do it with something that is not football or a sport. Despite some difficulties, I was pleased with the results and thought they worked quite well.
Knowing that my chess skills are not that great compared to Grandmasters or titled players, I prefer to invest some time in creating entertaining articles and giving my readers something different to read, proving that chess can be much more than just technical analysis or calculation. We can all have fun and relate it to many things in our lives.
And now it is your turn, please let me know what inaccuracies I have made and what other analogies could have been done. I wanted to mention players like Fabiano Caruana, Anish Giri, Alireza Firouzja, and others. Some great and famous films also did not get a chance to shine, and I truly regret not using remarkable animations like Finding Nemo, Despicable Me, Toy Story, Madagascar, or Bug's Life.
The problem is that I couldn't find any comparisons that sounded good enough, and I didn't want to force them too much, otherwise, they might not be compelling and make the text less fun. But well, if you had a good time reading it and smiled or laughed at least once, then I will be happy.
See you again on the 15th of November!
