World record attempt for most chess games played in 24 hours underway for International Chess Day

ABC NEWS (Australia)

Today is international chess day and players from around the world are looking to set the record for the most games played in 24 hours. To help get the record over the line, events have been held across Australia.

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00:00Game face on, ready to make the next move.

00:06I just think it's such a beautiful game that brings people in from every culture, language.

00:12There's no barrier outside of the game.

00:14International Chess Day.

00:15Across 800 registered events worldwide, players are hoping more games of chess are played

00:21today than any other day.

00:23Events across Australia contributing to the goal of cracking at least one million matches.

00:28In Canberra today, more than 50 players came together for their weekly pub tournament,

00:34a ritual many have been doing for more than two decades.

00:37We have players as young as six years old taking part, up to 82 year olds taking part.

00:42It's one of these things, like riding a bike, that once you learn you're never going to

00:45forget.

00:46I just enjoy the challenge, enjoy the intellectual stimulation, although I wasn't particularly

00:51intellectually stimulated in my last game, I got wiped off the board.

00:55For a chess novice like me, the first thing to know is exactly what these chess pieces

00:59do, and I think I've got that under control.

01:01The next thing to know is to trap the king so it can't escape, and I think I'm going

01:06to go here.

01:14Is that checkmate?

01:15Yes, it is.

01:17Being good at chess is something that is, on the one hand, difficult to do, but if you

01:22are able to do it, it's quite rewarding, because using your brain to solve problems is always

01:27something that most people at least enjoy.

01:29And practice makes perfect.

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