Daily Dialogue — October 11, 2016

The coach finishes setting up a position.

Bruce Pandolfini: Mate is four moves from the position in front of you. Don’t move until you figure it out in your head. Don’t look to me for a hint.
Josh Waitzkin: I can’t do it without moving the pieces.
Bruce: Yes you can. Clear the lines of men in your head, one at a time, and the King will be left standing alone like a guy on a street corner. Here I’ll make it easier for you.

The coach scatters the pieces.

The pupil studies the empty board.

Josh: Knight to d8.
Bruce: Yes. I want to show you something else.

Coach produces a certificate from his bag.

Bruce: This is very rare. It says Master Chess Certificate awarded to, and there’s a blank here for a name, for highest achievement on this day of blank 19 hundred and blank. Careful with it. It’s a mysterious and powerful thing. It’s only been given out, I don’t know, a few times in history.

— Searching for Bobby Fischer (1993), screenplay by Steven Zaillian, book by Fred Waitzkin

The Daily Dialogue theme for the week: Coaching. Today’s suggestion by Michael Waters.

Trivia: The real Josh Waitzkin, had a cameo alongside the actor (Max Pomeranc) who played him in the film.

Dialogue On Dialogue: Commentary by Michael: “The scene works because this is what really happens during high end chess coaching, whether you’re 8 or 88. Of course it’s easier when then answer is written in the script!”