MovieChat Forums > Assassins (1995) Discussion > So how did the chess game go?

So how did the chess game go?


Anyone?

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who even cares?

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No-one but me, apparently. >_<

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I care. But just don't know.

I want to know what the carbine Antonio was using is named?

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I assume they made a move after every assassination but the game ended before anyone won due to Rath taking out (so he thought)Nicolai. Hence Banderas mentioning the next move in the taxi which he thought would have been Nicholais move.

heal the past...live the present... dream the future...

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I actually came here to see if anyone noticed that the chess game made zero sense. Both sides were hanging pieces for no reason, and the move that Antonio's character told Sly about was idiotic. In the position shown on the screen right before Sly enters the move, Bxh2 makes zero sense. Black has nearly a 3 pawn advantage. After sacrificing his Bishop with no compensation, he gives White a slight advantage. Some move . . . .

In case you're wondering, the game was a Ruy Lopez. I'll try to post a screen cap later.

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I never saw anybody mentions this, but I somehow think that Miguel told Rath the chess move so he would know that Nicolai is still alive, or maybe not for that purpose, but the move he mentioned should have told Rath that there was another move from Nicolai after his alleged death. In the movie they make it look like it was a warning that Rath is the mark, as the move gives check to Raths king, but I do not think that that was Miguels idea at all. He just mentions it to show to Rath how much he knows about him. Miguel said that he went thru ten miles of microfilm but eventually found that they played chess coded in New York Times obituaries. Somehow I do not think that the last move was Miguels, but one of Nicolai. Only Rath never checked in papers after he shot Nicolai 15 years ago. If he did, he would know then that his friend actually was not dead. Only, Rath, or Miguel never think about this or talk more of it, and we also never get to know was the chess move just Miguels suggestion or he saw that move as last played in New York Times obituaries between two friends. I am now reading original script by wachowski brothers, maybe there is something mentioned about this there. Will post if there is something.

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Bxh2 is theory, played like 150 times according to GM databases!!!

The movie follows a real game between Jose Raul Capablanca and Edward Lasker from 1915. After Bxh2 white can't take back the bishop because of Qh4+ and to keep the advantage should play Kh1 and then sacrifice the Rook and the Queen. Capablanca saw it and did it in the game:

https://www.chess.com/games/view/13116

after the trades white is up a Knight and Bishop for a Rook and has a sligthly winning endgame

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