Short TV film upon the story of Ludwik Niemojski of the same title, which was a part of his "Incredible Stories". It tells about Bartolomeo, brilliant chess player, who had ruined his private life because of his passion for chess.
When disillusioned Swedish knight Antonius Block returns home from the Crusades to find his country in the grips of the Black Death, he challenges Death to a chess match for his life.
The plot revolves around three men waiting to be deported in a prison. To escape the monotony, they form chess pieces from their bread rations, with which they then play against each other.
Just after World War II, an American takes a railway job in Germany, but finds his position politically sensitive with various people trying to use him.
Based on a true story from 1998, five Latino and Black teenagers from the toughest underserved ghetto in Miami fight their way into the National Chess Championship under the guidance of their unconventional but inspirational teacher.
A toymaker in Poland specializes in building lifesize mechanical men. He builds a chess-playing "automaton" to hide a pretty young Polish activist who is being hunted by occupying Russian forces.
American Mark Jason is stranded in Southeast Asia and works there as a teacher. One day, he finds diamonds worth several million dollars in his apartment.
A jewel thief crosses paths with a woman carrying a briefcase that the Americans, the Russians and the Chinese all want desperately, so he goes on the run with her figuring that what's inside the case has to be way more valuable than anything he could steal on his own.