Through the Mirror of Chess: A Cultural Exploration

The historical and societal importance of games, what chess is and isn't, why it's an ideal vehicle to explore the captivating link between games and culture and Hollywood's oversimplification of chess. Several top chess players and other experts on the culture of chess are featured.

An examination of chess' intriguing trajectory from Ancient India to the Sasanian Empire to the Golden Age of Islam to Medieval Europe, highlighting its many influences on art, literature and politics throughout a broad range of very different societies. Several renowned historians of medieval and islamic art and the evolution of chess plus other experts on the culture of chess are featured.

A detailed investigation of chess' remarkable cultural impact from the late 15th century to the present day, from the birth of the modern game to Renaissance dialogues to artificial intelligence.

An examination of how the chess world reveals key aspects of our current beliefs and values, along with an exploration of several specific chess-related programs, from schools to prisons to personal empowerment. An eclectic range of leading researchers, top chess players and game changers in the world of prison reform and social empowerment are featured in this episode.