Chess, Checkers and other Ancient Boardgames

This contest featured excellent photos of chessboards and chess pieces (but also of other traditional games), and of players engaged in the battle. This is perhaps the only photo present that tries to analyze these ancient games from a psychological point of view: the player is lost in the analysis of a position of the game (sometimes even over an hour is thought for a move), and his thoughts and concerns are represented here by the clouds. A great idea to represent chess in a symbolic way.

Chess pieces are undoubtedly an inexhaustible source of inspiration for photographers. However, it is difficult to create a photograph with a real visual impact. Here I would say that the goal is fully achieved, thanks to a series of measures. The eight horses, in perfect symmetry, all point towards the King placed in the center, the importance of which is emphasized by being the only colored piece. There are no elements of visual disturbance, thanks to the black background, and to the reflective plane, certainly more effective, in this case, than a chessboard. Finally, the pieces were photographed at close range, and placing the camera at their height. The post-production work is also excellent.

This is Garry Kasparov, a Russian player who dominated the world scene from 1985 until the early years of the new millennium, engaged in a simultaneous game session (facing numerous opponents simultaneously). The image is of good quality and with a successful conversion to a non-invasive black and white.. It also has some curious elements, such as the elegant dress with hat, which seems to bring us back at least half a century, and the use of the smartphone, which contrasts with the latter element.

A beautiful documentary photo, which shows us a Nepalese street scene, with two men busy playing "Baagh Chal" (or "Moving Tigers"), a board game originally from Nepal, which sees a player holding four tigers, and the opponent twenty goats. One of the many advantages of this image is certainly the aerial shot, which enhances the thin lines of the playing field.

A truly extraordinary photo. The first thing we notice is the arm that moves a horse on the chessboard, an image that we find both in the mirror and projected as a shadow on the wall. But then here's the surprise, the horse in question floats in the air in the center of the image, moved by an invisible arm! The ancient setting is also very beautiful, almost like a fairytale book, which pervades the whole image. Congratulations on this well-deserved recognition.

This is an interesting shot from above, which creates a real minimalist composition. The photo contains multiple shapes, from those of the chessboard, to the linear geometries of the carpet, which do not make the scene too heavy. The positioning of the two chairs is also interesting, which deliberately does not create a perfect geometric effect.

Really "dark" this black and white image, which sees the white king lying on the ground, defeated, while the imposing shadows of four opposing pieces loom over him. The shadows are almost deformed, and create a strong feeling of uneasiness. Definitely a successful stage effect.