"Check Animate" - A Stop Motion Chess Animation

This animation is my final project for my BA (Hons) degree course in Media and Cultural Studies at the University of the West of England, Bristol.
The production is an animation of a real, historical game of chess played between Henry Atkins and Herbert Jacobs in London in 1915. The intention is to extend the theme of games/ gaming and satire used in previous productions to metaphorically represent society's changing relationship with linguistic variety.
I created this project using Final Cut Pro 7 and Adobe After Effects CS6 editing software.

[@goldenrooster7295]

I love how he's british and says at the end "THATS CHECK....... MATE"

[@insanityofficial395]

Maite

[@nathalierahmane6014]

So relatable

[@emmajohnston1794]

Bruh we dont speak like that !!!!!!

[@background553]

@Savage Spy1502 you forgot the pause

[@background553]

@Savage Spy1502 there it is your speaking bri'ish now.

[@somethingsomething8022]

10% chess 90% puns from the rooks

[@jwdominionpyroraptor4775]

Now i hate rooks

[@stratupstudio8072]

acutely i would say it's 10% chess, 20% silliness, 20% puns from the rooks, and then 50% random references.

[@MusicNote3]

It’s 50% reference 15%chess and 45% rook puns that is funny

[@mrvalkyrie2998]

For anyone wondering this is the danish gambit

[@basedduck224]

Yes

[@altacount1168]

you cant blame the rook, the rook 90 percent of the time just chills in fin the corner for around half of the game

[@ripinkhanna6075]

Rook lifts:

[@denorangebanan]

Memes memes.exe has stopped working

[@user-cx9un9fs7q]

Mostly cause the rook is the second most powerful piece you have, so it’s not a good idea to send it out early. Same goes for the queen.

[@IgroSome]

i feel like people don't appreciate old stuff like this as much as they should, this is a gem

[@troy801]

Hi, I'm one of the voice actors, thank you for your kind words my friend!

[@IgroSome]

@@troy801 if you actually are, that's super cool! well done on this!

[@erainmartinez8175]

(laughing) 13:30 Ping pong

[@RandomPerson-dr4py]

Oh shit this was 10 years ago?

[@nolanrudolph5463]

14:43 to 15:07 seems a lot like the Chess scene from Harry Potter Ron: You understand, right Harry? Once I make my move, the Queen will take me, and you're free to check the King. Harry: No, Ron, no! Hermione: What is it? Harry: He's going to sacrifice himself. Hermione: No Ron, no you can't! There must be another way! Ron: Do you want to stop the snake from getting that stone or what? Harry, it is you that has to go on, I know it. Not me, not Hermione, you. Knight to h3.

[@user-bu3cs1rc9t]

I watched that movie before and good job memorizing that part. It took me half a year to memorize it.

[@nicbentulan]

Music CHECK Music Ron no don't move don't forget were still playing music CHECKMATE Music

[@-CookieDev-]

i just realized that this is a harry potter reference edit: just realized im stupid and didnt read right

[@dronarambam4823]

eyyy another potherhead like me

[@taragrimberg6831]

Your correct

[@devchessworld1313]

1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.Bc4 (Danish Gambit) Nf6 5.Nf3 Nxe4 6.0-0 Nd6 7.Nxc3 Nxc4 8.Re1+ Be7 9.Nd5 Nc6 10.Bg5 f6 11.Rc1 b5 12.Rxc4 bxc4 13.Ne5 fxg5 14.Qh5+ g6 15.Nf6+ Bxf6 16.Nxg6+ Qe7 17.Rxe7+ Bxe7 18.Ne5+ Kd8 19.Nf7+ Ke8 20.Nd6++ Kd8 21.Qe8+ Rxe8 22.Nf7#

[@DestructionPOV_]

Mad lad

[@Deccagon]

@@DestructionPOV_ Food let; such a inspirational message!

[@kingsley.]

“20.Nd6++ Kd8” my man so good he checked twice in one move

[@isavenewspapers8890]

@@kingsley. That's known as a double check, and it's actually pretty common. It occurs when a player delivers a check with two pieces at once. This can occur if one piece moves so that it gives check and also unveils discovered check from another piece; it can also occur if you capture en passant to unveil two checks at once. In algebraic notation, a double check is usually given a +, the same as any other check. However, some publications, particularly older ones, give double check a ++ instead. This style of notation has fallen somewhat out of favor to avoid confusion with checkmate, which itself uses ++ sometimes (though it usually uses #).

[@sprihashrestha8912]

​@@isavenewspapers8890How do you know that stuff?

[@chess]

This was great!

[@sosotik]

Uhh...

[@GoAheadShaun]

+Hing Siew 😊

[@sosotik]

+GoAhead Namal Umm...Uhh...Too weird.

[@jeongna]

r/woooosh

[@DARK_ANGEL0.]

ya boooooooooooooooooooooooi!

[@itsthatkidagain7050]

I like how the way the pieces are sent out in different ways, and make sense to the game, as in they are out.

[@GaryLuKOTH]

This reminds me of the Annoying Orange.

[@TOMNICE]

+Gary Lu KOTH Me too, but this is awesome :D

[@Neon_ER]

Gary Lu Productions me too

[@wasteland3447]

Me too

[@drmush7363]

Same

[@DARK_ANGEL0.]

and it is

[@regularcookie4023]

I love how they go for a annoying orange style

[@user-cx9un9fs7q]

It’s the best style for inanimate objects, without a doubt.

[@zendrra]

I love how the pieces die

[@thomaslamson299]

Id pay real money for a chess videogame like this

[@mr.playtime2688]

7:53 cursing is considered illegal in chess m8

[@blackholedividedbyzero]

For those people who are confuse about what happened at 8:14 to 8:58 if you look at it very carefully the knight at d6 take the bishop at c4. All those extra movements are just part of the drama.

[@kummer45]

We need THIS. The word demand THIS. Imagine a Carlsen game commentated like this. Just pick any classical game of chess and bring this drama into it. It would be super original and hilarious.

[@carealoo744]

With 3-Person Chess!

[@clixxyz2330]

Thanks for at least playing 1.e4, most chess animations make a move like 1.a4 Beyond this line are spoilers! Oh yeah, there was also a queen sacrifice, even if it was only a mate in two.

[@potatoboy549]

There was a mate in 4 if white didn’t want do give up the queen. Queen sacrifices are cooler though.

[@ugi062]

It's literally a game played in real life

[@ChadTanker]

ItS AcTuAlLy A dAnIsH GaMbIt

[@isavenewspapers8890]

@@ChadTanker What do you mean, "actually"? You're not correcting anything.

[@HeromakerJB]

Whoever made this video did amazing work. I can't believe this video has been on KZbin since 2013, and I'm just now finding out about it. I love the various video game references and the Annoying Orange music.

[@dinobacon5834]

When i was watching this i have been suffering from all of the blunders and mistakes but also the humour is pretty funny

[@maximumbloop6301]

14:23 grown men will cry at this part

[@carolynhernandez6157]

It makes me so mad he didnt kill the rook ugh!!!

[@marmar6172]

Bruh he did it because its a smothered mate. Mate is better than a rook bub.

[@ilno]

@@marmar6172 without that rook white could've win without sacrificing the Queen

[@lagreewithyourcomment]

@@carolynhernandez6157 because there's a faster way to win

[@cestalic]

When the rook fell asleep he dream that he'd been eaten by pac-man

[@cestalic]

Even this is not reminding of Annoying orange

[@poomonkevr5222]

I’m the 69th like (just so u know)

[@Stien58_]

8:17 lol the bishop moved like a rook

[@ShawndaPrawn]

Well, that's a relief. I was concerned people would call this an annoying orange ripoff, but that doesn't seem to be the case. Great work on this vid, just hilarious. :)

[@ryanp646]

The comment right under this says "reminds me of annoying orange"

[@Sem-xc8de]

There actually IS inspiration from the Annoying Orange in this. There's music ripped from it, the way the faces are made are similar, and there's references to the series. Dunno about Dane Boe, the creator of Annoying Orange, but I'm pretty sure he ENCOURAGES fan inspiration by his series.

[@Errrhhho]

@@ryanp646 Annoying Chess*

[@Kenedienz]

the was made before annoying orange

[@RandomPerson-dr4py]

@@Kenedienzannoying orange was 13 years ago 3 years before how’d you get that wrong

[@zeldafan7383]

At 14:00 the black king realises that he's in check

[@yndndbehdhdhbs4161]

Did the queen even notice?

[@thefastmeow]

14:44 the song used is "O'Fortuna by Carl Orff"

[@maximumbloop6301]

Announcer: Looks like he chose the sandwech Me: The what? Announcer: Not the ham and cheese kind Me: yeah that clears it up

[@leculecu1326]

I love animations like this ..the eyes! Great job..

[@nourthedoor]

I can't believe white hung like 62 pieces in the first 5 moves and then proceeded to smother mate

[@averythomson8663]

ITS CALLED A GAMBIT

[@CubedCubone]

AAAAAAH THE GAP THE TOOTH GAP

[@Alejandroso31]

Lol, why are you on every video i watch? Xd

[@avrill..]

Alexbear same XD

[@hajimake4805]

lol

[@NoNAME-qi9tq]

Love this video "YOU NEED TO MAKE MORE!!!"

[@bluepaper7133]

Unbeknownst to the queen, there is actually another way. if the knight went to f7 to check, and king steps to the square e8, the knight can chomp off the rook with discovered check, the king steps to d8, and queen to e8 is checkmate. If the king goes to g8, then just knight to f8 again with the king vulnerable and the knight protected, you are up material; a queen and a knight for a knight bishop and rook. That is including that the king is very vulnerable and isolated pawns too. Edit: I didn't see that other bishop, but I think that is still going to be winning Edit2: Oh yea if the king went to f8 then just Qf7 is mate

[@xRooze]

Always the 1 chess nerd

[@bluepaper7133]

@@xRooze Ok

[@theshadowforce3438]

Nice catch

[@Stellabeam23]

This was very well made. When I think of all the time and effort put into this I'm amazed. I sat down and watched the entire thing, which is rare for me. Bravo!

[@ChadTanker]

07:23 Bishop: Are you a Lepre-pawn?

[@tailsfan11westandwithukraine]

o-HO! Never noticed that one! Nice catch!

[@leannewilliams9605]

14:44 Harry potter reference

[@tailsfan11westandwithukraine]

Kinda makes me cringe for some reason, tbh.

[@danieljxliu]

The queen sacrifice at the end has a H. Potter reference to it.

[@moltenshard]

Awesome animation ! Oh my god how much work will this take for the voice acting, and other effects and references, Oh KZbin bring your algorithm back to work so people can watch this underrated masterpiece !

[@troy801]

Hi, I'm one of the voice actors. Thank you for your kind words my friend!

[@mrusername3959]

I've watched this like 4 times. It's astronomical.

[@insanityfrfr]

in an alternate reality... king: you know where to go knight knight: moves to the wrong square

[@lord.d1_]

10:55 never blunder your castle with a stupid move

[@UrAvgDMG]

And higher (aka queen and king *although no legal move*)

[@Niti_Nutty]

Now I wish that there was a channel called " annoying chess " after watching this

[@Yopiwastaken]

Lol

[@zeldafan7383]

As you can see in the end, the black king was checkmated because he was checked by the white knight and he was blocked in every direction by his own pieces and so it was a smothered checkmate

[@alyssert1743]

Beautiful! Editing and stop-motion is good, with lots of jokes and a nice storyline. I can’t imagine how long this must’ve taken.

[@singpr-cuntrhumns9277]

The bishop's Nickname's "Bish" XD

[@okuu_utsuho]

15:56 this predicted Shotgut King: The Final Checkmate, but without that rocket launcher.

[@zheanmapula4597]

THAT'S CHECK... MATE *rocket shoots* *BOOM*

[@michaelfoote7812]

Rest In Peace black king

[@kidsw3113]

My favorite parts were the parts when black king makes his eyes wide

[@wariolandgoldpiramid]

White castled wrong. According to the rules, King has to move 2 spaces towards a rook, then Rook jumps over the King. Not the other way around

[@atlantaheatsneakers]

I noticed that to

[@GaryLuKOTH]

PeanutPlays It is the same thing.

[@wariolandgoldpiramid]

Gary Lu in casual games - yeah, it's kind of the same thing. But in tournaments, it's an official rule that castling is the king's turn

[@GaryLuKOTH]

wariolandgoldpiramid It is different if you castle on the queen's side though (which you hardly ever see)

[@Fennaixelphox]

Gary Lu I usually castle queenside.

[@StevenDaze]

Rook's Puns are Hilarious and I Love how Europian this is

[@Baburun-Sama]

Chess Pieces Movements: Pawn = (row)(column) Knight = N(row)(column) Bishop = B(row)(column) Rook = R(row)(column) Queen = Q(row)(column) King = K(row)(column) Chess Pawn Promotion: Knight = (row)(column)=N Bishop = (row)(column)=B Rook = (row)(column)=R Queen = (row)(column)=Q Chess checkmates: Pawn = (row)(column)# Knight = N(row)(column)# Bishop = B(row)(column)# Rook = R(row)(column)# Queen = Q(row)(column)# Chess checks (not mates): Pawn = (row)(column)+ Knight = N(row)(column)+ Bishop = B(row)(column)+ Rook = R(row)(column)+ Queen = Q(row)(column)+ Chess Attacks: Pawn = (row1)x(row2)(column) Knight = Nx(row)(column) Bishop = Bx(row)(column) Rook = Rx(row)(column) Queen = Qx(row)(column) King = Kx(row)(column) Chess Specials: Castling [king] = O-O Castling [queen] = O-O-O En Passant = (row1)x(row2)(column) e.p.

[@thefredsolesboss3442]

14:49 Harry Potter ( Rons text)

[@boza5326]

I remember watching this 6 years ago when I was in prep and I just started chess

[@lim6435]

Same and FINALY found it after many years

[@boza5326]

HAHA yes now i actually understand it lmao @LIM64

[@lim6435]

@@boza5326 same xd

[@zeldafan7383]

There's a smaller version of the smothered checkmate you did but it also has a queen sacrifice

[@horseman160]

This is the same music and concept in annoying orange. Did anyone notice that?

[@JimmyLundberg]

Fairly obvious isn't it?

[@horseman160]

Jimmy Lundberg Pretty much.

[@Lumpyrox1412]

Its obviously an appealing combination for Annoying Orange to become so successful, theres no harm in it.

[@ernestonavarro4017]

Horseman yea it was good tho

[@ericslifeadventurewang678]

Yeah

[@djcarver6330]

Okay I gotta wake up in 10 hours to eat some toaster strudels so... gonna go to bed now....

[@DavidBrit101]

2:20 Ah, I didn't understand this joke the first time

[@bumole3749]

I love it. I almost always watch this.

[@diamondxmen]

Me when someone who’s better then me at chess checks me: Black King: *LEAVE ME ALONE!*

[@ilno]

I think Eric would've said, " Stop hurting me...!"

[@JaehyunLim1]

Aww... It could've became a Danish Gambit at the beginning.

[@praisefichtali7832]

Ikr

[@ripinkhanna6075]

It is a Danish Gambit

[@nicbentulan]

@@ripinkhanna6075 indeed

[@nicbentulan]

what do you mean? how is it not danish?

[@ripinkhanna6075]

@@nicbentulan Mhm

[@michaelricha7959]

11:41 *rule britannia music plays in the backround*

[@goldenrooster7295]

7:01 "I'll tell ya bitch"

[@shawnsaliwan5129]

Nice one but listen carefully he actually said Bish

[@itzquick8745]

This deserves way more attention

[@zeldafan7383]

To castle you bring the king two squares to the rook and the rook sits next to the king

[@nicbentulan]

a little possible loophole: do you have to move king 1st if you verbally declare that you will castle (before touching any piece and then after you declare you touch rook 1st or touch both at the same time)? i think of hikaru nakamura's 2 hands castling incident.

[@phimhay5308]

As a chess player, I can assure you this is true

[@alpha-2273]

This is probably my new favourite video

[@Haruka_yaruko]

When the rook killed the horse😂 10:40

[@pufferfish5065]

Our teachers played this when we were in 4th grade (teachers asistant didn't knew english lmao)

[@saralachmi]

So hilarious and nicely made I love it

[@prestonhopkins9970]

At the start it says short animation, yet it goes on for almost 17 minutes.

[@kaja3932]

eventually, thousands of years later, one of those pieces is going to make a video animating a game of chess and unknowingly creating an infinite time loop

[@willardmoshenek9850]

I loved this and everything it’s awesome but I couldn’t help but notice the continuity error at 11:31 when the pawn takes out the Bishop the knights is on the square where it just was... not where it moved too....

[@KingZorLink21]

Will Moshenek speaking of that, at 11:27 black makes the blunder that allows white to force checkmate which is fxg5

[@michaeloeu518]

Noone : Not a sigle soul on earth : Drum : BADAM DUSSSSSS

[@aidanwissing3710]

This was pure beauty

[@KingZorLink21]

12:24 The queen was forced to move to e7 because Be7 or Ne7 is met by 1: Nxh8+ Kf8 2:Qf7#. Or black could play Be5 or Ne5, but that would be Met by Nxe5+, followed by Qf7 which will be check if black goes to e7 or checkmate if he goes to f8

[@isavenewspapers8890]

There is also 16... Kf7, which is probably the best move at the human level. However, it gives White mate in 12 with 17. Ne5+ Ke6 18. Qf7+ Kd6 19. Rd1+ Kc5 20. Qxc4+ Kb6 21. Qb3+ Ka6 22. Qd3+ Kb6 23. Nc4+ Kc5 24. Qd5+ Kb4 25. Nd6 cxd6 26. Qb3+ Ka5 27. Rd5+ Ka6 28. Qb5#, at least according to Stockfish.

[@luisgaray8413]

That was really great

[@thegreatcat9202]

This was actually a good game

[@Katakiwii]

L

[@mog5397]

Minus the fact that in 8th minute knight magically took bishop

[@Your_averageRocketNe]

I like how its wacky, but could still follow chess rules.

[@ChadTanker]

such a cool idea! and such good executed!

[@sikegotcha5452]

This is really cool, continue doing that!

[@vivianniu3493]

queen's gambit mode has been activated. so i'm guessing this is what happened in Beth Harmon's game lol

[@ripinkhanna6075]

Isn't this... center game?

[@teknik6418]

@@ripinkhanna6075 Danish Gambit

[@ripinkhanna6075]

@@teknik6418 Yes, I know. But it starts with Center Game, then Center Game: Accepted, then Danish Gambit, then Danish Gambit: Accepted, King's Knight Variation

[@nicbentulan]

why queen's gambit and not danish gambit?

[@andreasstocker8301]

i love the smoothered mate

[@soniablanche5672]

King: "Last time I checked..." wait, that's an illegal move

[@melonpop_5303]

i cannot imagine how long this must have taken

[@penguplays6375]

How would they play chess if there are no kings?

[@kenzoru8153]

Antichess mode Where you get stalemate wins

[@KenDoStudios]

animated chess should be a thing

[@prestigiotablet6024]

Bro love the smothered mate

[@yinghungman4471]

That's check... Mate.

[@potatopotpie]

This is awesome for some person that only has 204ish subs

[@SonNguyen-he9mc]

Hello yes

[@whitted2799]

This is annoying orange, but in the Chess world

[@joshuaeatonroblox]

10:49 no! my horse

[@Sciencedoneright]

the british accent makes it better

[@ilovechickennuggets999]

Annoying orange: Does the acting different This video: Copying they're acting

[@antoinegabrielhuilar2671]

@The Hunter no

[@monkeybacontheboss9115]

This is so cool!

[@kimthuan3350]

That's smothered check mate!!!

[@thisisentertainment9686]

Amazing!

[@MartyrMoon]

Who else heard the Doom sound when the rook was moving to castle

[@thechargentarge1341]

M e

[@nicoleslittleworldc385]

This can remind me of chess and support chess! THx you so much!

[@zeldafan7383]

You did the smothered checkmate

[@bobrashley6710]

You have to move the King first when castling.

[@JimmyLundberg]

yep, I was annoyed by that too. Still an awesome video though :P

[@wariolandgoldpiramid]

Exactly

[@nicbentulan]

a little possible loophole: do you have to move king 1st if you verbally declare that you will castle (before touching any piece and then after you declare you touch rook 1st or touch both at the same time)? i think of hikaru nakamura's 2 hands castling incident.

[@gbasavaraju]

I love this video do more videos like this

[@Funniwesd]

am happy i found that smothered mate aswel

[@_ort]

this is so underrated