As the camera shifts to a different angle, immediately after we first see the chessboard in Sam's office, the tallest white chess piece, presumably the queen, has now switched to the correct square.
In the opening scene, Bartlet tells the reporters, "Chess was invented in India, around 600 A.D., a giant chessboard was constructed at Fatehpur Sikri, which was the capital at the time." It is not clear whether Bartlet is saying that chess was invented in India in 600 A.D. or that the chessboard was constructed at Fatehpur Sikri in 600 A.D., but in either case he's wrong. Chess was indeed invented in India, but it is believed to have been several centuries earlier, around the 3rd century A.D. Also, Fatehpur Sikri was not around in 600 A.D.; it was built as the capital for the Mughal Empire by the emperor Akbar in the 16th century.
President Bartlett refers to one of the chess sets as being in the 'Stantan' pattern. This is incorrect, the pattern is named for English Grand Master Howard Staunton. No chess player would even make that mistake. The Staunton pattern is used for all tournament sets.
It is indicated by Donna that some residents of Hartsfield's Landing may vote for Governor Ritchie - however at this time it was primary season and Ritchie was running as a Republican candidate. He would not be an opponent for a Democratic candidate.
When President Bartlett is talking to the press at the Airport, he says that he had been given a classic "Stanton Chess Set". Every Staunton Chess Set contains a unique style design for each of the chess pieces used to play the game of chess, and was first made available in 1849 by Jaques of London. The journalist Nathaniel Cooke has long been credited with the style design, and he registered his design patent on 1st March 1849. The unique style design is named after the English chess master Howard Staunton (1810-1874), who was generally considered the strongest chess player in the world from 1843 to 1851.
Chess sets are still manufactured in a wide variety of PRE-STAUNTON style designs, often for historical/ornamental reasons rather than practical purposes. In all movies set before 1849, in would be a Factual Mistake for the "Staunton Chess Set" to be used.
Chess sets are still manufactured in a wide variety of PRE-STAUNTON style designs, often for historical/ornamental reasons rather than practical purposes. In all movies set before 1849, in would be a Factual Mistake for the "Staunton Chess Set" to be used.
When Bartlett tries to psych out his chess opponents, he makes factual errors.
First of all, Sam's opening move (1. d3), Bartlett refers to as the "Fibonacci opening". This opening is not called that, but is the Mieses opening. Fibonacci was a famous mathematician. A quick search reveals no chess opening named after him.
In the game against Toby, Toby opens with 1. e4 which Bartlett immediately identifies as the Evans Gambit. This is nonsense as that move is the most common first move in chess and can lead to hundreds, if not thousands of possible opening or gambits. The game continues on with the Giocco Piano (correctly identified by Bartlett) and only reveals itself as the Evans Gambit on Toby's forth move, 4. b4. But there is no way Bartlett could have known this from Toby's first move. Perhaps the writer intended for Bartlett to say it after Toby's fourth move. And Bartlett isn't correct to say (referring to the Evans Gambit) that "it's as popular today as it was back then" (when it was invented in 1820). It was very popular until Lasker developed a defense. It remains mildly popular with amateur players but rarely shows up in tournament play.
Additionally, Charlie relays a message to the president about his move as "bishop to queen's knight three", While the president may be old school enough to have learned descriptive chess notation, it is unlikely that Sam (who does does not appear to be chess scholar) would use that method - if he used any at all, it would probably be the more modern algebraic notation.
First of all, Sam's opening move (1. d3), Bartlett refers to as the "Fibonacci opening". This opening is not called that, but is the Mieses opening. Fibonacci was a famous mathematician. A quick search reveals no chess opening named after him.
In the game against Toby, Toby opens with 1. e4 which Bartlett immediately identifies as the Evans Gambit. This is nonsense as that move is the most common first move in chess and can lead to hundreds, if not thousands of possible opening or gambits. The game continues on with the Giocco Piano (correctly identified by Bartlett) and only reveals itself as the Evans Gambit on Toby's forth move, 4. b4. But there is no way Bartlett could have known this from Toby's first move. Perhaps the writer intended for Bartlett to say it after Toby's fourth move. And Bartlett isn't correct to say (referring to the Evans Gambit) that "it's as popular today as it was back then" (when it was invented in 1820). It was very popular until Lasker developed a defense. It remains mildly popular with amateur players but rarely shows up in tournament play.
Additionally, Charlie relays a message to the president about his move as "bishop to queen's knight three", While the president may be old school enough to have learned descriptive chess notation, it is unlikely that Sam (who does does not appear to be chess scholar) would use that method - if he used any at all, it would probably be the more modern algebraic notation.