Directed by: Steven Zaillian
Starring: Ben Kingsley, Joan Allen, Joe Mantegna, Max Pomeranc
Deliberate mistake: Towards the end of the film, Josh is playing a game in the park with Vinnie, and Vinnie asks "What's that?", to which Josh replies "Schliemann Attack." However, this dialogue occurs while the game is still in standard opening theory and before Josh has played the move that introduces the Schliemann Attack (pawn to f5).
Deliberate mistake: When Josh is playing against Jonathan Poe for the national championship, the players should be notating their moves, but they aren't.
Continuity mistake: When Josh and his father play a game of chess Josh's father picks up a piece from the centre of the board and moves it diagonally towards one of the flanks. In the next shot it is visible that the piece is a white rook, which can't move that way. Plus the previous shot shows both white rooks still standing in their original positions on the board. (00:15:55)
Bonnie: He's not afraid of losing. He's afraid of losing your love. How many ball players grow up afraid of losing their fathers' love every time they come up to the plate?
Fred: All of them.
Bonnie: He knows you disapprove of him. He knows you think he's weak. But he's not weak. He's decent. And if you or Bruce or anyone else tries to beat that out of him, I swear to God I'll take him away.
Trivia: The movie includes cameos by the real-life Bruce Pandolfini, Josh Waitzkin, Vinnie (kibitzers in the park) and Katya Waitzkin (girl ranked 82nd in the national championship).
Question: Who is the strong player with the Russian accent whom Josh plays in the park near the beginning?
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Answer: Vasek Simek.