Kirk and Spock, their friendship formed over...

[Plum]

... chess.

Chess is a big thing with Kirk and Spock. Considering Spock's sometimes arrogant view of humans it must have come as a shock to Spock to come across a human who could beat him at chess (3D chess or not).

the chess board is a big thing in film. I ran across an article today talking about the significance of chess in film (ever notice Humphrey Bogart played chess in movies a lot? Apparently, he was the best player in Hollywood). Think if all the movies that had a chess board in them and how chess was used to enhance the story or demonstrate the relationships of characters. Usually only two, natch.

Got me to thinking, it's actually really weird that Spock would lose to Kirk. After all, Spock programed the computer for chess himself! Heh heh, but you know what I mean.

Think about it... what was the very first shot of Kirk and Spock together? What were they doing?

Hope there's a chess board around in the new film.

 

[seigezunt]

funny that Kirk would beat anyone at chess. Unlike many other games, luck is never a factor in chess, and Kirk relied on his luck quite a bit. That said, it also relies on the personalities of the players, which is something Kirk had tons of.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

aridas usefully pointed out to me that the first chess match ("Where No Man Has Gone Before") is used to immediately establish Kirk as someone who overcomes his adversary's advantages by unconventional thinking and bold risk taking.

We don't see that guy again for the remainder of the episode, of course - not until the show gets picked up and Sohl writes "The Corbomite Manuever." But it's a real good point nonetheless.

 

[Plum]

^^^
Righto, we see that Kirk again in "The Corbomite Maneuver". Good call there D.