What is the significance of the chess game?
Sebastian’s chess pieces are birds (he makes animals), Tyrell’s are people (he makes “people”). The chess game between Tyrell and Sebastian uses the conclusion of a game played between Anderssen and Kieseritzky, in London in 1851. This is one of the most famous and brilliant games ever played, and is universally known as “The Immortal Game”. The concept of immortality has obvious associations in the ensuing confrontation between Tyrell and Batty. The Immortal Game, in algebraic notation, is as follows: Anderssen – Kieseritzky London 1851 1 e4 e5 2 f4 exf4 3 Bc4 Qh4+ 4 Kf1 b5 5 Bxb5 Nf6 6 Nf3 Qh6 7 d3 Nh5 8 Nh4 Qg5 9 Nf5 c6 10 Rg1 cxb5 11 g4 Nf6 12 h4 Qg6 13 h5 Qg5 14 Qf3 Ng8 15 Bxf4 Qf6 16 Nc3 Bc5 17 Nd5 Qxb2 18 Bd6 Qxa1+ 19 Ke2 Bxg1 20 e5 Na6 21 Nxg7+ Kd8 22 Qf6+ Nxf6 23 Be7 Checkmate. Note that the chess boards in the film are not arranged as they would be if they were following the Immortal Game, and that Sebastian’s board does not match Tyrell’s. Return to contents…
