"Chess Pain", Way to Die #169, is the fifth death to be featured in "Dying to Tell the Story", which aired on December 29, 2010.
Plot[]
In the 1970s, the ages-old board game of chess was considered a big deal in the Soviet Union, and being a grandmaster at the game makes one a bit of a celebrity. Nikolai was an undefeated chess grandmaster, wanting to stay on top, knowing that one loss could send him and his family to a Siberian labor camp.
One day, he was challenged by a chess-playing computer, the Comrade 5000. Its inventor had boasted that his machine could outplay any human, even the unbeatable Nikolai. The Comrade could move its pieces on a highly-charged electromagnetic chess board. As he continued to play, Nikolai realized he was involved in the game of his life, or better yet, for it. Each move brought the computer closer to defeating Nikolai's strategy, causing him to sweat profusely. A few minutes later, he had the Comrade in check and went in for the kill, but unfortunately, it was checkmate for Nikolai.
The chess pieces were made of a highly conductive alloy, and the Comrade's inventor had failed to ground the chessboard properly. This fatal design flaw was a death sentence for Nikolai. As he touched his opponent's chess piece with a sweaty finger, he was electrocuted and suffered cardiac arrest from the extreme electrical shock, killing him in seconds.
Trivia[]
- Also called "End Game" on the Spike TV website.
- If you look closely, there is the Soviet communist flag in the eyes in the CGI when Dr. Boyd Flinders says "Our poor chess player, he's cooked."
- This death is based on an urban legend about a Russian chess grandmaster named Nikolai Gudkov, who died the same way in 1989.
- Maybe the Comrade 5000's Inventor goes to Siberia by make the mistake that killed Nikolai. So at the end, Nikolai died as an undefeated chess grandmaster because died before of the end of the match.
- Nikolai's death is similar to that of Marcie's death in Bitch Zapped, Lifty's death in Happy Tree Friends TV series episode, "As You Wish", Cub's death in Happy Tree Friends Christmas short, "Kringle Presents", Tom's death in Hertz So Good, Gregory's death in Samu-Fry, Pop's death in Happy Tree Friends web series episode, "A Vicious Cycle", Eileen and Nicole's deaths in Who Ded?, Tommy and Casey's death in PISS OFFED, Good Flippy's injury in Happy Tree Friends TV series episode, "Double Whammy Part 2", Russell's death in Happy Tree Friends TV series episode, "In a Jam", Motaro and Liu Kang's deaths in Mortal Kombat 9, and Petunia's death in Happy Tree Friends web series episode, "Stayin' Alive", Petunia's death in Happy Tree Friends TV series episode: "Home is Where the Hurt is", and Mileena's injury in Mortal Kombat 9.
- This is one of many death's where the victim (in this case Nikolai) was innocent.
- On the day that Nikolai died the 43rd Orange bowl: #11 Ohio State beats #12 Colorado, 27-10. The 43rd Sugar bowl: #1 Pittsburgh beats #4 Georgia, 27-3; Tony Dorsett runs for record 202 yards. The 63rd Rose bowl: #3 Southern California beats #2 Michigan, 14-6. Belgium reapportions 2,359 communities into 596. Czech intellects begin human rights group Chapter 77. 1st woman formally ordained an Episcopal priest (Jacqueline Means).
Segment Nicknames[]
- End Game (Spike TV)
- Killer Game
- RAGE CHESS!
- Checkmate
- Resigned
- Backranked Checkmate
- CheckmaDead
- Mate 'n' Done
- Caro-Can't
- Smothered Mate
- Sacrificed
- Deadly Game
Cast and Interviewees[]
- Tom Gurnee - Nikolai (Lead; Intended victim)
- Timothy Taylor - International Master of Chess
- Dr. Boyd Flanders - Surgeon
Foreign Names[]
- Ajedrezado (Chesstrified) [Wordplay on "Ajedrez" and "Electrizado"] - Latin American Spanish dub
- Mate eléctrico (Electric mate) - European Spanish dub
- Xeque-Morte (Check-Death) - Brazilian Portuguese dub
Transcript[]
Narrator: In the 1970s, Soviet Russia didn't have rock stars. They had Chess grand masters.
Nikolai: Ha!
Narrator: If you wanted special treatment and all the perks of the communist party, you just had to beat everyone else in the world at this brainiac board game.
Nikolai:
Narrator: Meet Nikolai. He was on top and wanted to stay there. He knew his next loss could find him in the deep freeze of Siberia.
Timothy Taylor: It's a really big deal to play Chess in Russia. In the Soviet era, it was in fact completely state supported, and so no one had to worry about earning a living. They just had to learn about playing Chess very well.
Narrator: Nikolai was about to play the most important match of his life. His opponent; the Comrade 5000. A Chess playing computer. Its inventor had boasted his machine could out-play any human, even the unbeatable Nikolai.
Match Referee:
Narrator: The Comrade was able to move its pieces on a powerfully charged electromagnetic board.
(The game picks up as moves are made and time clocks are pressed.)
Narrator: Soon enough, Nikolai realized he was involved in the game of his life. Or....for it. Each move brought the Comrade closer to penetrating Nikolai's strategy. Nikolai started to sweat.....profusely.
(Nikolai picks up his Queen and throws it at the Comrade in anger. The inventor recoils back before the game resumes)
Narrator: He had the Comrade in check....and went in for the kill.
(Nikolai picks up one of his Bishops and places it for check. As he picks up the Rook to replace it, electricity surges through his hand as he yells and screams in pain. The inventor desperately rushes over and unplugs the power cord for the Comrade, but Nikolai is on the ground dead with his hand completely charred.)
Narrator: But it was Nikolai who went down.
(Flashback)
Narrator: The Chess pieces were made of a highly conductive alloy, and the inventor had failed to ground the board properly. This design flaw was Nikolai's undoing. When Nikolai's sweaty fingers made contact with the Chess piece...it was Checkmate for the ill-fated master.
Dr. Boyd Flinders: Because of the sweat, the electrical circuitry, a short in the mechanism, actually allowed a significant voltage of electricity to pass through his finger. As it passes through the body, it's gonna kill the organs and then it just passes out and goes back to ground. Our poor little chess player, he's cooked.
(Recap)
Narrator: When it came to Chess, Nikolai ruled the world.
Nikolai:
Narrator: But when the king met the future in the form of a computer, he met his match.
Gallery[]
