The Queen's Gambit

From chess to barrel jumping: the quirkiest sports in TV broadcasting history

She sits in a dark room playing chess against someone, while rows of seated spectators watch from the left-hand side of the image

Although much broadcasting has changed beyond recognition over time, one constant is a popular pastime. The earliest experimental wireless broadcasts listed on the Television & Radio Database (tvrdb.com, warmly recommended to anyone interested in the media) include 1925 talks by Mr CG Butcher on “The Origin Of Chess” and Mr Brian Hanley on “Chess: The Queen’s Gambit Declined”.