Intermezzo: How accurate is the chess play in Sally Rooney’s new book?

Mark Watkins of the Cork Chess Club appraise the novel's chess bona fides

Chess is a significant element in the plot of Sally Rooney’s new book Intermezzo — Ivan, one of the main protagonists, is a chess master. File photo: David Carson/St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP

Sally Rooney’s new novel is entitled Intermezzo — the old chess term for an unexpected move.

The board game is a significant element in the plot — Ivan, one of the main protagonists, is a chess master. We asked Mark Watkins of the Cork Chess Club to appraise its chess bona fides.