Movies like The Chess Hustler (2017)
The best movies like The Chess Hustler (2017) are Untold: Chess Mates (2026), Searching for Bobby Fischer (1993) and Seeking Justice (2011). If The Chess Hustler hooked you, these 20 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
Quick picks
- Highest ratedGeri's Game (1997)7.6/10 from 1,273 votes
- NewestUntold: Chess Mates (2026)Released 2026
Untold: Chess Mates (2026)
Magnus Carlsen, widely regarded as the greatest chess player of all time, is challenged by Hans Niemann, a rising star who capitalizes on the meteoric growth of online chess. Niemann’s ascension culminated in an epic, controversy-shrouded victory over Carlsen at the 2022 Sinquefield Cup, which eventually led to allegations and revelations of cheating. Determined to clear his name, Niemann fights his way back to the top of the chess world, setting the stage for a high-stakes rematch with Carlsen in 2024.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like thisSearching for Bobby Fischer (1993)
A seven-year-old chess prodigy refuses to harden himself in order to become a champion like the famous but unlikable Bobby Fischer.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like thisSeeking Justice (2011)
After his wife is assaulted, a husband enlists the services of a vigilante group to help him settle the score.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
SnoozefestMovies like thisCreating The Queen's Gambit (2021)
A fascinating character. Exquisite sets. A wig for every era. The stars, creators and crew reveal how the hit series about a chess prodigy came to life.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like thisQueen of Katwe (2016)
A young girl overcomes her disadvantaged upbringing in the slums of Uganda to become a Chess master.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like thisGeri's Game (1997)
An aging codger named Geri plays a daylong game of chess in the park against himself. Somehow, he begins losing to his livelier opponent. But just when the game's nearly over, Geri manages to turn the tables.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like thisStep Up All In (2014)
All-stars from previous installments convene in glittering Las Vegas, battling for a victory that could define their dreams and their careers.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisLife of a King (2013)
The true story of one man's mission to give inner city kids of Washington DC something he never had - a future. After being incarcerated for eighteen years, Eugene Brown established the Big Chair Chess Club to get kids off the streets and working towards lives they never believed they were capable of. This is his inspirational story.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like thisRat Race (2001)
In an ensemble film about easy money, greed, manipulation and bad driving, a Las Vegas casino tycoon entertains his wealthiest high rollers -- a group that will bet on anything -- by pitting six ordinary people against each other in a wild dash for $2 million jammed into a locker hundreds of miles away. The tycoon and his wealthy friends monitor each racer's every move to keep track of their favorites. The only rule in this race is that there are no rules.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisSurviving the Game (1994)
A homeless man is hired as a survival guide for a group of wealthy businessmen on a hunting trip in the mountains, unaware that they are killers who hunt humans for sport, and that he is their new prey.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisFast Girls (2012)
A street smart runner develops an intense rivalry with an equally ambitious wealthy young athlete.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisJungleland (2020)
Stanley manages his boxer brother Lion but when a devastating loss in the ring leaves the pair in debt, an opportunity to recoup the cash leads to a series of misadventures that threaten to break the bond between them.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisPawn Sacrifice (2015)
During the height of the Cold War, American chess prodigy Bobby Fischer finds himself caught between two superpowers when he challenges the Soviet Empire.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisRocky Balboa (2006)
When he loses a highly publicized virtual boxing match to ex-champ Rocky Balboa, reigning heavyweight titleholder Mason Dixon retaliates by challenging the Italian Stallion to a 10-round exhibition bout. To the surprise of his son and friends, Rocky agrees to come out of retirement and face an opponent who's faster, stronger and thirty years his junior. Rocky takes on Dixon in what will become the greatest fight in boxing history!
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisLucky Number Slevin (2006)
Slevin is mistakenly put in the middle of a personal war between the city’s biggest criminal bosses. Under constant watch, Slevin must try not to get killed by an infamous assassin and come up with an idea of how to get out of his current dilemma.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like thisRogue Agent (2022)
Conman Robert Freegard poses as an undercover MI5 agent and kidnaps countless victims amidst a high-stakes manhunt, until the woman who fell for him brings him to justice.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisCritical Thinking (2020)
Based on a true story from 1998, five Latino and Black teenagers from the toughest underserved ghetto in Miami fight their way into the National Chess Championship under the guidance of their unconventional but inspirational teacher.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisWhite Men Can't Jump (1992)
Two street basketball hustlers try to con each other, then team up for a bigger score.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisAny Which Way You Can (1980)
Philo takes part in a bare knuckle fight – as he does – to make more money than he can earn from his car repair business. He decides to retire, but when the Mafia come along and arrange another fight, he's pushed into it. A motorcycle gang and an orangutan called Clyde all add to the 'fun'.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
SnoozefestMovies like thisMean Streets (1973)
A small-time hood must choose from among love, friendship and the chance to rise within the mob.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like this
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Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like The Chess Hustler?
The closest matches to The Chess Hustler are Untold: Chess Mates (2026), Searching for Bobby Fischer (1993) and Seeking Justice (2011). Below are 17 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after The Chess Hustler?
Start with Untold: Chess Mates (2026), the closest match to The Chess Hustler.
What is the highest-rated movie like The Chess Hustler?
Geri's Game (1997), rated 7.6/10 by 1,273 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like The Chess Hustler?
Untold: Chess Mates (2026) is the most recent release on this list.
Are there English movies like The Chess Hustler?
Yes: Untold: Chess Mates (2026), Searching for Bobby Fischer (1993) and Seeking Justice (2011).
How are movies similar to The Chess Hustler chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside The Chess Hustler, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.