Overview

• The episode, 'Tatort: Zugzwang,' premiered on April 27, 2025, and is set at a prestigious chess candidate tournament in the Bavarian Alps.
• Detectives Batic and Leitmayr rule out suicide in the death of Lilit Kayserian, an Armenian grandmaster assisting French contender Natalie Laurent, and suspect misogyny-driven homicide.
• Natalie Laurent, the tournament's sole female contender, faces hostility in her pursuit to break into the male-dominated world of elite chess.
• World Chess Federation President Kamran Hasanov's controversial comments on women's mental strength reflect broader gender biases explored in the storyline.
• Filmed at Schloss Elmau with guidance from chess professional Makan Rafiee, the episode emphasizes authenticity and strategic parallels between chess and crime-solving.