CBS filmed Mark Pope and Collin Chandler playing chess against Jayden Quaintance

All offseason, we’ve heard about the chess games between Mark Pope and Jayden Quaintance, a tradition going back to last season when Collin Chandler would battle his coach on the board. Soon, you’ll get to see those matches for yourself.

During today’s press conference, Mark Pope revealed that CBS was recently in town to film Pope playing chess vs. Quaintance. Pope shot down that idea — he quipped to the media room that his score against Quaintance was “like a negative seven” and therefore, he’s lost all pride. Instead, Quaintance played both Pope and Chandler on separate boards.

“So CBS came and wanted to do a special on the chess [battles],” Pope said. “They wanted to video me and JQ playing chess. I’m like, ‘Nope, I’m not doing that.’ So, it was me and Collin Chandler, two boards, JQ on the other side of the table, and he had to go from board to board to board to board, alternating every move.

Pope and Chandler got another advantage. Quaintance had to play on a two-minute timer, while Pope and Chandler had a total of nine hours to play against the big man. Even then, Quaintance made easy work of one board before the duo of Pope and Chandler finally got the best of him on the other.

“True story, and one of us on my side was out in checkmate in like 11 moves. Fortunately, enough damage had been done on the other board that we came away with a split with JQ, but this chess thing has been really humbling.”

In hopes of finally taking Quaintance down, Pope said he wants to start a game and post each move on social media to get feedback from Kentucky fans on what to do next.

“Anybody have some chess insights or secrets?” he asked the room. “I would love them. What I’m gonna do is start a game with JQ. I’m gonna post each move and see if I get feedback from BBN to help me along the way.”

I have a feeling we’ll still lose, but it’ll be fun trying. Hopefully, we’ll see it way beforehand, but a potential air date for the CBS chess special is the CBS Sports Classic, which features Kentucky and St. John’s. That matchup takes place in Atlanta on December 20 (12:30 p.m., CBS Sports).

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Quaintance is now boxing in practice

What’s the latest on Jayden Quaintance’s rehab from ACL surgery? Pope was asked today and said the big man is still “a little bit of ways” from returning to the court, but continues to make incredible progress.

“The thing I’m excited about is every time I look out of my office window, twice a day, three times a day, I see him down on the court in a full sweat. He’s still a little bit of ways [away], but he’s doing great.”

Pope said Quaintance has added boxing to his rehab regimen, much to the chagrin of head strength coach Randy Towner, who has the pleasure of going up against him. Pope himself has said that simply getting a high five from Quaintance has left him hurting.

“I wish you guys could all have been in the gym yesterday. If you can corner Randy Towner, please do, because one of the conditioning sessions that Randy is doing with JQ right now is, he’s doing some boxing workouts, where Randy has the gloves, and it was so incredible to watch JQ just chase him from one side of the court to the other, and Randy’s sheer terror on his face. Hands swollen today, so JQ is doing really good.”

Quaintance is already a beast, but adding boxing to his rehab sounds like the perfect way to prepare for SEC play, which is hopefully when we’ll see him make his long-awaited debut.

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