History Main / ChessMotifs

* Scattered throughout the first half of ''Mothers and Daughters'' in ''ComicBook/CerebusTheAardvark''. The most explicit is the final mental meeting between Suenteus Po and Cerebus, where they play chess in a kind of trippy astral experience and each piece and its move are compared to a character in the story and how being around Cerebus affected them. The symbolism of this extends past the actual "game", as Suenteus Po realizes that he made a mistake in the game, revealed by Sim to be [[SpannerInTheWorks Cerebus' "magnifier"]] at work.
* The spy organization ComicBook/{{Checkmate}} in Franchise/TheDCU, which classifies their agents by chess pieces and uses the White and Black sides to counteract each other.

%%* It shows up from time to time in early ''ComicBook/{{Excalibur}}''. - '''Administrivia/ZeroContextExample'''
* During ''ComicBook/CaptainBritainACrookedWorld'', Merlin and his daughter Roma play an intricate game of chess, seemingly manipulating events while Captain Britain and his allies fight against [[ImplacableMan The Fury]] and [[RealityWarper Mad Jim Jaspers]].
* In one issue of ''ComicBook/InjusticeGodsAmongUs'', ComicBook/{{Superman}} and ComicBook/TheFlash play chess at superspeed while debating the future. Superman, who's more experienced in the game, wins their first few games, all the while arguing that the world will be better if he destroys every gun. Barry concedes that destroying all guns will make the world more peaceful, but also worries where they draw the line. If they remove all guns, why not do the same to knives? Cars? Should they destroy murderers as well? [[RuleOfSymbolism At this point, the Flash starts winning]].
* Obadiah Stane was a big fan of these during his arc in ''ComicBook/IronMan'', naming his mooks the Chessmen. An expensive chess set appears on his desk in [[Film/IronMan1 the movie]] as a MythologyGag to this.
* In Creator/JimSteranko's memorable run on ''ComicBook/NickFuryAgentOfShieldStrangeTales'', Fury faces the [[YellowPeril Yellow Claw]] and his forces. The end of the arc reveals that Characters/DoctorDoom manipulated S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Claw in an intricate game against an alien chess-playing computer called the Prime Mover.
* Doom used the Prime Mover against the Fantastic Four in Creator/GrantMorrison's ''ComicBook/FantasticFour: 1234'', manipulating their histories and relationships to tear them apart from within. [[ReedRichardsIsUseless Going against trope]], Reed realized what Doom was up to and developed machines to counter Doom's moves. He realized that Doom's moves were rigid and inflexible, and in order to defeat him, he used his [[RubberMan stretching powers]] to temporarily create new structures in his own brain, thus expanding his already prodigious intellect.
* ''ComicBook/StarTrekIDW'': Chess is constantly used as a metaphor for Spock and Uhura's relationship. When she first met Spock at Starfleet Academy and played a game of chess with him, he left the King piece of his set on her nightstand, which she finds to be a decidedly-unlogical reaction. It's later revealed that Uhura has beaten Spock at multi-dimensional chess, a fact that Kirk is extremely amused by.
* In ''ComicBook/TrinityWar'' while rummaging through the Justice League's Watchtower, the Atom finds a chess set with the League's members for pieces. [[spoiler:The ComicBook/{{Superman}} piece has been replaced with a Martian Manhunter piece.]]

* Tucana's very first log in ''Fanfic/ChoirOfLunatics'' has her discussing chess with Celano, she is fond of strategy games, her FETCH MODUS is a chessboard and she later becomes the Black Queen on a literal chessboard. To drive this home, she [[spoiler:became a pawn of the Nameless's by accepting the position as Derse queen.]]

** Lelouch specifically identifies as the Black King, symbolizing his acceptance of corruption and evil in order to bring good. On the other hand, the black king can symbolize Lelouch's {{pride}}, or shall we say arrogance, in that he lets his opponent, the white king, have the first move. Further, just as the king is the most important piece on the board, yet not very effective at taking enemy pieces, Lelouch is a below-average giant robot pilot, his skills little better than a mook's, but he's the glue that holds the Black Knights together and if they lose him, they lose everything. Overall, it is a major source of symbolism in the series, as it appears during Lelouch's [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome "Obey Me World" speech]].

** [[AntiVillain Suzaku Kururugi]] is an idealistic young man who uses his erratic and acrobatic movements to take his opponents by surprise. Appropriately enough, he's made a knight halfway through the first series. Like chess knights, he is the only enemy who poses a serious threat to the opposing Queen, that is, Kallen, as the two of them are pitted against each other repeatedly throughout the series. [[spoiler:Kallen eventually proves the strongest, but it does not prevent her side from losing.]]

* David from ''VideoGame/KillerIsDead''.

* The flamingo's domain in ''VideoGame/TheManhole''.

* ''VideoGame/ShadowHearts''

* Freemasonry is famous for this.

* ORCA strategist Maltzel from ''VideoGame/ArmoredCore'' has a chess piece for his emblem and refers to his protégés Hari and Vaoh as Pawns.

[[quoteright:250:[[Literature/AliceInWonderland https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Alice_Red_Queen_6325.jpg]]]]

** The Red Queen is a crime lord who had chess-themed minions as part of her ''Literature/AliceInWonderland'' motif. That said, they were based on designs stolen from the Chessmen of Astro City.

* ''[[Literature/AliceInWonderland Through the Looking-Glass]]'' takes this rather farther than most, to the point of having all the events represented by actual chess moves. It also has an interesting variant, in that the two sides are called White and Red. It's not merely that the pieces are white and red (which is not unknown); by convention, the two sides in chess are referred to as White and Black even if the physical pieces used are other colors.
** The Red Queen from this book is often confused with the Queen of Hearts from the first ''Alice'' book. They are, in fact, wholly different characters, though [[CompositeCharacter they get merged in some adaptations]]. This results in an {{JustForFun/egregious}} mixed metaphor in the 2010 film version: the White Queen's army of chess pieces fights the Red Queen (of Hearts)'s army of playing cards.

* "White Rabbit" by Music/JeffersonAirplane contains a few direct references to the Chess Motifs used in ''[[Literature/AliceInWonderland Through the Looking Glass]].''

* [[GeniusBruiser Torakichi Arakoma]] from the third ''VideoGame/MegaManBattleNetwork'' games uses a chess themed Net Navi, [=KingMan.EXE=], and [[{{Pun}} makes chess puns]]. In battle, [=KingMan=] doesn't attack directly, instead relying on three chess piece minions modeled after Pawns, Knights, and Rooks, the exact combination of which he can change at will.

A very simple such analogy is the [[{{Mooks}} Pawn]] -- the [[RedShirt expendable]], [[ImperialStormtrooperMarksmanshipAcademy powerless]], [[NominalImportance nameless]] foot soldier who may, if his actions are brave and his heart is true, [[TookALevelInBadass become a Queen]] (although someone more practised at the game [[AnalogyBackfire may note]] that the pawn is really a symbol of [[CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass why you should never]] [[BeneathSuspicion overlook]] [[SpannerInTheWorks apparently powerless people]]). The pawn may even be an UnwittingPawn. Also common are the Queen ([[HypercompetentSidekick less honored to the casual observer]], but the most powerful and versatile character on the board by far) and the King (not an efficient piece, but his ''implied'' capture [[WeCannotGoOnWithoutYou ends the game]]). To extend the metaphor, the Rooks/Castles will be the straightforward, stoic, unmovable lines of defense, while the Bishops are less predictable, more mystical, moving according to divine diagonal direction. Knights are [[MechanicallyUnusualFighter less predictable still]]; they can only move in L-shaped directions, for Pete's sake. But the KnightInShiningArmor imagery clings to them yet; expect them to be bold and daring heroes, if ultimately dispensable for the sake of their sovereign. And heroes they are, for that L-shaped movement is something even the Queen can't do, giving the Knight a niche that is something other than "the Queen, but worse" and making the Knight the only piece that can threaten a Queen without putting itself at risk — much like how a clever and crafty hero can bring a seemingly-invulnerable villain down.

* Grandmaster Rodamus from ''VideoGame/PokemonReborn'' is apparently vey good at chess and his gym has you attempt to checkmate the enemy king to get to the next room. [[spoiler:He also talks about El putting himself in check when he kidnaps his Gossip Gardevior.]]

** A one-off villain, the Red Queen, had chess-themed minions as part of her ''Literature/AliceInWonderland'' motif. That said, they were based on designs stolen from the Chessmen of Astro City.

* "White Rabbit" by Music/JeffersonAirplane contains a few direct references to the Chess Motifs used in ''[[Literature/AliceInWonderland Through the Looking Glass]].'' It's chess by way of ''Literature/AliceInWonderland'' [[WhatDoYouMeanItWasntMadeOnDrugs by way of LSD.]]

* Music/FionaApple's second album featured [[LongTitle an eight-line poem as its title]]. The first line of the poem reads, "When the pawn hits the conflicts he thinks like a king..."

* VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft has the Chess Event in the original Karazhan raid. It plays sort of like ''VideoGame/BattleChess'', except the rules of chess really don't apply. Each player in the raid has to assume control of one side of chess pieces, and fight the opposing side (controlled by Mediv, the antagonist of the scenario) and defeat Mediv's king, which in this case, is the strongest piece. Unfortunately, the pieces move with vehicular controls, making it difficult until you get used to it, and Mediv cheats, casting spells at random times to heal or buff his pieces or with damaging magic.

* In ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry3DantesAwakening'', there are a group of enemies through the game with a Chess motif.
** Many of V's abilities in ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry5'' and named after chess terminologies.

* ''VideoGame/{{Cuphead}}'' has the King of Games and his Champions introduced in the DLC, all of whom are based upon a piece in chess.

* ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering'': [[https://gatherer.wizards.com/pages/card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=205239 White Knight]] and [[http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=190540 Black Knight]], of course.

** In "Full House"[[note]]Yes, there's more than one kind of game motif in this chapter[[/note]], the heroes use chess codenames in their secret operations: pawns are various people without much of a theme, the rooks are two allies that supply resources, the knights are two computer hackers, bishops are, well, maybe people in charge of getting others onboard or something, the king is Riff ("our best hope and the biggest target of the other side"), and the queen is Oasis, who is unstable but absolutely deadly and the most important piece in the plan.

* In ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls'', a flashback shows the Author and the BigBad Bill Cipher playing a game of chess when they first meet, with the former playing the white side and Bill black. Bill starts the game by immediately cheating and going first[[note]]the white side goes first, according to the rules[[/note]], and the Author responds by moving his queen in front of the pawns.

** [[AntiVillain Suzaku Kururugi]] is an idealistic young man who uses his erratic and acrobatic movements to take his opponents by surprise. Appropriately enough, he's made a knight halfway through the first series. Like chess knights, he is the only enemy who poses a serious threat to the opposing Queen, that is, Kallen, as the two of them are pitted against each other repeatedly throughout the series ([[spoiler:Kallen eventually proves the strongest, but it does not prevent her side from losing]]).

* ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'': Variation: Shikamaru and Asuma use TabletopGame/{{Shogi}} as a metaphor for Konoha Village. Shikamaru is a Knight because its unusual movement mirrors his WeakButSkilled nature and [[TheStrategist strategic mind]]. Shikamaru asks if the Hokage would be a King that the lower ranking ninja have to protect, but Asuma says that while he thought that once, in reality, [[spoiler: the next generation]] is the King, since it needs to be protected or else the village has no future. Interestingly, Asuma likens himself to a Pawn(despite being Shikamaru's teacher and a rank above him), [[{{Foreshadowing}} commonly a sacrificial piece]]. [[FridgeBrilliance Even more interestingly]], Hidan and Kakuzu's names contain the characters for "bishop" and "rook". [[spoiler:Shikamaru [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome manages to outwit and defeat Hidan almost entirely by himself]].]].

* ''Manga/VampireKnight'' plays off this motif often. Kaname is figuratively shown as the "{{chessmaster}}", while [[spoiler: Kiryu Zero]] is the "knight" (or pawn, depending on your point of view).

* Used in the Franchise/StarTrek fanfic [[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5344838/1/Atlas Atlas]]--[[TheKirk Kirk]] explains the set-up of the BigBad's organization to [[TheSpock Spock]] while they're playing chess. Basically, everyone is considered a pawn, except for TheDragon (a rook) and the BigBad herself (the Queen). [[spoiler: the BigBad later uses this motif to let Spock know that she just kidnapped Kirk. [[FacePalm While they were in adjacent rooms.]]]]
* In ''FanFic/BeyondTomorrow'' Arina and Ren reflect at one point that Hanyuu is the perfect pawn. When [[spoiler: Kikyo is revived]], she explicitly tells them that she will not be a pawn in their "game of chess."

* Tucana’s very first log in ''Fanfic/ChoirOfLunatics'' has her discussing chess with Celano, she is fond of strategy games, her FETCH MODUS is a chessboard and she later becomes the Black Queen on a literal chessboard. To drive this home, she [[spoiler: became a pawn of the Nameless's by accepting the position as Derse queen.]]
* As with the show quite a bit of this in ''FanFic/CodeGeassColorlessMemories'' with chess being played in a few chapters by Lelouch and Rai and in one chapter [[spoiler: chapter 22 Surt has a chess set of one side gold (his side full) and the other blue (two pieces) hinting at whats to come as shown in chapter 25 with stage two and Rai and e.e.'s plan about to begin and Lelouch makes a comment in chapter 26 the Rai is a chess piece that you won't find on the board whatever than means ]] chapter 30 plays with this again as [[spoiler: Surt has two chess sets one black and white and his blue and gold set from chapter 22. ]]

* In ''FanFic/JewelOfDarkness'', the mysterious leader of the [[TheConspiracy White Glove]] apparently has a thing for chess, as he gives [[spoiler: [[TheMole Jinx]]]] a pawn to show that while he values her, she's really not that important to him. He's also later shown playing an actual game of chess with ComicBook/VandalSavage, who warns him that predicting people is not as easy as predicting moves in chess.

* ''FanFic/LostInTimeSeries'': [[spoiler: The conversation that Second Timeline! Frank has with Faux-Hudson is a very clever one, with different animals of the WesternAnimation/IceAge as corresponding chess pieces: [[{{Foreshadowing}} mammoths for kings and queens, sabres for knights, humans for rooks, weasels for bishops, and an assortment of possums and sloths for pawns.]] Faux-Hudson employs the game to illustrate to Frank the gravity of the herd's importance to events, and [[ChekhovsGun many hints]] dropped in this will prove important later to the rest of the Series.]]

* ''Fanfic/PetProject'': Most memorably after Hermione realizes that they should be playing checkers, not chess, since [[spoiler: checkers allows for many pieces to be taken off the board in one move]]

* Edracian and [[spoiler: the Eldar Farseer]] in ''FanFic/SecretWar'' seem to love to call Attelus their "pawn".

* ''Film/AlienS'' The name of the character that is able to cut a path through the advancing enemy, moving on an unconventional path to reach his objective, then speedily returning to his original location next to his allies, [[spoiler: only to be taken by a Queen at the end is named Bishop.]]

* ''Film/TheThing1982'': [=MacReady=] destroying the chess computer by pouring whiskey into it mirrors the metaphorical game of chess played through the rest of the movie, and how he will destroy the game, or [[spoiler: burn down the entire facility]], to prevent his opponent from winning. Notice how in the end, [[spoiler: he hands Childs a drink -- and then laughs when Childs doesn't refuse it]]?

* ''Literature/TheWillOTheWispMystery'': The six escaped prisoners are compared to chess pieces; one had used the role of a clergyman as a cover (the bishop) to the mob boss (the king). [[spoiler: It's eventually subverted: the detective realizes that the chess motif (all the men protect the king) was wrong and that a checkers motif (first man across becomes the king) was correct.]]

** [[spoiler: Martha Kent[=/=]The Red Queen in Season 9's "Hostage."]]

** ''Series/KishiryuSentaiRyusoulger'' has the Druidon Tribe being themed after chess pieces, with the BigBad being the Queen, TheDragon is the King, TheEvilGenius and the DumbMuscle are Knights, TheChessmaster and [[spoiler: TheMole]] being Bishops and the two [[TheHeavy co-heavies]] being Rooks. The {{Mooks}} are of course based on Pawns.

* In the first game of ''VideoGame/BrokenSword'', there's a puzzle involving a chessboard[[spoiler: which reveals a hidden chalice from de Vasconcellos' mausoleum.]]

* ''VideoGame/GabrielKnight'': Near the end of [=GK3=], there's a puzzle involving a chessboard. In order to solve it, [[spoiler: Gabriel must move in the style of the Knight piece]].

* [[GodOfEvil Lord Fain]] of ''{{VideoGame/Lusternia}}'' has an aesthetic that is a cross between Chess Motifs and a MasqueradeBall, courtesy of his [[ManipulativeBastard manipulative]], [[TheChessmaster chessmaster]] nature and his own iconic crimson mask, [[spoiler: or rather, [[NotAMask his face]]]]. However, it's all obfuscation - ''everyone'' is a pawn to Fain, and calling his trusted followers "rooks" and "bishops" is mere flattery designed to ingratiate himself to them.

* In ''VideoGame/SilentBomber'', Benoit [[spoiler: the final boss]] uses chess analogies the whole game. Then [[spoiler: right before the climactic showdown with him, you fight lots of chess pieces on a chess board in what is probably the hardest moment in the game, except for maybe the fight with Benoit himself]]

* ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}'': The conflict between Prospit and Derse is essentially a gigantic chess match that gets more complicated with each prototyping. [[http://www.mspaintadventures.com/?s=6&p=003701 This spoileriffic video]] shows it best. See also Vimes above. This [[FridgeBrilliance explains why]] PM gets her AwesomeMomentOfCrowning as a reward for making it all the way to Derse and back on her mission. [[spoiler: She was a pawn that got promoted to a queen, a legitimate rule in chess if the pawn manages to reach the opposite side of the board.]]

* ''WebVideo/AtopTheFourthWall'': In the Sleepwalker arc, Linkara is shown playing chess against himself. [[spoiler: This is actually part of him being possessed by [[EldritchAbomination the Entity]], which is playing elaborate games instead of using its vast power to actually ''act'' on its threats because it fears the futility of its own purpose.]]

* ''WebAnimation/HvHMUGEN'': The strongest chess piece is the queen. In VQM, Queen [[spoiler: Nila]] demonstrates just how powerful she is. Even Gill is afraid of her.

* ''Literature/{{Twilight}}'': The ''Breaking Dawn'' cover shows a chessboard with a red pawn overshadowed by a towering white queen, symbolizing Bella's transformation from a weak, flesh-and-blood human to a strong and inhumanly beautiful vampire.

%%* ''Series/TheDailyShow'': One episode aired after Barack Obama's inauguration features this exchange between Jon Stewart and his interviewee, openly gay bishop Gene Robinson.%%Quotes aren't context.
%%-->'''Stewart''': Washington was so crowded today. There were so many people. You, as a bishop, were sort of doubly handicapped in that situation because you are only allowed to move diagonally. How is that, negotiating the crowds?\\
%%'''Robinson''': Jon, you have to understand there's a queen on the board as well.