The Chessmaster: Difference between revisions

 

== Fanfiction ==

* [[Manipulative Bastard|Checker]] [[The Sociopath|Monarch]], the [[Big Bad]] of ''[[Getting Back On Your Hooves (Fanfic)|Getting Back On Your Hooves]]'', who uses a chess board (chess itself being described at one point as her favorite game) as a representation of her plans to ruin {{spoiler|her sister}} Trixie's life.

 

* In the film ''[[Jason and The Argonauts (Film)|Jason and The Argonauts]]'', the gods are shown playing a boardgame, with the heroes and villains as pieces.

* In ''[[Lucky Number Slevin]]'' there is a scene where Slevin and the Boss discuss how Slevin will kill the Rabbi's son, interposed with a scene where Goodkat tells the Boss how he can manipulate Slevin into performing the murder, while all are playing a chess game. The scene takes on new relevance when {{spoiler|it turns out that "Slevin" and Goodkat were working together from the beginning to manipulate the Boss AND the Rabbi, in order to get revenge for them murdering Slevin's parents}}.

** Inspired in part by ''[[Yojimbo]]'' and ''The Glass Key''.

*** Don't you mean ''Red Harvest''?

 

== Live Action TV ==

* One of Monk's suspects in ''[[Monk (TV)|Monk]]'', who is an actual chessmaster (a Grand Master, in fact). He uses chess metaphors to taunt Monk about the exact method he used to murder his wife and get away with it. Most notably, he mentions the "Poisoned Pawn" (a name for a particular chess opening) move in which he fooled his second wife into poisoning herself, and Monk's attempt to find the answer buys him enough time to cremate the body in the event that Monk does find out the chess opening. In fact, his actions, not to mention Monk's irritation towards not being to figure out how to nail him, actually caused Monk to nearly cross the line by planting evidence to get him arrested. Monk then [[Eureka Moment|gains inspiration]] from the tactic of swapping the positions of the king and rook to figure out that the suspect had changed the headstone of his first wife in order to prevent the body from being exhumed.

** After this, Monk then begins to tell off the chessmaster about how it is such poor form to use chess terms when you're talking about people, ending it with [[Monk (TV)/Awesome|"but if you insist... checkmate."]]

* Ukyo from ''[[Samurai Seven]]'' constantly manipulates people to serve his own ambitions. Even the shocking news that {{spoiler|he is a clone of the Emperor}} doesn't shock him for long, and he quickly {{spoiler|disposes of the Emperor, possibly causes the death of another of the Emperor's as-yet-unborn clones, and takes over the throne himself.}} The only plan that stops him is a group of samurai who plainly state they ''have'' no plan.

* ''[[Sailor Moon]] R'' [[Big Bad]] Wiseman/Death Phantom constructs an elaborate plot that will allow him to destroy the universe of both the past and future which involved him playing the role of the [[Evil Chancellor]] to the Black Moon Clan, having them attack the earth of the future then in traveling back in time to attack the earth of the past, having the Sailor Senshi foil them, then have the Senshi traveled to the future so he could get his hands on the [[MacGuffin Girl]] he needs for his plan, Chibiusa whose power he will feed to his Evil Black Crystal which will then open a gateway of negative energy to to annihilate the universe with.

* In ''[[Gundam 00]]'', Alejandro Corner ''thinks'' he's the Chessmaster, hijacking Aeolia Schenberg's {{spoiler|century-in-the-making}} [[Xanatos Roulette]] and arranging to dispose of the late Aeolia's loyal followers so he can take command of the newly-forming Earth Sphere Federation. {{spoiler|He's wrong. Alejandro was actually being manipulated himself every step of the way by his [[The Man Behind the Man|apparent lackey]], Ribbons Almark. The first hint Alejandro gets of this comes seconds before his death when Ribbons radios him to gloat.}}

** Let's give credit to Aeolia Schenberg too, please? He managed to ''accurately'' predict the events of pretty much everything that happened during the first season, and developed effective contingencies for it. What makes him different from all the other different chessmasters? {{spoiler|He's been ''dead'' for ''two hundred years''.}}

* Makina Seval of ''[[The Assassins of Tamurin]]'', whose [[Xanatos Roulette]] has been years in the making, spanning across an empire but never hitting a snag, and using players in the most obscure and unpredictable roles, who know ''absolutely nothing'' about what they're being used for.

* The titular character of the ''[[Artemis Fowl (Literature)|Artemis Fowl]]'' series (being a [[Teen Genius]] he is naturally a literal chessmaster as well, though this gets only a passing mention). Opal Koboi also counts.

* ''Shadows of the Hegemon'' by [[Orson Scott Card]] is a [[Gambit Pileup|Chessmaster free-for-all,]] with Achilles betraying everyone, Peter playing his own games behind the mask of Locke, Petra working to screw Achilles from underneath him, and Bean formulating his own tactics and webs. The plot is so complex with betrayals, it's like reading a game of risk.

** The opening chapter of ''Ender In Exile'' showcases the Wiggins' chessmaster talents, as used on each other, except for Ender, who doesn't appear in that chapter, though when he does show up, he gets to show off his ability to manipulate others as well, albeit to a slightly lesser extent. Also: Hyrum Graff.

* Michael Scofield from ''[[Prison Break]]'' is a chessmaster on par with people like [[Death Note (Manga)|Light Yagami]]. You can be sure that, no matter how short the time is or how hard the creation of a plan is, he ''will'' come up with something. And if his plan fails he ''will'' have a backup-plan ''or'' it was supposed to fail all along. Adding to that, he's sometimes [[Crazy Prepared]].

* Sir Humphrey Appleby in ''[[Yes Minister]]'' and ''Yes, Prime Minister'' pulls off several devious yet intricately devised gambits designed to flummox the far-less intellectually cunning (Prime) Minister Jim Hacker, in order to thwart Hacker's agenda, cement his power and influence over the department and government, and to feather his own nest. However, Hacker - whilst nowhere near Humphrey's level of ability - is not without some low cunning himself, and is occasionally able to pull a fast one on Humphrey, and events occasionally conspire to leave Humphrey spluttering in astonishment as his plan collapses around him.

** And the Puppeteer in question, Carnell, is also [[Smart People Play Chess|very good]] at chess.

{{quote| '''Carnell:''' ''I'm very good, Supreme Commander, believe me. I've taken everyone and everything into consideration. It's all as predictable as... that very expensive chess machine.''}}

* ''[[The Shadow Line (TV)|The Shadow Line]]'' has several:

** Gatehouse, who's very skilled at planning events in his favour, to the point where the BBC website actually calls him a puppetmaster. {{spoiler|Indeed, it's his skill at this that ensures his ultimate victory.}}

** Joseph Bede, who, while not as good at it as the two above, successfully manages to dupe Customs into looking the other way while he carries out his deal.

* ''[[Sherlock]]'': [[Manipulative Bastard|Moriarty]] and [[Big Brother Is Watching|Mycroft]] both. Possibly [[The Vamp|Irene]].

== Professional Wrestling ==

* Puerto Rican Wrestler Ray Gonzalez's gimmick is that he's a chessmaster (and a good one at that).

* [[Mick Foley]] of all people was revealed to be one in [[TNA]]. He worked his way silently up into the Network as an executive behind Immortal's back, using his position to make them literally [[Screwed By the Network]] at every turn. When he finally reveals this, they're dumbstruck because he was the last person they'd expect. On May 26th, Hogan believes he's outsmarted Foley and got the Network to give him control again during a meeting the previous week. However, while Hogan is celebrating both that and Eric destroying the X Division, Foley comes out and reveals that after Hogan left, Foley took over the meeting. The end result was the Network furious at Immortal again and giving Foley the authority to revive the X Division. He even found a loophole to give him control of the PPV because the Network funds them.

 

** Not to mention Harbinger: {{spoiler|Sends Collector's to find and destroy Shepard. Attacks human colonies in order to build Human-Reaper, but eventually decides to use the project to lure Shepard to him. Then he leads the Reapers on a charge to the Alpha Relay, forcing Shepard to either let them through it or destroy it, killing 300,000 batarians and earning the hatred of the whole galaxy.}}

** The cake must go to {{spoiler|theShadow Broker}}. He {{spoiler|killed his master and took control of his information network. He uses that network to keep himself in power, playing rivals off against each other and controlling galactic espionage in order to prevent anyone gaining the upper hand, and thus making sure his service are no longer.}}

* [[Starcraft|Sarah Kerrigan]], full stop. ''Brood Wars'' was basically Kerrigan playing her own constant Chessmaster, to the point where she was more playing a game of [[Xanatos Roulette]].

*** Both Starcraft and Brood Wars actually have several of them. The Overmind definitely counts, maybe also Dugall. Alan Shezar and Ulrezaj also count, if you take [[Blizzard Entertainment]]'s bonus campaigns as canon. Oh, and ''of course'' {{spoiler|Duran}} (who also qualifies as a [[Magnificent Bastard]]).

[[Category:Older Than Feudalism]]

[[Category:The Chessmaster]]