#chesspieces

[miwachan2]

Of course. He'd rarely ever turn down a friendly game of chess :)

greyed out-ish, alternate color:

[mysticlustre]

chessboard ring made out of silver, ebony, and fossil ivory, crafted by joe turner

[netsurfer1001]

Ahh, Frutiger's Opening. Masterful gambit, sir!

[bauhaus-movement]

Chess table by Heinz Nösselt with figures by Josef Hartwig, 1924. Photo by Lucia Moholy.

[buckhead1111]

buckhead1111

[salmonella-destroyer-of-worlds]

[corvidsofthedeep]

No Context Crow #71: Chess Playing Crow(s)

Image originally found here.

[otakubimbo]

Checkmate

Yukuza Sukuna x F!Reader

Ch 2: Fool's Mate

You and the King of Curses, Ryomen Sukuna have come face to face with each other. What will you think of him? What does he think of you?

OB Note: Sorry, this has taken so long, I've been going through emotional turmoil while also getting settled into my new job but hopefully we will be on a better schedule. Ask if you would like to be tagged in the next one. Mwah!

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Sukuna realized that if he wanted something done right, he would have to do it himself. There was no way that getting information on or from you would be so difficult, you were just a civilian girl after all. That’s what led him to go to where you play chess with all those old men, he didn’t want to scare you off by approaching you in one of the more secluded spots that you inhabit occasionally.

Even if Toji failed, he knew that he wouldn’t. He was the King of Curses after all, the most feared man in the Japanese underground and incredibly handsome and charming on top of that. Assuming this would be easy when you spot your stall as you approach your usual group. That was until your eyes narrowed and a scowl appeared on your face as if you were disgusted with his appearance. Huh, so this is what Fushiguro meant when he said that you were immediately unimpressed. But he still assumed this would be easy, due to how the old men talked about you.

They spoke as if you were sunlight itself, a delicate flower in the cracks of a city sidewalk. The men referred to you as their ‘sunshine’.

“Hey there sunshine,” His voice smoothed, laced with confidence as you approached the group. He had a lazy smirk on his face as the old men started to goad you into playing a match with him.

This used to be a pastime of his before he became the head of the family, now he didn’t have time for such trivial things as playing a game of chess. It was a game of strategy that required foresight and the ability to make quick decisions. These were important skills to have when you were the head of a yakuza family.  He had already beaten the old men at the table, which won them over quicker than he expected by the reports he got from his men with how standoffish they were with them.

This was going to be easy. He was going to make you comfortable enough with him to tell you everything about that compound you visit every day. He always got what he wanted, and what he wanted was whatever information you had that would stop the damn Zennins from continuing to push into his territory without having to go to an all-out war.

As you sat across from you, you looked irritated at his intrusion but put on a fake smile to appease the uncles you play with daily.  

“Sure, I’ll play him” You respond directly to them not even acknowledging the pink-haired man's presence in front of you. This was your one time to just relax and not have any thoughts but now here comes a man trying to ruin it for you.

He was disgustingly handsome and the tattoos that adorned his face didn’t help with how attractive he already was. Although, he carried himself with a self-assurance that irritated you. Just like a man. But maybe he wasn’t that bad since the uncles let him sit and play, they usually scowl anyone away who tries to join them wanting to keep their ground small but someone he wormed his way into the group and quickly at that.

“I’ll go easy on you sunshine,” He says with that cocky smirk you can see on his face from your peripheral vision, making your eyes immediately roll as you turn to face him not even pretending to put on a fake smile. You scan his face and then the board, trying to decide how to play this would you play the fast and aggressive game to end this early or drag it out to undermine and humiliate him?

As you look up from the board, coming up with a few strategies on how to play this you saw the most annoying cocky smirk on his face as if he was looking down on you. That’s when you made your decision, it was going to be the latter.  A small smile graces your face as you figure out your game plan in your head on how you are going to destroy this man.

There are many misconceptions with the game of chess. Most people think that the best way of attack is to capture as many pieces as one can to allow a checkmate but that’s not true at all because it only takes one piece to check or checkmate your opponent. It is not a numbers game, it’s a game of strategy, it’s a game of knowledge of yourself and the moves of your opponent. And that’s exactly how you crushed the man in front of you.

You allowed him to capture most of your pieces, putting yourself in what he thought was a dangerous position, but that wasn’t the closest thing to the truth. You had moved pieces around the board haphazardly, or so he thought, allowing your pieces to get captured which made him careless leaving several opportunities for you to check and checkmate him. But you didn’t want an easy win, you wanted him to believe he was capable of beating you and then show him how wrong he was and that his confidence was just a facade.

He was so focused on moving his pieces toward your end of the board and capturing yours that he didn’t notice your corning his king. You had him in a position that wouldn’t allow his king to escape you had him in check and in one move in a checkmate but you waited, you would wait until y ou could really crush him. And just as he spoke those words you were waiting to hear faking a dejected look as you were cackling inside.

“Check”

The words slip form his mouth so effortlessly as he sits back, smug in the way he thinks he has you defeated. You take a deep breath in as you look up at him with a sad expression that just increases his smugness.

“So, what’s your next move sunshine?”  confidence was oozing from every single one of his pores as he looks across to you. As you exhale the breath you were holding, a devilish grin spreads on your face and you tongue slides across the bottom of your teeth.  Your hand reaches across the board as you put your queen in the checkmate position towards his king.

“Checkmate. Sunshine” You say as you get up, proud of yourself as you see the confused look on his face as he looks at the board. If he wasn’t such an arrogant jerk this whole game, it would have been slightly attractive how his jaw tightens at the realization that he lost and from his own arrogance.

“Oh and by the way, two things.” You comment as you gather your things to leave. His eyes lock onto you as you look down at him, holding the same breath of confidence and arrogance he held earlier.

“First, I could have checked you after your first two moves, you made the most rookie mistakes in chess. The fool’s mate. Second, don’t call me sunshine.” You huff with a smirk getting ready to walk away before he calls after you. You turn your head over your shoulder, not fully facing him.

“Then what should I call you,” He asks more intrigued with you than he should be.

“Ha,” You chuckle, adjusting your tote on your shoulder, “Nothing, don’t even address me.”

That was the last thing you said to him before you walked off to where he assumed was either that café or the library. Oh you intrigued him, you really did. He never thought that someone like you would be associated with the zennins, they didn’t value women or their opinions.

Especially one not as headstrong as you seemed to be, but maybe they were making expectations, maybe they were changing. You had a brilliant mind for strategy it seemed and a dangerous mouth on you. He needed to know more about you, he needed to understand how your mind worked, he needed you. For the purpose of undermining the zennins of course, that was the only reason he was so interested in you. The only reason.

[zecromgen5]

(Deltawings) Chess Dragons.

The dragons who live in The Great Board area are more sequestered from the rest of the forest, and developed slightly different ways of life, at least until the King of Spades gained full reign. These dragons often made a passtime of forming groups and strategizing small scale battles against eachother.

When the King of Spades gained complete rule, the Great Board dragons were forced to quit thier battles, as the King was afraid that they would be the first to revolt. Mr. Society was the largest protester of this, though unfortunately they were punished for it.

[authenticfashionstatements]

Chess Moves, Let’s Move

[cultlifecollective-blog]

THE GAME OF CHESS IS LIKE A SWORD FIGHT

[freisende]

Memories Selection: Checkmate Episode 5 - 孤独な玉座 (The Lonely Throne) English Translation - Ensemble Stars

Provided by Happy Elements, あんスタチャンネル on Youtube

Ensemble Stars Memories Selection: Checkmate 『チェックメイト』 Adapted from Ensemble Stars! Story: Checkmate Written by: 日日日 (Akira) English Translation: Freiya

*All copyrights of the stories, scene pictures and writings, all belong to Happy Elements. I only translated the scenes into English to help overseas fans understand the dialogues. I do not own any copyrights other than the English Translation*

——————————————

Izumi: You’re late, Leo-kun!

Izumi: It's basic to be on time, right? Don’t you lack the sense of being the leader?

Leo: Ahaha~! Sorry, sorry. You know… in truth, just now I was negotiating a bit with the unit we’re supposed to be facing off.

Eichi: Negotiate…?

Izumi: *Izumi takes a walk forward* …Now that I think about it, not even one of them has shown up yet, have they? Well, they don’t even have the will to do their activities from the start. So I thought they don’t intend to participate in the rehearsal, and will just go straight directly in the real live, though?

Leo: Hm. They’re really like that, huh? Recently, I have finally understood. Everyone, all of them, I thought they’re my lovely friends. But I wonder what they think? I was thinking; do they also think of me as a precious being, like Sena do? I was very curious about this as of late. That’s why the other day, I had Mama[1] help me negotiate, and I directly faced the former member of Chess regarding this one-on-one. I’m also a boy, so I’m worthless if I am always just being protected by Sena, right? 

Izumi: *Izumi puts a confused expression while looking at Madara*

…What do you mean?

Madara: Hmm… let’s hear it directly from Leo himself, okay?

Izumi: …

*Everyone is silent and hear Leo’s explanation deeply*

Leo: …I went all around and asked everyone. I asked them, “What do you think of me? What am I to you?” They gave me various answers. But there is not much meaning in words. “A friend. A comrade, I love you”, you can say anything with your mouth, right? 

That’s why I narrowed it to choices. 

Izumi: …Choices?

Leo: Yup. Me, or the songs I composed. I made them choose. If they like me, regard me as a friend, and still want to be friends with me, I won’t let them use my songs anymore. But if they choose to be my enemies, I will let them use my songs just like always up to now. When I presented them with those choices, Sena, what do you think happened there? 

Leo: Everyone, without any hint of hesitation, with smiling expression on their faces, they directly choose to be my enemies! Ahahahahahaha! Laughable, right, Sena? What they love isn’t me, but my songs! Well, that’s obvious though, because I’m a genius! The songs I made are great masterpieces! Ahahahaha, ahahaha! Hey, Sena, Tenshi, it was steeped in my mind that I was loved. I thought I had spent my youth well happily with these friendful comrades.

Leo: But, it was just me being mistaken by myself! Ahahahahaha, ahahahahahaha, ahahahaha, ahaha! 

Izumi: Leo-kun, well…!

Leo: No, wait a moment, Sena! Hear me out! *Leo holds out his hand to Izumi* Starting this point is the climax masterpiece! I said just now that I was negotiating, right? I don’t want them to ruin and make a mess of the live that Sena and everyone else has been preparing well for, so I thought it would be best for them to just back off if they don’t want to do it!

***

–Flashback to the scene of Leo negotiating before–

Chess’ former member A: Don’t stand on today’s checkmate stage?

Leo: Yup. You would still get the pay. Not a bad deal, right?

Chess’ former member B: Okay~! I’ll ride that big negotiation deal.

Leo: …I see…

Chess’ former member C: Yeah. Even if we face off, we can’t win against you guys.

Chess’ former member D: If we don’t need to stand on stage but still get paid, that way definitely would be better for us too.

Chess’ former members: Ahahahahahaha. 

Leo: …In truth, I was hoping that they would reject this negotiation. I wanted to explode, “Don’t be ridiculous!”, I wanted to beat and mess them up!

…Hey. what’s up with those guys? Are they really idols? For what purpose do they live? Isn’t it to do their best in things they like in their life?

Izumi: Leo-kun… *Izumi reaches out for Leo’s shoulders*

Leo: …Sena, this is your fault, you know!

Izumi: …Huh?

Leo: You’re the first person I met in this school. You’re the guy that I got close to and you always do your best. That’s why I thought everyone else was like that too…! Idols are amazing, and if it’s here I can definitely make friends. It made me believe that it would be like that, I was made to believe that things were like that. That’s why! Everything, all of it is your fault, Sena!

Izumi: …Why…*Izumi backs off* …Why is it my fault, Leo-kun…?

Madara: …. *Madara looks quietly at them*

***

–Madara calls Izumi out to the archery club’s practice field to talk–

Izumi: …Mikejima, what is it that you need to talk about? It’s about time for the stage to start, I need to do my makeup, change my clothes… I’m busy, though.

Madara: Hm. I thought that you needed to know, see. So I thought of telling you quietly, you know?

Izumi: …Haa? 

Madara: On that day, I was passing by this archery club’s practice field. And I heard the voice of a cat crying inside, as if asking for help. I entered here, and I witnessed that appearance of Leo-san. 

*Little John meows*

Leo: Hm~♪ Hm~♪ Hm~♪ Hm~♪ *Leo sings a melody*

Madara: …! *Madara was surprised and hurried to rush inside, but stop in the middle of the way, while gritting his teeth*

With the flowing blood from his broken right hand as a writing tool, Leo-san was writing music scores, and composing a song with his blood. While crying, he was saying this:

Leo: I’m happy…! This is the first time I’m feeling such pain! What a fortunate moment, ahahaha! Ah, it’s flowing, it’s flowing here…! Inspiration! Ahahahaha…!

Madara: I rushed to the infirmary to call for help, but when I came back, Leo-san was gone.

Izumi: I see. 

(So after that, he came to my place, in the practice room…)

Madara: I investigated, and finally I got it. This place has become a kind of hanging out place for delinquents and those bad guys with no ethic, you see?That day too, they played and did bad things to the cat that got lost here. It’s a very disgusting, bad story, though. They used lighters to burn it, used arrows to hurt it. That was how it came to Leo-san trying to stop them using his body. And the result of it, was like that. The delinquents got scared and they ran off, apparently. Then that’s how I found out. When I saw that appearance of Leo-san, I was too shocked. I thought, perhaps because of the unbearable pain, something has gone off in Leo-san’s head. But the truth, it was not like that.

Madara: Leo-san was trying his best desperately in telling himself: “It’s no one’s fault. This is not a tragedy. If else, I’m feeling happy. Using this experience, I can write out a great masterpiece!” That’s what he must have thought in his head.

Izumi: …That guy… Leo-kun is… an idiot with a good heart of a person, so something like hating other people– he can’t truly hate anyone from the bottom of his heart. And that’s why in Chess, he’s being used delightly by other people. 

Madara: Hm. If you have comprehended that much, then I would like for you to watch for Leo-san carefully, closely by his side. That child is fragile. I am trying my best as his friend, but I can’t always remain by his side to watch him. But you, you’re his comrade and his equivalent, aren’t you? So I’m begging you. Please don’t make that good child unhappy.

Izumi: …Even if you told me that…! I am just a fellow unit member… not his family, or even a friend. I’m busy with myself already and have other things to fulfil. I can’t take care of each and every one of his problems.

***

–Back in the auditorium, audiences have begun to gather to watch the stage–

Leo: Aah Sena~! Se~na, just where have you gone off to? The audiences have entered and gathered here, you know!

Arashi: Hey, hey, Izumi-chan. All the members of our opposing units have surrendered, right? Then, you don’t need extra helping members, right? *Arashi looks at Ritsu*

Ritsu: Um. *Ritsu nods his head at Arashi*

Izumi: *Izumi looks around*…Where are Tenshouin and Aoba?

Leo: They have gone back! I asked them to. I’m the leader, you see. I have that much of an authority, right?

Ritsu: Well, us too…

Arashi: Can go back home, right?

Leo: No! You guys should go sing. From what I’ve seen you guys are pretty good. I’m also curious and want to see how your singing voice sounds!

Arashi: Oh my…

Ritsu: …Eehh?

Leo: It’s time to take off! Let’s go, Sena! *Leo stands up and approaches Izumi* What should I do?

Izumi: …even if you tell me what…?

Leo: I’m stupid, so I can’t figure it out by myself. You’re smart, so you should think it out, and tell me what I should do. I will make your dream come true. 

Leo: As Knights, together with me.

——————————————

Translator’s notes:

[1] Leo calls Madara with his unique abbreviated name, “Mama” from MikejiMA MAdara.

Note: This episode made me sob so much omg it hurts, Leo-kun!😭

——————————————

!Warning! Please refrain from reposting the translation to other platforms; abide to link back to this post for reference. Thank you.

Memories Selection: Checkmate Directory Chapter Episode 4 - Rusting Heart Episode 6 - The Shine of the Crown

Translation Masterlist

[allyce-11]

Some random Deep Cover Observation

So I don't really write theories for this fandom, I love them, don't get me wrong but I don't know if I feel comfortable writing them. I just noticed something though, and I didn't see it said before so here goes my first contribution to Milgram fandom with some observation! yay!

Every single piece at the end is seen for a couple of frames after the "UNDER" and the call out of each innocent prisoner, they are seen as chess pieces with the color of each character and the pink "blood" form Kotoko.

However! Even when Kotoko calls out Es in the video with the "Inept, inside a prison of the mind" and at the end with "Inept 011 Guard" grouping them with the innocent prisoners... They don't have a chess piece.

Even Kotoko has the scale representing her, but Es isn't in there, they are not a piece in this game. They are not the one being judged, they are not on equal ground with the prisoners... Even when Kotoko portrays herself as the new Warden, and calls Es imperfect, She is aware that they are abode her no matter what.

which brings me to that final part in "YONAH" :

Es reaffirms how even when Kotoko has a lot of points in her argument and she represents some of Milgram ideas, she is still a prisoner, a tool at that. I also find it interesting that she seems to respect that answer and says she has no problem with it as long as ES is worth that position.

Anyway, I don't really know if I made a point with this, I just find it kind of a cool detail, I don't really know if I want the "Es is the 11th prisoner" theory to be true, that will be kind of boring and we all see it coming so I kind of hoping for a plot twist there if I'm honest...

So kind of neat that even when Kotoko complains about Es job as the warden she still respects and wants to cooperate with them. And Es still admits that Kotoko is strong and made some sense even when they are pissed off with her. (Their relationship is so messed up that I kind of enjoy it lol)

[collegiategothic]

My friend who does resin crafting made me this GORGEOUS chess set, and I love when the sun in my room hits it just right to show all the sparkle ✨ ♟️

[thescribblednovel]

Anybody else learn how to play chess while reading the Inheritance Games? ♟️🙂

[salmonella-destroyer-of-worlds]