Chess Theory

[Angel Moules]

No: HPFGUIDX 85907

I did a quick search, but couldn't see anything detailing this idea.

A couple of weeks ago, Lycoris posted a theory to her LJ detailing the 
possible relationship between the game of Chess in PS/SS and the whole 
of the books. This builds on those posts, including what I added to the 
idea. I'd been playing around with the chess metaphor myself, but got to 
nothing like the complexity that Lycoris manages.

The Game

The first thing that strikes me is the chilling metaphor between the 
chess game and life. When Harry walks into the chess room, the pieces 
have all healed themselves, and returned to their original positions 
just as if nothing has happened. If Evil is White and Good is Dark, it 
shows that the war will continue as if the battle has never happened, as 
the pieces are faceless - there are no details, just that one side has 
to win, and then they're all back to how they were.

In part, it's also a metaphor for death - Harry experiences losing Ron, 
and having to go on without him not knowing if he's still alive. In much 
the same way Sirius' death evokes a similar response. Harry has to go on 
with the game, whether he likes it or not.

Chess can be seen as a metaphor for life - for every action there is an 
equal and opposite reaction, although there will evidently be individual 
perturbations.

The DEs being white is a curious thing, as white initially suggests
purity, sterility even. But consider - the likes of Lucius seem to exist
quite openly, in the light. Perhaps better is to look at the
trajectories of the different pieces.

The Pieces

Canon gives us the positions of Harry, Ron and Hermione from the chess
game. I'm assuming that the three of them begin as the King side pieces.
The second column is the list of pawns

Black

Rook Hermione
Knight Ron Neville
Bishop Harry Ginny Weasley
King Dumbledore Cedric Diggory
Queen McGonagall Rubeus Hagrid
Bishop Snape
Knight Sirius
Rook Lupin


White

Rook Barty Crouch Jnr
Knight Rookwood OR Dolohov Ludo Bagman
Bishop Lucius Malfoy Peter Pettigrew
Queen Bellatrix
King Voldemort Quirrell
Bishop Draco Malfoy
Knight Rodolphus Lestrange
Rook Millicent Bulstrode

In chess, the great thing about Pawns is that they can be turned into
Queens, or indeed, any other piece on the back row.

The interesting thing is that white starts, and in starting can dictate
to Black the roles of particular pieces in particular which of Harry and
Neville will be the chosen adversary of Voldemort. Ultimately of course
it is Harry that checkmates the black king in PS/SS, albeit with the
assistance of Hermione and Ron.

I believe that all the pieces are now on the board, in the series, we
just don't know their precise positions.

Going through this, piece by piece:

Black Rook: Hermione
Hermione tends to think in straight lines  Straight A student,
emotionally intelligent, but not brilliant at political manoeuvring.
She's unsubtle when it comes to the Elf Liberation Front, and only
succeeds in upsetting the creatures.
If she castled with Dumbledore, then she becomes central to the game,
while AD puts himself in a safe position, able to influence play,
without actually running the risk of checkmates. He would be unlikely to
castle with Lupin, although pieces work best as a team, and Lupin would
probably work well with Hermione, once Snape and Harry were out onto the
open game.

Black Rook: Lupin
This is only supposition, but if were seeing the loyal Marauders as the 
counterpart to the modern trio, then it makes sense to have Remus as the 
Rook. Hes a fairly straight forward character, powerful in his own 
right, but he struggles with group politics  as JKR said, hes too 
grateful for having friends, and overlooks some of the things they do to 
him.

Black Bishops: Harry and Snape
So similar in nature, and yet so very different. Complementary pieces,
complex men. One operates in the shadows, the other in the light.
Never destined to reside on the same square, yet each vital to the
effectiveness of the other. Both need the King in order to effect a
proper checkmate, unable to undo Voldemort entirely on their own,
although each is powerful in his own right, and able to control and
manipulate huge swathes of the board.

Black Knights: Sirius and Ron
Partly because of the shock of the Knight being taken, I put Sirius down 
as the black knight, counterpart to Ron. They operate in similar 
territory with relation to Harry  the friend and guide. Both are 
inventive characters that dont quite operate on straight lines. Ron 
isnt daft, and seems to genuinely appreciate brains. Sirius is one of 
the brightest of his year. They seem to have a lot in common. Others 
have dealt with the similarities between the two.
Dumbledore as the Black King may seem obvious, but is actually quite 
interesting. The king in chess cant move very far, yet has a profound 
influence on the rest of the game, because its him theyre ultimately 
seeking to protect.

McGonagall as the Black Queen, again, she seems to be skilled 
politically (OOTP) magically (animagus) and in her personal life. She 
seems to have a large sphere of influence, assuming that the deputy of 
Hogwarts is as well thought of as the Head.

The Pawns
Neville Longbottom
Whats intriguing about this is that Either Neville or Harry could have 
been the pawn that eventually becomes a queen after 7 moves (7 books). 
The position of Harry and Neville in the great game is eventually 
decided by LV, not they themselves. Pawns can only take obliquely, and 
thats what Neville seems to do. Hes a constant presence in the series, 
without actually doing very much, bar melting cauldrons. However the 
melting cauldrons seem to provide useful plot points.

Cedric Diggory
The opening gambit, effectively put forward by Mad Eye Moody!Crouch. The 
one put forward to see how serious this game really is. Hes down as the 
Kings pawn, because by going, he exposes Harry.

Ginny Weasley
Pawns can be quite influential, and shes really coming into her own as 
the books progress. A queen in the making. Unlike Hermione, who is 
already fixed in a place, Ginny can be whatever the board most needs at 
the time she reaches the final square. This could be someone for Harry, 
or for Neville, or one of the other pawns.

Rubeus Hagrid
The pawn that protects the King and Queen (OOTP) and is likely never to 
reach the final square, but will prove important in the run of the game. 
Dumbledore says he would trust Rubeus with his life, which suggests that 
he is the Queens Pawn.

Grawp/Firenze/Dobby/A.N.Goblin
Shows the fa(r)ce of unity of the magical brethren.


WHITE
Ive found these far more difficult to categorise. The King and Queen 
are fairly obvious  Bellatrixs statement of intent in GOF makes her 
role obvious. Voldemort is of course a given.

Arguments can be made for the different characters playing different 
roles. The Malfoys as Bishops, and Bishops pawn works, as a contrast to 
Snape and Harry. Lucius operates in the light, Snape in the darkness. 
Draco and Harry play on the same colour, fighting the same territory. 
(Pansy?)

The definite pawns are Quirrel and Peter. The Rooks are Crouch Junior 
and Millicent. Millicent, because shes set up in the first book as 
agonist to Hermione, and this raises its ugly head in OOTP with the IS 
capturing the DA. Not Pansy, because I think shes being set up for 
other things. (Then again, I read Muggle Studies. Im biased.) Crouch 
Junior because hes blinkered by his loyalty. Works in disguise, but is 
unable to see beyond his face.

Knights  Im veering towards Dolohov (on the evidence of the department 
of mysteries and Rookwood (on the evidence of Harrymort). Mr Lestrange 
doesnt seem particularly interesting, much in the shadows of his wife  
and is probably her pawn, ready to be sacrificed.
Ludo Bagman, I have as a pawn  someone to be sacrificed as necessary.

What this metaphor says for the game itself?
Snarry is out  they never move on the same square. Theyd work well as 
a team, but not as a couple. It is possible to read Snarry into this 
analysis as well, using the same reasoning, I suppose
Harry/Hermione  they dont move in the same plane often enough. Harry 
will skip around the board  its what makes him good at DADA, but Im 
not sure that he and Hermione would be in the right place often enough
Harry/Ron, Ron/Hermione  both possible  the Knight is complementary to 
both of them, and (as noted about GoF) and smooths the two to work as a 
team.
Harry/Ginny  Possible  we dont know the likely development of Ginny.
Sirius/Snape  again, possible, but theyre so much in the habit of 
annoying each other that a retrospective love affair wont happen.

My betting is that Harry will think that Ron is dead, and have to go on 
to face LV alone. That knowledge will mean that he has the power and the 
recklessness to win  look how he defeats LVs attempt to possess him in 
OOTP  he doesnt fear death, therefore he can take the risks he needs 
to take.

Pansy and Luna dont fit into this analysis  Im wondering if Pansy is 
being set up as the good Slytherin, and Im not sure about Luna. Zach is 
another one that Im not sure of.

Comments appreciated

Angel of the North