DD, LV, Chess and War

[vmonte]

No: HPFGUIDX 124448


Tania_schr wrote:
I read somewhere that JKR said a lot of clues about how the series
ends is in SS. (Well, probably a lot of clues to how the series
ends is in all the books.) But I was just wondering . . . I lent my
SS book to a friend, so I don't have it with me. Does anyone
remember the specifics of the chess game in SS? Where was Harry,
Hermione, and Ron? And what exactly happened in that game? (Been a
long time since I have read that book.)


vmonte responds: 
Reprint from 2 days ago.

The Chess Game

The chess game represents the second war against Voldemort. (I'm not
the only person who believes this theory, it's been mentioned by many
fans and writers.)

"I think," said Ron, "we're going to have to be chessmen." Page 281,
SS, U.S. version

Ron walks over to a black knight and asks if they have to join him to
get across the board--the knight nods his head. Ron turns to Harry
and Hermione:

Page 282

"This needs thinking about
." He said. "I suppose we've got to take
the place of three of the black pieces
"

"Harry and Hermione stayed quiet, watching Ron think. Finally he
said, "Now, don't be offended or anything, but neither of you are
good at chess—"

Ron knows that he is the strategist (not Hermione or Harry). Harry
has survived every book because he is quick on his feet and relies
heavily on his natural talent and instincts. Hermione is very
intelligent, but she is not a good strategist. (All you have to do is
see how successful she is at liberating the house elves.)

"We're not offended," said Harry quickly. "Just tell us what to do."

"Well, Harry, you take the place of that bishop, and Hermione, you go
next to him instead of that castle."

"What about you?"
"I'm going to be a knight," said Ron.

Three chess pieces listen to Ron and walk off the board. Do these
pieces represent characters from the first war? (Who were the knight,
castle, and bishop then? We can probably guess.)

Interesting that Hermione is a Castle and that Ron is a Knight. Isn't
a Knight's job to protect his castle? Also, Ron's position in
Quidditch is that of Keeper. The Keeper tries to prevent the other
team from making any goals—he's the protector. The Knight in chess
never moves in a direct manner but weaves back and forth between
other pieces. Chess is a game of strategy that is usually won in
small steps. I believe that Dumbledore is the strategist of the HP
series and is manipulating events in the story but in small
steps/ways.

The Bishop has long-range ability (especially towards the end of a
game when there are more open spaces), which enables it to make
extended penetrating attacks which are impossible for the Knight.
This gives the Bishop an end-game advantage. (Think of Harry's Seeker
position in Quidditch. The other players can only score 10 points per
goal, but if Harry catches the snitch he gets 150 points, and the
game is over. The Seeker is key to winning the game.) We know that
Dumbledore is already setting up Harry to take on Voldemort in the
final confrontation. Harry as Bishop also makes sense since he often
moves diagonally (remember in the CoS movie when Harry uses floo-
powder and says diagonally instead of Diagon Ally?) not like the
Castle/Rook, which only moves in straight lines (sounds like straight-
laced Hermione to me).

"White always plays first in chess," said Ron, peering across the
board. "Yes...look
"

A white pawn had moved forward two squares. (Wormtail?)

"Harry—move diagonally four squares to the right."

"Their first real shock came when their other knight was taken. The
white queen smashed him to the floor and dragged him off the board,
where he lay quite still, facedown."

This Knight represents Sirius Black who was killed by the Queen
Bellatrix.

Who is the Queen on the Order's side? Ginny? (I believe that Ginny is
being set-up for something. She is the only child that has had direct
contact with Tom Riddle/Voldemort, and like Harry, has also shared
thoughts with the evil guy. Another interesting point is that Ginny
also played Harry's position in Quidditch and may eventually take
over Harry's position against Voldemort at some crucial moment. Will
she step in to save Harry like he saved her? Actually, she played two
roles while playing Quidditch!!! Interestingly, the Queen chess piece
is also very versatile. It combines the powers of both the Rook and
the Bishop. It can move horizontally, vertically, or on the diagonal!
In a sense, it's like the king (silently represented by Dumbledore)
in that it can move in any direction.

"Had to let that happen," said Ron, looking shaken. "Leaves you free
to take that bishop, Hermione, go on."

Did Dumbledore know that Sirius was going to die? And who does
Hermione take down? Malfoy?
Page 283

The game continues with the white pieces showing no mercy every time
a black piece is taken. Ron loses a lot of black chess pieces.

"Twice, Ron only just noticed in time that Harry and Hermione were in
danger. He himself darted around the board, taking almost as many
white pieces as they had lost black ones."

"We're nearly there," he muttered suddenly. "Let me think—let me
think
"

The white queen turned her blank face toward him.

"Yes
" said Ron softly, "it's the only way
I've got to be taken."

"NO!" Harry and Hermione shouted.

"That's chess!" snapped Ron. "You've got to make some sacrifices! I
take one step forward and she'll take me—that leaves you to checkmate
the king, Harry!"

"But—"

"Do you want to stop Snape or not?"

"Ron—"

"Look, if you don't hurry up, he'll already have the stone!"

There was no alternative.

"Ready?" Ron called, his face pale but determined. "Here I go—now,
don't hang around once you've won." He stepped forward and the white
queen pounced. She struck Ron hard across the head with her stone
arm, and he crashed to the floor—Hermione screamed but stayed on her
square—the white queen dragged Ron to one side. He looked as if he'd
been knocked out.

Shaking, Harry moved three spaces to the left. (Seven spaces
mentioned altogether--for the 7 school years?)

Notice that Ron looked as though knocked out, not still and facedown
like Sirius. I think this means that Ron will be taken out of the
war, but not killed.

We may think that Ron has died but he has not. Hermione and Harry
will have to continue in the present war without Ron. It's
interesting to note that the Castle and Bishop in chess are
considered end game pieces.

Vivian

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/124344