The Chess Game

**The Chess Game** is the eleventh song in act one of Falsettos. It follows Trina's Song/March of the Falsettos/Trina's Song - Reprise, and is followed by Making a Home.

## The Chess Game

### Albums

Falsettos (2016 Broadway Cast Recording)March of the Falsettos

### Previous Song

Trina's Song/March of the Falsettos/Trina's Song - Reprise

### Sung By

Christian Borle - (Marvin)Andrew Rannells - (Whizzer)

## Lyrics

[MARVIN]

That's the king. Treat him nice

Use some brains; now protect him

[WHIZZER]

Yes, I know

Here I go

[MARVIN]

Play the game

[WHIZZER]

Please, don't watch me

I can do it!

[MARVIN]

Have a little scotch

[WHIZZER]

Shit, I blew it

Maybe you could show me where

I fear I've lost my head

[MARVIN]

Do you want my help?

[WHIZZER]

No, I don't

I can think it through myself

[MARVIN]

Start again. We've seen the worst

[WHIZZER]

I'll go first

[MARVIN]

Move a pawn

[WHIZZER]

No, sir

[MARVIN]

Move

[WHIZZER]

Where?

[MARVIN]

There

[WHIZZER]

Here?

[MARVIN]

Move a pawn

[WHIZZER]

Who?

[MARVIN]

Not the queen

[WHIZZER]

Who?

[MARVIN]

Jesus

[MARVIN & WHIZZER]

Life's a sham and

Every move is wrong

We've examined

Every move as we move along

[MARVIN]

Winning is everything to me

[WHIZZER]

Nothing is everything to me

[MARVIN]

Winning is everything to me

[WHIZZER]

Nothing is everything to me

Except sex...

[MARVIN]

Move a pawn

[WHIZZER]

And money

[MARVIN]

Good first move

[WHIZZER]

Quite alright

Take a turn

[MARVIN]

Thank you kindly

[WHIZZER]

Move the pawn

Move the pawn

Take my hand

Play the game

[MARVIN]

God you're pretty

[WHIZZER]

More's the pity

Since you need a man...

[MARVIN]

What?

[WHIZZER]

Who's brainy...

[MARVIN]

Or...

[MARVIN & WHIZZER]

Witty

[MARVIN]

Move

[WHIZZER]

What should I do now?

[MARVIN]

Move

[WHIZZER]

Where?

[MARVIN]

There

[WHIZZER]

How should I behave myself?

Maybe we should call it quits

[MARVIN]

This game shits

[WHIZZER]

Let me win

[MARVIN]

Yes, sir

[WHIZZER]

Please

[MARVIN]

Yes

[WHIZZER]

Thanks

[MARVIN]

Wait!

[WHIZZER]

Whizzer wins!

[MARVIN]

Wait!

[WHIZZER]

Whizzer wins!

[MARVIN]

Wait!

[WHIZZER]

Checkmate!

[MARVIN & WHIZZER]

Life's a sham and every move is wrong

We've examined every move as we move along

[WHIZZER]

Marvin...!

Whizzer's supposed to make the dinner

Be a patsy, lose at chess

Always bravely acquiesce

Clip the coupons, make the dinner

And love him

This has got to come to a stop, Marvin

[MARVIN]

This had got to come to a stop, Whizzer

[WHIZZER]

This has been a lousy but

[WHIZZER & MARVIN]

Fabulous flop

[MARVIN]

Anyone understand?

All I want's a kiss

Anyone understand?

[WHIZZER]

Don't start explaining

I'm sick of explaining

(MARVIN) AND [WHIZZER]

And this had better come to a stop

(Whizzer) [Marvin]

Now, (Whizzer) [Marvin]

Ciao, (Whizzer) [Marvin]

Bend

This had better come

This had better come to a

This, this, this, this

[WHIZZER]

This had better come to an end

[MARVIN]

This had better come to an end

[MARVIN & WHIZZER]

This had better come to an end

## Trivia

* Marvin states that winning is everything to him, but he loses the chess game. Because of this, he grabs a suitcase, as if kicking Whizzer out of the house. Whizzer thinks about how Marvin treats him, and growing tired of their toxic relationship, takes the suitcase and breaks up with Marvin.
* Imagining that they broke up over just a chess game is funny, but the chess game was really a metaphor for their relationship. Throughout the musical, Marvin shows how he is obsessed with proving his masculinity. He also wants Whizzer to constantly obey his every command and act like a housewife. When Whizzer wins, he challenges Marvin's masculinity and authority.