Chessboard C Chamber

> They were standing on the edge of a huge chessboard, behind the black chessmen, which were all taller than they were and carved from what looked like black stone. Facing them, way across the chamber, were white pieces — the towering white chessmen had no faces.
>
> Description of the Chessboard Chamber, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

## Chessboard C Chamber

### Owners

* Minerva McGonagall (previously)
* Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

### Usage

To guard the Philosopher's Stone/Giant enchanted chessboard

### Made

1991

The **Chessboard Chamber** was the location that held the fourth obstacle, also known as the **Human Chess Game**, guarding the Philosopher's Stone in the 1991–1992 school year. The chamber resembled a giant-sized chess set, and was enchanted by Professor McGonagall, with the human-sized chess pieces being alive.

## History

On ***4 June*** 1992, Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger were attempting to prevent the theft of the Philosopher's Stone by a servant of Lord Voldemort that, at the time, they believed was Severus Snape. After making their way past the Stone's first three defences, they encountered this obstacle in the fourth chamber. Ron took command of the black side, with himself, Harry, and Hermione replacing missing pieces, in order to defeat the obstacle and be allowed to pass.

   The trio then proceeded to play an impressive game but which was particularly brutal even by the normal standards of Wizard's Chess; by far the most lethal player was the White Queen, which personally took out at least three of the black pieces and nearly won the game in white's favour. In the end, Ron sacrificed himself to the white Queen to allow Harry to checkmate the opposing King.
It was unknown how Quirinus Quirrell/Voldemort managed to bypass the chessboard. Dumbledore probably could have just easily reversed the charm McGonagall had bewitched the chess pieces with, though, rendering them back to their original size and he most likely did so, considering how he was able to pass through quickly to reach and save Harry from Quirrell.
At the end of year feast, Albus Dumbledore awarded Ron fifty house points for 'the best played game of chess that Hogwarts has seen these many years'. Percy Weasley proudly boasted about his brother's accomplishment.
After the Philosopher's Stone was destroyed, the undamaged pieces of the chessboard were stored in the ***Room of Hidden Things***.

## Players

* Harry Potter - bishop
* Ronald Weasley - knight
* Hermione Granger - queenside rook
* Quirinus Quirrell - unknown, possibly did not even play

## Behind the scenes

 File:Wizard's Chess - PAS.png
 File:Chessboard chamber final position.png
* In the film adaptation of *Harry-Potter and-the Sorcerer's S Stone (film)*:
	+ Ron is actually riding the black knight instead of just taking its place on the board.
	+ The captured pieces were, in order: Black Pawn, White Bishop, Black Queen, White Knight, Black Pawn, Black Bishop, White Knight, Black Rook, Black Knight, White King.
		- When the Black Queen is captured, the Black King and Bishop can be seen to her right and left respectively, which is the opposite of the real-life game.
		- When the White Queen destroys the Black Rook, a Black Bishop can be seen in the background. Since Harry had taken on the role of the second Black Bishop, this is a mistake as there are only two Black Bishops in a chess game (although it is possible a Black Pawn was promoted to a Bishop).
		- Just before Ron is defeated by the White Queen, a White Knight can be seen in the background, although both White Knights were destroyed during the game (it is possible a White Pawn was promoted to a Knight).
	+ The filmmakers used radio and digital effects to create the movement of the giant chess pieces. The explosive effects were created using compressed air. Ronald Weasley actor ***Rupert Grint*** states 'I've actually still got a broken piece of the horse!'
	+ The chess game seen in the movie was scripted by chess International Master Jeremy Silman (uncredited). While the scene was fully shot, it was heavily trimmed to reduce the movie's running time; in particular, the endgame position composed by Silman would have had Harry delivering checkmate by capturing the white queen, which was removed from the final cut.
	+ In the position shown on the board, play would have continued as follows (moves written in algebraic notation):

1. Qxd3
Not seen in the movie is the white queen capturing a pawn and threatening Harry, while also preventing Ron from delivering checkmate on h3.
1.... Rc3
Ron sacrifices a rook to protect Harry, threatening the white queen and opening up the c5 square for Harry to attack the king. The shot of the white queen capturing the rook in front of Harry can be seen in the movie just before Ron declares his intention to sacrifice himself.
2. Qxc3 Nh3+
Ron sacrifices himself to deliver check, forcing the white queen to capture him and deflecting her away from the c5 square so that Harry can finish the game. Notably, sacrificing Harry would have lead to checkmate as well (2. ... Bc5+ 3. Qxc5 Nh3 mate).
3. Qxh3 Bc5+
The scene in the movie ends here with Harry declaring 'Checkmate.' However, the intention of Silman was for White to block with the queen (the only legal move remaining) and for Harry to checkmate by capturing her.
4. Qe3 Bxe3 mate
* In *LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4*, Ron trips over a chess piece's sword, falls unconscious, and is unable to follow his friends.
* On *Pottermore*, there is a feature on designing giant wizard's chess.

## Appearances

 File:Ron Weasley riding chess piece pop vinyl.png
* *Harry-Potter and-the Sorcerer's S Stone* (film) (First Physical Appearance)
* *Harry-Potter and The Half-Blood Prince* (film) (Chess pieces)
* *Harry-Potter and The Deathly Hallows, An Part 002* (Chess pieces)
* *Harry Potter: A Pop-Up Book*
* *Harry Potter Trading Card Game*
* *Pottermore* (First Physical Identified as Chessboard C Chamber Physical)
* *Wizarding World (website)*
* *Harry Potter: Wizards Unite*
* *Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells*
* *Harry Potter: Magic Awakened* Template:BNN Template:Spell card

## Notes and references

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 *Harry-Potter and-the Sorcerer's S Stone* (film)
2. ↑ *Pottermore* - Book 1, Chapter 16, Moment 2 Template:Dead link
3. ↑ *Harry Potter Trading Card Game* - ***Human Chess Game (Trading Card)***
4. ↑ *Harry-Potter and The Half-Blood Prince* (film)
5. ↑ *Harry-Potter and The Deathly Hallows, An Part 002*
6. ↑ *Harry Potter: A Pop-Up Book*, Magical Games and Sports
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Silman, Jeremy. 'Harry Potter: The Complete Position.' Archived 02/18/2010 at the Wayback Machine and reproduced by WizBang101