Chessboard chamber

Chessboard chamber
Name	Chessboard chamber
Location	Underground chambers, Hogwarts Castle, Highlands of Scotland
Book information
First appearance	Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

The chessboard chamber is third of the underground chambers used to protect the Philosopher's Stone in Hogwarts Castle. It was designed by Professor McGonagall who produced a giant chessboard. In order to get through the chamber, the person passing through had to win a game of Wizard Chess.

The game

The stone chessboard has very tall stone pieces, higher than the height of the players. The white pieces don't have faces. The player has to choose the piece they want to be. Once they touch it, it springs to life. The piece they choose will stroll off the chessboard and stand at the side. The player takes its place on the chessboard. They have to tell the other pieces where they want them to go. If a piece is defeated, the winning piece destroys it by knocking it over and dragging it off the board.

History

Harry, Ron and Hermione during their game

In the summer of 1991, Professor McGonagall helped Professor Dumbledore defend the Philosopher's Stone by employing the use of a giant chessboard in the third of the underground chambers. To get to the next chamber, the player had to win the game.

In June 1992, Professor Quirrell and Voldemort decided to get the Stone by going through each chamber. They won their chess game and the door opened to the next chamber. Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger were next. Ron was exceptionally skilled at wizard chess and conducted the game. Ron took the part of one of the Knights (selecting the black piece). He gave Harry the role of the Bishop, and Hermione the Rook. The game began when a white pawn went forward two spaces. Ron told the black pieces what space they should go to. He then let their other Knight get taken to give Hermione room to take a white Bishop.

Ron needed to get taken in order to give Harry the room to take the white King and win the game. The white Queen knocked Ron out, dragged him to the side and then Harry took the white King. The King took the crown he was wearing off and threw it at Harry's feet in defeat. The chess pieces then parted and the door to the next chamber opened. Ron was awarded 50 points at the End-of-Year Feast for playing the best game of chess that Hogwarts had seen in many years.