Supervise the New Game
 Progress | Description |
|---|---|
| 0 (If resetting a new game) | The pieces are freshly arranged, and a new game begins. |
| 0 (Else) | |
| 1 | The game is still in its opening. Only a few pieces have moved. |
| 2 | The openings are nearly complete. Each side has had a chance to assess the other. |
| A player-created Guide is available for this content: The Chessboard (Guide) |
| Spoiler warning! This page contains details about Fallen London Actions. |
This is the dream of spies, the move and countermove that controls the politics of the Surface – and sometimes of the Neath. Sometimes you are a pawn or a knight. Sometimes you are the player.
(see table above)
Locked with 
3
Storylet appears in 
New Game
Play as white
- Spoiler Unlocked with
Slowly
Locked with, 
Success
Play this side for a time
You are now playing with white pieces. (Sets 
Colour at the Chessboard to 3 - White)
You are moving through the opening. (Increases Progress on the Board by 1)
Play as black
- Spoiler Unlocked with
Less Slowly, Significantly, Dramatically
Locked with,
Success
Play this side for a time
- You are now playing with black pieces. (Sets Colour at the Chessboard to 2 - Black)
- You are moving through the opening. (Increases Progress on the Board by 1)
Play as red
- Spoiler Locked with
,
Success
Play this side for a time
- You are now playing with red pieces. (Sets Colour at the Chessboard to 1 - Red)
- You are moving through the opening. (Increases Progress on the Board by 1)
Opening Moves
Open with a familiar move (with 
)
- Spoiler Unlocked with
100, 
2, , 1
Success
Select your pawns
- You've gained 1 x Progress on the Board
You've gained 3 x Positional Advantages
You now have (
- ) x Position on the Board: Distance ahead- You now have ( - x) Position on the Board: Distance behind
Open with a familiar move (with )
- Spoiler Unlocked with 2, , 1, 100
Success
Select your pawns
- You've gained 1 x Progress on the Board
- You've gained 3 x Positional Advantages
- You now have ( - ) x Position on the Board: Distance ahead
- You now have ( - x) Position on the Board: Distance behind
Mirror white's opening (only when playing Black)
- Spoiler Unlocked with, exactly 2
Challenge information
Narrow,
3 (50% base) || 0 - high-risk (20%) || 1 - high-risk (30%) || 2 - tough (40%) || 3 - very chancy (50%) || 4 - chancy (60%) || 5 - modest (70%) || 6 - very modest (80%) || 7 - low-risk (90%) || 8 and above - straightforward (100%)Success
Watch in all directions
- You've gained 1 x Progress on the Board
Failure
One step or two steps
- You've gained 1 x Progress on the Board
- You've gained 1 x Strategic Weaknesses
- You now have ( - ) x Position on the Board: Distance ahead
- You now have ( - ) x Position on the Board: Distance behind
Play a novel approach (only when playing 
Red)
- Spoiler Unlocked with, exactly 1
Challenge information
Narrow,
2 (50% base) || 0 - high-risk (30%) || 1 - tough (40%) || 2 - very chancy (50%) || 3 - chancy (60%) || 4 - modest (70%) || 5 - very modest (80%) || 6 - low-risk (90%) || 7 and above - straightforward (100%)Success
A good beginning
- You are moving through the opening. (Increases Progress on the Board by 1)
- You've gained 1 x Positional Advantages
- You now have ( - ) x Position on the Board: Distance ahead
- You now have ( - ) x Position on the Board: Distance behind
Failure
Smirks all around
- You are moving through the opening. (Increases Progress on the Board by 1)
- You've gained 1 x Strategic Weaknesses
- You now have ( - ) x Position on the Board: Distance ahead
A Player of Chess is increasing… (+1 CP, up to level 5 + 
)
Open according to accepted best practices (only when playing White)
- Spoiler Unlocked with exactly 1, exactly 3
Challenge information
Narrow,
2 (50% base) || 0 - high-risk (30%) || 1 - tough (40%) || 2 - very chancy (50%) || 3 - chancy (60%) || 4 - modest (70%) || 5 - very modest (80%) || 6 - low-risk (90%) || 7 and above - straightforward (100%)Success
Watch in all directions
- You've gained 3 x Positional Advantages
- You have one more move of opening. (Increases Progress on the Board by 1)
Failure
One step or two steps
- You have one more move of opening. (Increases Progress on the Board by 1)
- You've gained 1 x Strategic Weaknesses
- You now have ( - ) x Position on the Board: Distance ahead
- You now have ( - ) x Position on the Board: Distance behind
- A Player of Chess is increasing… (+1 CP, up to level 5 + )
Recognise an opening
- Spoiler Unlocked with
, ,
Success
Forward
- You've gained 6 x Vienna Opening
You've lost 1 x Vital Intelligence
Follow the movements of the pieces
- Spoiler Unlocked with
,
Challenge information
Broad,
200 || 137 - very chancy (41%) || 170 - chancy (51%) || 204 - modest (61%) || 237 - very modest (71%) || 270 - low-risk (81%) || 304 - straightforward (91%) || 334 - straightforward (100%)Success
Which is that, then?
Watchful is increasing…- A Player of Chess is increasing… (+2 CP, up to level 5 + )
- You've gained 1 x Progress on the Board
- You've gained 1 x Strategic Weaknesses
- You now have (-) x Position on the Board: Distance ahead
- You now have (-) x Position on the Board: Distance behind
Rare Success
Aha!
- Watchful is increasing…
- A Player of Chess is increasing… (+3 CP, up to level 5 + )
- You've gained 1 x Progress on the Board
- You've gained 1 x Strategic Weaknesses
- You now have (-) x Position on the Board: Distance ahead
- You now have (-) x Position on the Board: Distance behind
You've gained 1 x Incisive Observation
Failure
Too much and too little
- Watchful is increasing…
Nightmares is increasing… (+1 CP)- You've gained 1 x Progress on the Board
- You've gained 1 x Strategic Weaknesses
- You now have (-) x Position on the Board: Distance ahead
- You now have (-) x Position on the Board: Distance behind
Recognise an opening because of your professional affiliations (only as a 
)
- Spoiler Unlocked with
, exactly 1, , 2
Success
Forward
- You've gained 1 x Vienna Opening
- You have one more move of opening. (Increases Progress on the Board by 1)
Open with a strong move (only with a )
- Spoiler Unlocked with
, ,
Success
Forward
- You've lost 1 x Vienna Opening
- You've gained 1 x Progress on the Board
- You've gained 4 x Positional Advantages
- [Message indicating how far ahead you are.] (Increases
Position on the Board: Distance ahead by 4) - [Message indicating how far behind you are.] (Decreases by 4)
Open with a familiar move – then deviate (only with an )
- Spoiler Unlocked with
, ,
Challenge information
Narrow,
5 (50% base) || 1 and below - almost impossible (10%) || 2 - high-risk (20%) || 3 - high-risk (30%) || 4 - tough (40%) || 5 - very chancy (50%) || 6 - chancy (60%) || 7 - modest (70%) || 8 - very modest (80%) || 9 - low-risk (90%) || 10 and above - straightforward (100%)Success
A gambit
- You've gained 1 x Progress on the Board
- You've gained 4 x Positional Advantages
- You now have ( - ) x Position on the Board: Distance ahead
- You now have ( - x) Position on the Board: Distance behind
- You've lost 1 x Opening Novelty
- You've gained 1 x Moves in the Great Game
Failure
Anti-positional
- You've gained 1 x Progress on the Board
- You've gained 1 x Positional Advantages
- You now have ( - ) x Position on the Board: Distance ahead
- You now have ( - x) Position on the Board: Distance behind
- You've lost 1 x Opening Novelty
- You've gained 1 x Moves in the Great Game
Search for a sign of your enemy (only during 
)
- Spoiler Unlocked with
1, ,
Success
Perhaps the bishop?
- You've gained 1 x Progress on the Board
- A Player of Chess is increasing… (+1 CP, up to level 5 + )
Change Colour
Remain current Colour
- Spoiler Unlocked with
Locked with
Success
You have friends
- You are moving through the opening. (Increases Progress on the Board by 1)
Change to white
- Spoiler Unlocked with Slowly, 1-2
Locked with
Success
Play this side for a time
- You are moving through the opening. (Increases Progress on the Board by 1)
- You are now playing with white pieces. (Sets Colour at the Chessboard to 3 - White)
Change to black (from Red)
- Spoiler Unlocked with Less Slowly, Significantly, Dramatically, exactly 1
Locked with
Success
Play this side for a time
- You are moving through the opening. (Increases Progress on the Board by 1)
- You are now playing with black pieces. (Sets Colour at the Chessboard to 2 - Black)
Change to black (from White)
- Spoiler Unlocked with Less Slowly, Significantly, Dramatically, exactly 3
Locked with
Success
Play this side for a time
- You are moving through the opening. (Increases Progress on the Board by 1)
- You are now playing with black pieces. (Sets Colour at the Chessboard to 2 - Black)
Change to red
- Spoiler Unlocked with 2
Locked with
Success
Play this side for a time
- You are moving through the opening. (Increases Progress on the Board by 1)
- You are now playing with red pieces. (Sets Colour at the Chessboard to 1 - Red)
