I am an avid chess player and am a die-hard Harry Potter fan. I love the books and I have watched the movies dozens of times. One thing that was never explained well, is the difference between Wizard Chess and Muggle Chess, so I did some research and this is what I found…
The difference between wizard and muggle chess is that in muggle chess the player must physically move the chess pieces. In Wizard chess the game pieces can be moved by verbal commands from a witch or wizard. Another difference is that the chess pieces in wizard chess are animated, while in muggle chess they just stand still.
There are variations that we muggles can make in our game play to create a more Wizardly feel to the game.
Add Wizardly Rules to Ordinary Chess
So, you want to play Wizard Chess, but you are not a witch or wizard? Well, here are some changes you can make to a regular game of chess that might make it feel more magical.
Allow King to Apparate
Game play for playing with the “apparate” rule is the same as ordinary chess until the king gets into trouble. Eventually a king is placed into check or checkmate. In this variation, there is a last-ditch escape for your king…He can apparate to any unoccupied position on the board, once in a game. This last part is very important, so use your king’s apparation wisely.
Deathly Hallow Rules
This variation of muggle chess calls from the story of the three brothers who faced Death in the tale of the Deathly Hallows.
The game is played just like a regular game with these three exceptions.
- Resurrection Stone Rule: When this rule is in play, each player may, at any time in the game, “resurrect” any one of his pieces that have been taken by the other player. The resurrected piece is placed back at its original starting position. A player may only use this move once in a game. (and it does count as a move)
- Elder Wand Rule: In the Deathly Hallow tale, the Elder Wand was the most powerful wand ever created. The Elder Wand rule allows the player to use one of his pawns to clear the entire row of his opponent’s pieces once during each game. The rows with Kings and Queens are excluded from this rule. Using the Elder Wand rule also results in the pawn being promoted to the piece of the player’s choosing, the same as when a pawn reaches his opponent’s side of the board (players usually choose to promote to a queen). This move may only be used once per game per player
- Invisibility Cloak Rule: In the story, Death gives one of the brothers a cloak that allows him to hide from Death. The Invisibility Cloak rule in chess allows a player to “hide” a vulnerable piece. For example, if a player leaves his queen vulnerable to a pawn he may use this rule to “hide” the queen. The opposing player may not take the queen with his next move. This move may be used may only be used retroactively, meaning the opposing player must make the move to take the queen, but then the player “hiding” the queen must announce his intention, and the attacking player must reverse his move and choose another move. Like the other two rule variations, this rule may only be used once per game per player.
Use a “Magic” Square Off Kingdom Chess Set
If you really want to step up the sense of magical, wizardly chess, then you may want to check out this magical chess set...
Square Off Chess sets really bring out the feel of wizard chess. The pieces actually move across the board simply by using an app on your phone. The creators of this chess set have created a way for the pieces to move by themselves creating a magical experience. Just take a look at the clip below to see how fun this board can be…
As you might expect, this chessboard does not come cheap. You can check the most recent price on Amazon HERE
Use an Authentic Wizard Chess Set and Your Imagination
There are many muggle chess sets that have been created to appear like wizard chess. These sets look like the true wizard chess seen in the movies, but, alas, they are still only muggle chessboards. There several on Amazon ranging from a few dollars to a few hundred dollars. You can shop them all right HERE
Final Thoughts
The boards may look similar, and the rules are almost identical, but Wizard Chess and Muggle chess have some pretty big differences. In the end, however, you still need knowledge and skill to win…Just ask Ron!