...it's like TV Tropes, but LINKED DATA!
Surprise Checkmate
- 271 statements
- 52 feature instances
- 31 referencing feature instances
| Surprise Checkmate | type |
FeatureClass | |
| Surprise Checkmate | label |
Surprise Checkmate | |
| Surprise Checkmate | page |
SurpriseCheckMate | |
| Surprise Checkmate | comment |
In reality, the endgame of chess is where one player knows he is about to lose and either gives up or clings on to the odd chance that he can find a way out. Advertisement:propertag.cmd.push(function() { proper_display('tvtropes_mobile_ad_1'); })In fiction, checkmate more often than not comes as a complete surprise, leaving the losing player baffled and the winning player smug about his intellectual superiority. Often paired with a handsome remark ("I believe, sir, that this is checkmate"). This works very well if the work is emphasizing the loser's obliviousness, but quite a few works use this trope to emphasize the winner's skill and foresight, no matter how unrealistic that might be. (Also, giving the audience a clear view of the board is only optional.) If the players are main characters and the game is a metaphor for their intellectual discrepancies, the checkmate often follows a conversational bomb ("The world will be sick and I'll be the only one with the medicine") and redirects the protagonists' shock and defeat to the level of the game. In other cases, the guy with a kiosk on a New York street corner who has a running game of chess is often on the receiving end. Advertisement:propertag.cmd.push(function() { proper_display('tvtropes_mobile_ad_2'); })An especially unlikely form is where one of the players announces 'check', directly followed by the other player countering it with a 'checkmate'. This is virtually impossible to perform in an actual game of chess for several reasons: |
|
| Surprise Checkmate | fetched |
2020-05-08T12:31:21Z | |
| Surprise Checkmate | parsed |
2020-06-25T00:30:55Z | |
| Surprise Checkmate | processingComment |
Dropped link to BatmanGambit: Not an Item - FEATURE | |
| Surprise Checkmate | processingComment |
Dropped link to JustifiedTrope: Not an Item - CAT | |
| Surprise Checkmate | processingComment |
Dropped link to PastimesProvePersonality: Not an Item - FEATURE | |
| Surprise Checkmate | processingComment |
Dropped link to SplitPersonality: Not an Item - FEATURE | |
| Surprise Checkmate | isPartOf |
DBTropes | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_1d858ce4 | type |
Surprise Checkmate | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_1d858ce4 | comment |
In an early episode of Dark Angel Max and Logan are playing chess. Max makes her move and announces "Check." Logan tries to move, and Max announces that he can't make a move because it was actually checkmate. | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_1d858ce4 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_1d858ce4 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Dark Angel | hasFeature |
Surprise Checkmate / int_1d858ce4 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_1f9f4419 | type |
Surprise Checkmate | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_1f9f4419 | comment |
While Macready is playing the "Chess Wizard" computer in The Thing (1982), he appears to be totally surprised when it checkmates him. He retaliates by pouring a drink into its circuits and shorting it out, which is an Establishing Character Moment. | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_1f9f4419 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_1f9f4419 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| The Thing (1982) | hasFeature |
Surprise Checkmate / int_1f9f4419 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_22e860f4 | type |
Surprise Checkmate | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_22e860f4 | comment |
An episode of Psych had a couple of subtle examples. One is where young Shawn is seemingly distracted while his dad is trying to teach him chess before Shawn beats him in the flashback. The same happens when the two are playing the end of the episode (with the bet being if Shawn wins, he gets to use his dad's truck for a week while if Henry wins, Shawn has to wash said truck). Shawn wins again; the surprise comes from Shawn's casual demeanor and Henry looking surprised in both accounts. | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_22e860f4 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_22e860f4 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Psych | hasFeature |
Surprise Checkmate / int_22e860f4 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_29a9f66e | type |
Surprise Checkmate | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_29a9f66e | comment |
Though Catur (An indian precursor to Chess) rather than Chess itself, a somewhat justified example occurs in Birthright (2017) between Sabrina and Taurau. Taurau fools Sabrina into thinking he's using a completely different strategy, and distracts her with conversation to keep her from noticing her mistake until it's too late. | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_29a9f66e | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_29a9f66e | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Birthright (2017) | hasFeature |
Surprise Checkmate / int_29a9f66e | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_2a3dba10 | type |
Surprise Checkmate | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_2a3dba10 | comment |
In Men in Black's animated series, Jay loses at least twice to an imprisoned Alpha, but this may have been because Jay was trying to pump Alpha for information and not focusing on the game. This becomes a Chekhov's Skill — Alpha won both games with the same distraction tactic, and when he escapes and starts an attack, Jay realizes there's more to the plan. Alpha's retreat includes a transmission, complimenting Jay on managing a stalemate. | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_2a3dba10 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_2a3dba10 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Men In Black | hasFeature |
Surprise Checkmate / int_2a3dba10 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_32c541e6 | type |
Surprise Checkmate | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_32c541e6 | comment |
In Fullmetal Alchemist, when Colonel Mustang is playing a game of chess with General Grumman, the general is totally surprised when Mustang checkmates him. This is rather odd since he is incomparably Mustang's superior at the game: in their previous 112 games Mustang had lost 97, drawn 15 and not won one of them. Though considering he is Roy Mustang, it's entirely possible he'd deliberately played poorly just to surprise him with his true skill that one time. |
|
| Surprise Checkmate / int_32c541e6 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_32c541e6 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Fullmetal Alchemist (Manga) | hasFeature |
Surprise Checkmate / int_32c541e6 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_32f08a22 | type |
Surprise Checkmate | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_32f08a22 | comment |
In Episode 14 of Code MENT: | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_32f08a22 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_32f08a22 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Code MENT (Web Video) | hasFeature |
Surprise Checkmate / int_32f08a22 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_39f32df7 | type |
Surprise Checkmate | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_39f32df7 | comment |
In From Russia with Love, a SPECTRE agent playing a high-level game of chess receives a secret message that he's needed elsewhere. His next move is so brilliant that his opponent immediately resigns. The opponent is clearly surprised, even though as an expert player he should have been able to see the move coming. | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_39f32df7 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_39f32df7 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| From Russia with Love | hasFeature |
Surprise Checkmate / int_39f32df7 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_39fe00f1 | type |
Surprise Checkmate | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_39fe00f1 | comment |
In Dragon Age: Inquisition, Solas and Iron Bull can play chess in party banter, with the board existing only in their memory. Solas does it to assuage Bull's fear that he will become a mad Tal-Vashoth after abandoning the Qun. They end up re-enacting the Immortal Game (see under Real Life). This also forshadows Solas' long-term strategies; the winning move was actually a seemingly pointless pawn movement mid-way through the game. | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_39fe00f1 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_39fe00f1 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| DragonAgeInquisition | hasFeature |
Surprise Checkmate / int_39fe00f1 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_3c5675b | type |
Surprise Checkmate | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_3c5675b | comment |
One issue of Black Panther has him facing off against the Kingpin in chess, using the game as a metaphor for their coming conflict. Kingpin gets him in check and talks about how he'll always be several steps ahead, and is then immediately checkmated. When this appeared on Scans Daily a suggestion for followup dialogue was given. | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_3c5675b | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_3c5675b | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Black Panther (Comic Book) | hasFeature |
Surprise Checkmate / int_3c5675b | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_43a9c333 | type |
Surprise Checkmate | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_43a9c333 | comment |
In the Cowboy Bebop episode "Bohemian Rhapsody", Edward is completely surprised when her opponent puts her in checkmate. Her opponent is also surprised when Ed announces a move that will one-mate him, but then decides to not do it. Of course, Edward is an idiot savant with no formal chess training and her opponent is senile, so either of them being surprised at the other isn't really that surprising. | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_43a9c333 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_43a9c333 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Cowboy Bebop | hasFeature |
Surprise Checkmate / int_43a9c333 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_4e45b093 | type |
Surprise Checkmate | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_4e45b093 | comment |
In The Big Bang Theory, when Leonard is trying to teach Penny to play chess, she walks all over him with a surprise checkmate. | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_4e45b093 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_4e45b093 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| The Big Bang Theory | hasFeature |
Surprise Checkmate / int_4e45b093 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_5320ab5e | type |
Surprise Checkmate | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_5320ab5e | comment |
Columbo: In episode "The Most Dangerous Match", Clayton fails to see the checkmate that Dudek drops on him. It's a casual game in a hotel room instead of a formal match, but still, they're both grandmasters. In Real Life a grandmaster would not be surprised in that way. Gets goofier later, when Clayton, playing chess against a crowd of comers, wins one game by castling his way into a checkmate. And it gets really, really goofy right after that, when Clayton loses another game by stumbling into the Fool's mate, the quickest and absolute dumbest way to lose a game of chess. The idea is that he's getting rattled by Columbo's relentlessness, but come on. |
|
| Surprise Checkmate / int_5320ab5e | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_5320ab5e | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Columbo | hasFeature |
Surprise Checkmate / int_5320ab5e | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_5d21fab8 | type |
Surprise Checkmate | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_5d21fab8 | comment |
In Wolf Hall, this is usually averted with Thomas Cromwell's chess games (when he plays his protege Rafe, they frequently stalemate because of how well they know each other's game). He does get a surprise checkmate against Tom Seymour in Calais. Seymour first says "how did you do that?" and later claims that it only happened because Cromwell distracted him by talking about Jane. So they play again, and Cromwell beats him again. | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_5d21fab8 | featureApplicability |
-1.0 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_5d21fab8 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Wolf Hall | hasFeature |
Surprise Checkmate / int_5d21fab8 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_600256d1 | type |
Surprise Checkmate | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_600256d1 | comment |
Friday the 13th Part 2. Paul Holt and Ginny Field are playing chess. Paul takes one of her pieces, puts her in check and tells her that he thinks he's got her. She takes the piece that he just moved (cancelling the check) and checkmates him. How did he fail to notice not only that (a) she had a piece that could take his but (b) she could checkmate him by doing so? | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_600256d1 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_600256d1 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Friday the 13th Part 2 | hasFeature |
Surprise Checkmate / int_600256d1 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_6055e75f | type |
Surprise Checkmate | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_6055e75f | comment |
Early in Pawn, Baalah plays her first (and so far last) game of chess with Ayanah. Baalah puts Ayanah in check, and one turn later, Ayanah checkmates Baalah. | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_6055e75f | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_6055e75f | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Pawn (Webcomic) | hasFeature |
Surprise Checkmate / int_6055e75f | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_643cd5f7 | type |
Surprise Checkmate | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_643cd5f7 | comment |
In Cube Zero, Wynn keeps beating Dodd at chess with moves he never anticipated. This is partly explained by Wynn being able to visualize entire chess games mentally. | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_643cd5f7 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_643cd5f7 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Cube Zero | hasFeature |
Surprise Checkmate / int_643cd5f7 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_6956d9bf | type |
Surprise Checkmate | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_6956d9bf | comment |
In The Swan Princess, Derek has recently been dumped, and Bromley is taking advantage of his emotional pacing to make extra moves and captures, including Derek's queen. Derek stops pacing, decides what to do, and offhandedly checkmates Bromley. Surprise. | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_6956d9bf | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_6956d9bf | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| The Swan Princess | hasFeature |
Surprise Checkmate / int_6956d9bf | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_6a4bddd6 | type |
Surprise Checkmate | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_6a4bddd6 | comment |
Though not a checkmate, an example between Tony and Reed during Civil War came close enough. The two are having a debate whilst playing chess on 10 different boards or so, and at the end of the conversation, Reed's been put into check on all 10 boards simultaneously. | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_6a4bddd6 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_6a4bddd6 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Iron Man (Comic Book) | hasFeature |
Surprise Checkmate / int_6a4bddd6 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_6ada53b1 | type |
Surprise Checkmate | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_6ada53b1 | comment |
At the end of "Man Hunt" in NUMB3RS, Don and Alan team up against Charlie, who thinks nothing of grading his students' papers while they play. When Don points out that Charlie misspelled "anomaly," Charlie gets indignant, and he sticks to his guns over the next few moves, even when Alan reminds him that he's not infallible. Eventually, Don gets the dictionary, and before Charlie can collect his wits, Alan delivers checkmate. Admittingly, this is what it takes to beat Charlie at chess; two people playing him at once and a distraction. |
|
| Surprise Checkmate / int_6ada53b1 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_6ada53b1 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| NUMB3RS | hasFeature |
Surprise Checkmate / int_6ada53b1 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_6ee4478f | type |
Surprise Checkmate | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_6ee4478f | comment |
Once More with Feeling: In episode 15, Gendo and Fuyutsuki played a Go match as they argued recent developments, and Fuyutsuki was completely surprised when Gendo put him in checkmate. He surrended, knowing that resistance was pointless. | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_6ee4478f | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_6ee4478f | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| OnceMoreWithFeeling | hasFeature |
Surprise Checkmate / int_6ee4478f | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_717d2f85 | type |
Surprise Checkmate | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_717d2f85 | comment |
Queen of Katwe: Phiona pulls off a few of these. In one scene Phiona moves her queen to the back row to put her opponent in check. Her opponent takes Phiona's queen with her rook then sniffs "You don't know anything." What her opponent doesn't know is that Phiona sacrificed her queen to force her opponent to move the rook, which cuts off her king's escape; Phiona moves her knight and checkmates her opponent on the next move. | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_717d2f85 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_717d2f85 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Queen of Katwe | hasFeature |
Surprise Checkmate / int_717d2f85 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_7668653a | type |
Surprise Checkmate | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_7668653a | comment |
A meta example is used perfectly in Mass Effect 2 by Morinth, who could be best described as a psychic sex vampire. She has a chess board set up in her apartment which she loves because her favorite games are ones where "the opponent is sure they are going to win until they are gutted". This describes not only her killer methodology but also how she views other people. You can then turn the tables and "checkmate" her to her complete shock by resisting her seduction and bringing in Samara. | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_7668653a | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_7668653a | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| MassEffect2 | hasFeature |
Surprise Checkmate / int_7668653a | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_7884ec15 | type |
Surprise Checkmate | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_7884ec15 | comment |
In the teaser of an episode of Seinfeld, George gets one of these from the girl he's dating and breaks up with her because of it. | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_7884ec15 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_7884ec15 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Seinfeld | hasFeature |
Surprise Checkmate / int_7884ec15 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_7b7ca892 | type |
Surprise Checkmate | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_7b7ca892 | comment |
Dangerous Moves: Liebskind ties the tournament up at 5 games apiece by pulling off a surprise checkmate of Fromm. And if that weren't spectacularly unlikely enough, he does it after Fromm puts him in check with a pawn, by moving a bishop to capture Fromm's pawn, which simultaneously causes a discovered check and mate by Liebskind's rook. The movie at least portrays how shocking this is by having Liebskind scream "MATE! MATE!" in unrestrained joy after he does it. | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_7b7ca892 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_7b7ca892 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Dangerous Moves | hasFeature |
Surprise Checkmate / int_7b7ca892 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_7c432481 | type |
Surprise Checkmate | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_7c432481 | comment |
The Westing Game: As a child, Judge Ford played against her mentor, Sam Westing. She got a thrill when she managed to capture his queen, shortly followed a dose of humility when he checkmated her in the next turn. This defeat gets referenced later, and she doesn't welcome the nostalgia. | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_7c432481 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_7c432481 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| The Westing Game | hasFeature |
Surprise Checkmate / int_7c432481 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_7cf5a07 | type |
Surprise Checkmate | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_7cf5a07 | comment |
The Flash (2014): Barry's friends help him train his powers by playing chess, ping-pong and Operation with him simultaneously. Wells proves that his super-multitasking still needs work by checkmating him (though Barry "crushed it" in the other two). Wells does this again in a flashback while playing chess with Hartley / Pied Piper. He manages to go from being in check to checkmating his opponent in one move. |
|
| Surprise Checkmate / int_7cf5a07 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_7cf5a07 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| The Flash (2014) | hasFeature |
Surprise Checkmate / int_7cf5a07 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_967e803f | type |
Surprise Checkmate | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_967e803f | comment |
In From Paris with Love, the protagonist (and operative-in-training) does this to his ambassadorial boss, possibly to note the difference in their games, literally and proverbially. | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_967e803f | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_967e803f | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| From Paris with Love | hasFeature |
Surprise Checkmate / int_967e803f | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_9a7088bc | type |
Surprise Checkmate | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_9a7088bc | comment |
Star Trek: The Original Series. In his introductory scene, Captain Kirk beats Spock at three-dimensional chess despite the fact that the Vulcan is a better player. It's implied Kirk was making erratic moves to throw Spock off his game. | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_9a7088bc | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_9a7088bc | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Star Trek: The Original Series | hasFeature |
Surprise Checkmate / int_9a7088bc | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_a183d57f | type |
Surprise Checkmate | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_a183d57f | comment |
In the episode of Futurama "Mars University", two geeky fraternity robots are playing chess. All the pieces are in their starting position, and the robot playing white (Oily) announces checkmate in 143 turns. The astounded robot playing black (Fat-Bot) exclaims that he's lost again. | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_a183d57f | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_a183d57f | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Futurama | hasFeature |
Surprise Checkmate / int_a183d57f | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_a4a6b86a | type |
Surprise Checkmate | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_a4a6b86a | comment |
Happens several times in Code Geass, which often uses in-universe chess metaphors. Main character Lelouch is a brilliant chess-player who competes in professional circuits as a hobby. Lelouch later leads a rebellion against the oppressive Britannian Empire, despite the fact that he is an exiled Britannian prince. He has been known to make an impromptu map of a current battle using chess sets which happen to be on hand, and refers to major players in the war using chess metaphors. The problem is...the writers don't seem to understand all of the rules of chess, which can at times be hilarious. Specifically, in one episode Lelouch faces off against the heir presumptive of the Britannian Empire, his half-brother Prince Schneizel, while meeting in a neutral country. To demonstrate that Schneizel is one of the few people who are Lelouch's intellectual equal, the episode has them engage in a tense chess match, fighting each other to a standstill. At the culmination of the game, Schneizel does indeed force a surprise checkmate - by moving his own king into a square directly next to Lelouch's king, violating the basic rule of chess that you cannot voluntarily move your king into check. The crowd reacts as if that was a bold but legal move. Another possibility is that Schneizel is just screwing with Lelouch - the equivalent of a fencer dropping his rapier to his side, daring his opponent to dishonorably make a meaningless victory against a man not seriously trying to stop him anymore. | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_a4a6b86a | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_a4a6b86a | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Code Geass | hasFeature |
Surprise Checkmate / int_a4a6b86a | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_ac67074d | type |
Surprise Checkmate | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_ac67074d | comment |
In the Teen Titans episode "Overdrive", Cyborg is able to checkmate Raven who freezes in shock. | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_ac67074d | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_ac67074d | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Teen Titans | hasFeature |
Surprise Checkmate / int_ac67074d | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_b3788a5d | type |
Surprise Checkmate | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_b3788a5d | comment |
HAL from 2001: A Space Odyssey does the "number of forced moves" version. Notably, it was cheating and not all of them were really forced. | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_b3788a5d | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_b3788a5d | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| 2001: A Space Odyssey | hasFeature |
Surprise Checkmate / int_b3788a5d | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_b3f687d1 | type |
Surprise Checkmate | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_b3f687d1 | comment |
FoxTrot. Roger loves chess and invariably loses, despite his eternal hope that he'll win next time. Crowning example: he lets Jason have the first move, and Jason proceeds to rattle off a winning string of notation (The four-move Scholar's Mate, if you're paying attention) without Roger setting up the board. The exact surprise can vary. For one Sunday comic, Roger spends multiple panels realizing the game is over no matter what he does. Andy wearily says, "Face it, Roger — you win." He begs for one more game anyway. |
|
| Surprise Checkmate / int_b3f687d1 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_b3f687d1 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| FoxTrot (Comic Strip) | hasFeature |
Surprise Checkmate / int_b3f687d1 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_b4622158 | type |
Surprise Checkmate | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_b4622158 | comment |
In Chapter 2 of Rakenzarn Tales, after beating the chapter's boss, the scene cuts back to the guild where Sonic and Daffy are playing chess. When Daffy thinks he's finally won, Sonic pulls this on him. | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_b4622158 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_b4622158 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Rakenzarn Tales (Video Game) | hasFeature |
Surprise Checkmate / int_b4622158 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_b885f5bf | type |
Surprise Checkmate | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_b885f5bf | comment |
The climactic chess match in Searching for Bobby Fischer does not end in a checkmate, but the two players keep moving pawns down files well after the losing player should have realized he was beaten. Justified in that the losing player was playing a game he wasn't used to (speed chess), and is also about ten years old to boot: he's an excellent player, but he's still a kid. He just missed it. | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_b885f5bf | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_b885f5bf | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Searching for Bobby Fischer | hasFeature |
Surprise Checkmate / int_b885f5bf | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_ba996c80 | type |
Surprise Checkmate | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_ba996c80 | comment |
In Sadko (better known to Mystery Science Theater 3000 fans as "The Magic Voyage of Sinbad"), Sadko challenges the prince of India to a game of chess. The prince's final move has him convinced that he has won, but Sadko turns around and checkmates him, leaving him dumbstruck. | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_ba996c80 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_ba996c80 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Sadko | hasFeature |
Surprise Checkmate / int_ba996c80 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_bd54ba07 | type |
Surprise Checkmate | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_bd54ba07 | comment |
In Blazing Saddles, the Waco Kid is shocked when Sheriff Bart checkmates him to end their game. Better justified than many examples because the Waco Kid is still drunk almost 24/7 at that point in the movie, and thus isn’t as sharp or aware as he could be. | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_bd54ba07 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_bd54ba07 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blazing Saddles | hasFeature |
Surprise Checkmate / int_bd54ba07 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_c18bfdae | type |
Surprise Checkmate | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_c18bfdae | comment |
The Immortal Game, referenced in Blade Runner, culminated with the sacrifice of a queen leading to check mate one move later. | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_c18bfdae | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_c18bfdae | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blade Runner | hasFeature |
Surprise Checkmate / int_c18bfdae | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_c43df4d8 | type |
Surprise Checkmate | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_c43df4d8 | comment |
In Doctor Who "Nightmare in Silver" this is used on Artie, who is specified to have fallen for the Fool's Mate mentioned in Real Life. Subverted with The Doctor, who is told that he will be checkmated in five moves by the Cyber Planner. He responds by claiming that there's a trap that will give him victory in three moves. His opponent sees no way this can be done, but is worried by the claim and deactivates the Cybermen to use their processing power to see how this could possibly be the case. It turns out the moves The Doctor was speaking of weren't chess moves at all - it takes him three actions to remove the Cyber Planner from his mind, rendering the game meaningless. | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_c43df4d8 | featureApplicability |
-0.3 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_c43df4d8 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Doctor Who | hasFeature |
Surprise Checkmate / int_c43df4d8 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_c9b854c4 | type |
Surprise Checkmate | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_c9b854c4 | comment |
In the Nancy Drew/The Hardy Boys Super Mystery, "A Crime for Christmas", Nancy beats Frank in a chess game in eight moves. However, he's so preoccupied about his brother Joe's whereabouts that he doesn't even notice. | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_c9b854c4 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_c9b854c4 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Nancy Drew | hasFeature |
Surprise Checkmate / int_c9b854c4 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_cb6a6d5b | type |
Surprise Checkmate | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_cb6a6d5b | comment |
In The Avengers, Steed moves his knight and puts Mrs. Peel's king in check, and she takes the knight with her queen, putting his king in checkmate. | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_cb6a6d5b | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_cb6a6d5b | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| The Avengers (1998) | hasFeature |
Surprise Checkmate / int_cb6a6d5b | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_cb6abea3 | type |
Surprise Checkmate | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_cb6abea3 | comment |
Allegedly, Gozaburo Kaiba of Yu-Gi-Oh! was a world-class chess player. It didn't stop prepubescent Seto from beating him. | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_cb6abea3 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_cb6abea3 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Yu-Gi-Oh! | hasFeature |
Surprise Checkmate / int_cb6abea3 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_ccf875f7 | type |
Surprise Checkmate | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_ccf875f7 | comment |
Averted by Reed in an episode of Criminal Minds when he announces "mate in 12". | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_ccf875f7 | featureApplicability |
-1.0 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_ccf875f7 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Criminal Minds | hasFeature |
Surprise Checkmate / int_ccf875f7 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_e26d2680 | type |
Surprise Checkmate | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_e26d2680 | comment |
In The Invisible Hours, Thomas Edison loses a chess game by Fool's Mate to a mechanical turk. This helps to establish that Edison is not as clever or capable as he thinks. | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_e26d2680 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_e26d2680 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| The Invisible Hours | hasFeature |
Surprise Checkmate / int_e26d2680 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_e4732abc | type |
Surprise Checkmate | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_e4732abc | comment |
Happens twice in Stargate Atlantis, once by Sheppard against McKay and by Zelenka against a bit-character. However, the first example is justified in that McKay underestimated Sheppard. | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_e4732abc | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_e4732abc | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Stargate Atlantis | hasFeature |
Surprise Checkmate / int_e4732abc | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_eb049de6 | type |
Surprise Checkmate | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_eb049de6 | comment |
In Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, Holmes and Moriarty play a game of chess while they discuss the philosophical underpinnings of Moriarty's world power play, all while their agents (Watson and Sim, and Moran and Rene, respectively) covertly wage battle under the cover of a ballroom gathering. Holmes scores this against Moriarty after detailing how his other machinations have led to a police seizure of Moriarty's considerably large war chest and subsequent donation to charity. It also foreshadows Holmes's feint with the Sherlock Scan hand-to-hand combat projection game that the two then play, hiding Holmes's intent of a Heroic Sacrifice to ensure a finality to Moriarty's demise. | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_eb049de6 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_eb049de6 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows | hasFeature |
Surprise Checkmate / int_eb049de6 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_ef076a36 | type |
Surprise Checkmate | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_ef076a36 | comment |
Star Trek: Voyager: The series finale "End Game" sees Icheb beat Tuvok in a futuristic strategy game with a surprise checkmate. In this case it's meant to show that Tuvok, an expert with a heretofore unbroken winning streak, is starting to suffer from a Vulcan Alzheimer's-type disease. | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_ef076a36 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_ef076a36 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Star Trek: Voyager | hasFeature |
Surprise Checkmate / int_ef076a36 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_f055637b | type |
Surprise Checkmate | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_f055637b | comment |
Though not chess but with similar sport Cyvasse, in A Dance with Dragons, Tyrion Lannister does this to an opponent he'd previously lost to on purpose in order to glean some vital information from him. | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_f055637b | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_f055637b | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| A Dance with Dragons | hasFeature |
Surprise Checkmate / int_f055637b | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_f655ed11 | type |
Surprise Checkmate | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_f655ed11 | comment |
The same happens in Frasier, where Martin whitewashes his son with a series of unexpected checkmates. | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_f655ed11 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_f655ed11 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Frasier | hasFeature |
Surprise Checkmate / int_f655ed11 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_f74b5f80 | type |
Surprise Checkmate | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_f74b5f80 | comment |
Babylon 5 - after a debate on belief between a monk and a military officer, the monk makes a surprise checkmate which he attributes to divine inspiration. | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_f74b5f80 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_f74b5f80 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Babylon 5 | hasFeature |
Surprise Checkmate / int_f74b5f80 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_ff9ab17f | type |
Surprise Checkmate | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_ff9ab17f | comment |
Star Trek: The Next Generation gets as close to this trope as you can possibly get with Data (so call it a subversion) by having Counselor Troi surprise Data with a move that would lead to check mate several moves later. For someone like Data, being completely unable to anticipate an endgame one move ahead of its execution is still unrealistic. | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_ff9ab17f | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Surprise Checkmate / int_ff9ab17f | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Star Trek: The Next Generation | hasFeature |
Surprise Checkmate / int_ff9ab17f |
The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.
Copyright of DBTropes.org wrapper 2009-2013 DFKI Knowledge Management. Imprint. - Thanks to Bakken&Baeck for hosting. Contact.
Copyright of data TVTropes.org contributors under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.
Copyright of data TVTropes.org contributors under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.