References to chess vocabulary abound in Shakespeare, with frequent use of words such as king, queen, castle, knight, bishop, check and mate. The most suggestive usage occurs in Act II of King John, “that thou mayest be a Queen and check the world.”
However, such vocabulary works equally well outside a chess context. In fact, the only conclusive evidence of a pure chess scenario in Shakespeare arises in The Tempest Act V where the stage direction reads:
“Prospero discovers Ferdinand and Miranda playing at chess.”
And the subsequent dialogue between the two lovers, Ferdinand and Miranda, removes any shadow of a doubt:
“Mir: Sweet Lord, you play me false.
Fer: No, my dear’st love, I would not for the world.
Mir: Yes, for a score of kingdoms you should wrangle,…
