| SHOGI | Cousin of chess |
| ROW | A spell of sculling; the distance oared; a raucous quarrel; or, a drill of vegetable plants, line of stitches, queue of people, rank of chess squares, tier of seats or other orderly file (3) |
| OPENING | First performance of a play; a job vacancy; or, a sequence of moves at the start of a game of chess (7) |
| CHECKMATE | Ultimate goal of chess...or what either member of a chess-loving couple might call each other |
| ROOK | Which piece occupies the four corners of the board at the start of a game of chess? (4) |
| ENDGAME | The final stage of a round or match of chess, when only a few pieces remain on the board; or, one's manner of playing this (7) |
| ENDGAMES | Final stages of a game of chess |
| PAULMORPHY | American chess player nicknamed 'The Pride and Sorrow of Chess' (4,6) |
| FIDELIO | Noted performance of chess people putting up work of art |
| IVANIV | Known as the "Terrible", the first tsar of Russia who died during a game of chess (4,1,1) |
| WHITELEAD | Paint ingredient needed at start of game of chess (5,4) |
| INMATE | How game of chess might end for one of the residents (6) |
| STAUNTON | Standardised pattern of chess pieces, named after a 19th-century English chess master |
| PAWNS | From the Latin for "foot soldiers", the most numerous pieces in a game of chess, such as those used in an attack move or formation named after grandmaster Marmaduke Wyvill of Constable Burton Hall (5) |
| CHECK | Word uttered towards the end of a game of chess (5) |
| TRAXLER | Karel , Czech chess master and composer of chess problems (7) |
| THIRTYTWO | Number of pieces in a standard game of chess (6-3) |
| CAISSA | Goddess of chess |
| USSR | Home of chess champs, once |
| IBM | Sponsor of chess-playing computer Deep Blue |
