The Chess Kings

The Chess Kings
Start date:	December 24, 1956
End date:	March 2, 1957
# of strips:	60 (10 weeks)
Writer:	Lee Falk
Artist:	Phil Davis
Preceded by:	"Tub's Gang"
Followed by:	"The Western"

"The Chess Kings" is the 90th Mandrake daily story. The story was written by Lee Falk and drawn by Phil Davis.

Plot Summary

Years ago, the two distant cousins, the kings of Gambetia and Philador played a simple chess game. The rivaly grew and they became chess addigts. Each studied hard, trying go beat the other. The rivalry became hotter, they became fanatics and bet huge sums, and it was no longer a friendly game. This year they bet their kingdom in their chess tourney. The king of Gambetia needs help and tried to invite Mandrake's old friend professor Korr, the chess champion, to the chess tourney.

When Prof Korr refused to go, the king's men kidnapped him.

Appearances

Recurring characters

• Mandrake
• Narda
• The Police Chief
• Lothar

One-time characters

• Professor Korr, chess champion.
• King of Gambita.
• King of Philador.

Locations

• New York
• Gambita, tiny kingdom in the mountains near Philador.
• Philador, tiny kingdom.

Mandrake gestures hypnotically

• Hypnosis; a gun seems to turn into a chess piece (a knight), whinny and then bites.
• Ventriloqism; chess pieces talking.
• Hypnosis; the armor get hotter and hotter.
• Hypnosis; Mandrake and Lothar walking through a wall.
• Hypnosis; canceling the kings orders.
• Hypnosis; making the king sit down.
• Hypnosis; making the king voiceless.
• Ventriloqism; the king giving orders.

Behind the scenes

• The title for the story is taken from the strip of December 22, 1956 (Next Week: The Chess Kings -) and December 24, 1956 (Beginning: The Chess Kings).
• There are twelve plane changes from New York to Gambita.
• Narda knows the King of Philador from when she was a little girl.

Reprints

This story has been published in the following publications:

Australia

• "The Chess Kings", Mandrake Comic #28 (1959)

Brazil

• "O Torneio Real", Mandrake #27 (1957)
• "Xeque-Mate!", Mandrake #287 (1979)

Finland

• "Shakkimestarit", Mustanaamio #12 (1978)
• "Shakkimestarit", Sarjakirja #1 (1988)

France

• "Le royaume étrange", Spécial Mandrake #20 (1965)
• "Le royaume étrange", Mandrake le Magicien - L'intégrale 4 (Soleil) (1994)
• "Les rois des échecs", Mandrake le Magicien (Collection Clair de lune) Volume 2 - 1953 à 1957 (2012)

Italy

• "Uno strano regno", Il Vascello #19 (1960)
• "Uno strano regno", I Classici dell'Avventura #5 (1962)
• "Uno strano regno", Mandrake - New Comics Now #346 (1995)

Norway

• "Sjakkspillerne", Fantomet #23 (1981)
• "Sjakkspillerne", Serie-pocket #138 (1988)

Spain

• "El Ajedrez Vivo", Merlin el Mago Moderno #1 (1958)
• "El Ajedrez Vivo", Merlin el Mago Moderno - Album de Lujo #1 (1958)
• "El Ajedrez Viviente", Mandrake #19 (1997)

Sweden

• "Schackspelarna", Fantomen #4 (1978)

United Kingdom

• "The Chess Kings", Mandrake the Magician #2 (1960 or 1959)