The Chess Problem

by Agatha Christie

Part of Hercule Poirot, book 0.001

First published 2020

Hercule Poirot and Captain Hastings encounter Inspector Japp unexpectedly at a Soho restaurant. Japp has returned from his time up north and shows little interest in Poirot's ongoing theories about the Big Four conspiracy. When Poirot starts discussing his theories again, Japp steers the conversation toward a strange incident from the previous day. He describes a chess match between two internationally renowned players that ended when one competitor died during play. This curious death immediately captures Poirot's attention. The case presents Poirot with a puzzle that combines his love of logical games with the mystery of sudden death. As part of Christie's exploration of the Big Four saga, this story examines how even intellectual pursuits can turn deadly when larger conspiracies are at work.

Genres: 20th-century, mystery, crime, detective, chess, agatha-christie

Vibes: suspenseful, thought-provoking

Tropes: amateur-sleuth, intellectual-puzzle

Setting: Soho, North

Period: 20th-century

13 pages · Kindle Edition · Andura Publishing

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