Play Story Chess fact sheet
Play Story Chess is a cinematic single-player chess experience at PlayStoryChess.com. Its interface also uses the name Mainline Stories. The first adventure is The Glass Syndicate. The second, Knight of the Round Table, is a King Arthur story.
Short description
Play real chess against story characters in cinematic single-player adventures. Begin free with The Glass Syndicate, an undercover spy mission told through chess encounters and connected scenes, or earn knighthood in Knight of the Round Table.
Longer description
Play Story Chess gives adult chess players a fictional world to enter alongside their usual games. Players choose a starting level, make moves against the computer, and follow an adventure through its characters and chapters.
The first story, The Glass Syndicate, begins at a tournament in Montenegro. The player uses the cover identity Alex Mercer, an art dealer, to approach contacts inside the Syndicate. The opening chess victory earns an introduction that moves the mission forward.
The second story, Knight of the Round Table, is a medieval Arthurian adventure. Across two chapters, the player faces Sir Gawain, Sir Percival, the innkeeper, Lady Elinor, Sir Lancelot, and King Arthur; the story ends with knighthood at the Round Table.
The platform is designed around a library of stories. Its public selector distinguishes the available adventures from titles marked coming soon.
Product facts
| Field | Current information |
|---|---|
| Website | PlayStoryChess.com |
| Operator | Red Rabbit Management LLC |
| Contact | hello@playstorychess.com |
| Names used | Play Story Chess; Story Chess; Mainline Stories in the interface |
| Format | Browser-based, single-player cinematic chess adventure |
| Opponents | Computer opponents presented as story characters |
| First adventure | The Glass Syndicate (spy); Part One free to play with no limit |
| Second adventure | Knight of the Round Table (medieval, Arthurian) |
| Campaign structure | The Glass Syndicate: twelve encounters across four chapters. Knight of the Round Table: six opponents across two chapters |
| Entry | Guest play for The Glass Syndicate; no account required to begin |
| Free play | The Glass Syndicate Part One with no limit; every other story board, one started per 24 hours; films and replays of won boards are never limited |
| Current purchase model | Story Chess Premium: USD $4.99 per month (or the local price shown at checkout), renews automatically each month; includes every story, every part, every new story on the day it is released, and unlimited boards. Single stories and the Season Pass are no longer sold; stories already bought are kept, and Season Passes run until they end |
| Purchases | No account required on the website (a free account keeps purchases on every device); secure Stripe checkout, payments processed by Stripe |
| Account relationship | Mainline accounts; separate Story Chess product |
| Announced future adventures | The Drowned Atlas, The Last Orbit; coming soon |
Product information updated October 23, 2026, for the introduction of Story Chess Premium.
Story facts: The Glass Syndicate
- Player's cover identity: Alex Mercer, art dealer.
- Handler: Mara.
- Opening venue: the Aurelia Invitational, Montenegro.
- First opponent: Severin Vey.
- Opening objective: earn the respect and introduction that lead to Adrian Sorel.
- Genre: spy adventure.
- Gameplay: real chess moves against the computer, connected by authored story scenes.
These descriptions are spoiler-light. The opening encounter article explains the first connection in more detail.
Story facts: Knight of the Round Table
- Genre: medieval Arthurian adventure.
- Structure: two chapters.
- Opponents: Sir Gawain, Sir Percival, the innkeeper, Lady Elinor, Sir Lancelot, and King Arthur.
- Ending: knighthood at the Round Table.
- Gameplay: real chess against each opponent; winning moves the story on.
- Presentation: cinematic scenes, narration, music, and character boards.
Public reference material
- The Glass Syndicate overview
- Opening-setting film
- Severin Vey character page
- How the game works
- Access and progress
- Terms of sale
Describing the experience accurately
The campaign is an authored adventure, not a claim that every chess move generates a new plot. Starting-level numbers are tuning estimates, not certified ratings for fictional opponents. Premium does not unlock boards; boards unlock by winning.
The product is not presented as affiliated with a licensed film franchise. Its story focus also does not establish a complete beginner curriculum or a competitive multiplayer service.