Chess in The Wire

Chess has always been a popular theme in literature, art and movies, and it's often the subject of metaphors in daily speech. However, have you ever come across the symbolic value of our beloved game to describe drug trade?

Every now and then we receive tips from our readers about new chess videos which they've found on YouTube or on a similar video hosting site. (Keep on sending them!) This time we have one from the TV series The Wire, in which the rules of the game are being explained in a, well, somewhat different way!

The Wire is an American television drama series set in Baltimore, Maryland, where it was also produced. Created, produced, and primarily written by author and former police reporter David Simon, the series was broadcast by the premium cable network HBO in the United States. The Wire premiered on June 2, 2002 and ended on March 9, 2008, with 60 episodes airing over the course of its five seasons.

Each season of The Wire focuses on a different facet of the city of Baltimore. They are, in order: the drug trade, the port, the city government and bureaucracy, the school system, and the print news media. Despite never seeing large commercial success or winning any Emmy Awards, The Wire has frequently been described by critics as one of the greatest television series of all time. The show is recognized for its realistic portrayal of urban life, artistic ambitions, and uncommonly deep exploration of sociopolitical themes. (Source: Wikipedia)

The video below is from the first season (2002), third episode: The Buys. D'Angelo uses the phrase "The King stay the King" when describing the rules of chess using the analogy of the drug trade when explaining to Bodie that pawns can only become queens, never kings. In the analogy Avon Barksdale is the king.

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