Who is Thyra?

Thyra is the scatterbrained fairy of the Star level, one of the toys who live in the Attic. You play chess against her on a screen. The first piece Thyra moves is her queen. She sends it straight out to hunt for one big move: a quick checkmate next to your king. That trap has a name, Scholar's Mate. When you take her queen away from her, Thyra panics. Then she pushes a pawn forward to get a new queen. Scholar's Mate and Stopping Mate are two Chess Skills on the Star level. Against Thyra, you get to use them both. Checkmate her, and you have caught the fairy.

Why one queen is never enough

Long ago, the queen was the weakest piece on the board. It could move only one square at a time, like a tiny bishop. Then, in Spain in the 1400s, the queen got its long moves, and Thyra loves them. She thinks her queen can win the game almost all on its own. But your whole team of pieces working together beats her one lonely queen.

Catch the queen

In her trap, her queen and a bishop both aim at the same square. Take her trap apart in this order:

• First, guard the pawn next to your king, because at the start only your king guards it. That pawn is on f7 when you play Black, and on f2 when you play White.
• Then chase her queen, each time with a new piece. Soon you have three pieces out, and her queen is still running.
• Catch her queen, or swap queens: you take hers, and she takes yours.
• Watch her pawns, because a pawn that reaches the far side of the board becomes a new queen. Stop it before it gets there.

Play on until checkmate

There is no clock, and Thyra never gives up. She says yes to a draw when she is losing, so never offer one when you are winning. A draw is not a win, so play on until checkmate.

How you get the sticker

A Game has three helpers: a hint, an undo, and a reroll. A Battle has no helpers at all. Only a Battle counts for the sticker. Checkmate Thyra in a Battle, and she gives you her mascot button. The button sits in her spot on your shelf in the Attic. The button proves you beat her. Show it to your grown-up or coach. They hand you the sticker for your passport. White or Black, both count. Lost? Good game, and try again as often as you like.