Who is Karl Anker?

Karl Anker, the greedy troll of the Hero level, lives in the Attic with the other toys. You play chess against him on a screen. He believes one thing with all his heart: whoever takes the most pieces wins. So he grabs every piece he can reach, whether the grab is clever or silly. He will even swap his best piece for one tiny pawn. He counts the pieces he takes, but never the pieces he loses. Nobody has dared to tell him he is wrong. You can show him on the board, in the friendliest way.

What a piece is worth

Chess players count their pieces in points, and a pawn is worth one point. A knight or a bishop is worth three points, and a queen is worth nine. The Piece Values sticker teaches you the rest. Counting the points is how you trick him.

Set the trap

Here is how to use his greed against him:

• Put out a small piece for him to grab: that piece is your bait. Make sure another of your pieces guards it.
• Karl Anker takes the bait, just as he always does.
• On your very next move, take the piece that grabbed your bait.

If he takes your pawn, worth one point, then you take his knight, worth three points. Trade by trade, you win more than he does, and his army gets smaller. Soon his king has only a few pieces left to guard it.

Play on until checkmate

Karl Anker never gives up, and there is no clock. So keep playing, even when you are far ahead. Even when his king is in danger, Karl Anker grabs a piece first. That is your moment to go for his king. If you offer him a draw, he says yes. But a draw is not a win, so never offer him one. In chess, you win with checkmate, not with the biggest pile of pieces.

How you get the sticker

A Game has three helpers: a hint, an undo, and a reroll. A Game is a good place to practice your trap first. A Battle has no helpers at all. Only a Battle counts for the sticker.

The first time you beat him in a Battle, he gives you his mascot button. The button sits in his own spot on your shelf in the Attic. The button proves you beat him. Show it to your grown-up or coach. They hand you the sticker for your passport. White or Black, both count. If you lose, say good game and try again as often as you like.