How to solve the Chess Puzzle in Hogwarts Legacy

There are two known types of Chess Puzzles in Hogwarts Legacy, one within the 'Minding Your Own Business' quest and one within an optional treasure vault cave in the Scottish Highlands.

Stick around and we'll show you how to get past both puzzles in the game to get to the treasure beyond.

Disclaimer: While the creator of the Harry Potter franchise was not directly involved in the creation of Hogwarts Legacy, their comments on social media around transgender people are hurtful and dangerous given the size of their platform. 

We’d implore you to read our explainer of the controversy so far, and consider supporting trans rights charities where possible.

• UK:
  • Mermaids
  • Switchboard 
•  US:
  • The Trevor Project
  • Trans Lifeline

How do you solve the 'Minding Your Own Business' Chess Puzzle?

During the Minding Your Own Business quest you will gain the opportunity to own a shop in Hogsmeade. The catch is – it has a haunted basement that is being tormented by a bored poltergeist.

• Whilst investigating the dungeon you will need to unlock the main library to confront the poltergeist
• Whilst you locate lanterns to unlock the main doors you will encounter a chess board that has been laid out as a trap
• The trick to get past the board is to cast Revelio and avoid any squares that light up red

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Now, you're free to advance through the dungeon and unlock the main library doors.

Treasure vault Chess Puzzle

There are many treasure vaults scattered across the hamlets of Hogwarts, these offer puzzles to be solved in return for new items.

The cave is located within the Poidsear Coast, east of the Pheonix Mountain Cave Floo waypoint.

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One such puzzle will require you to play a game of chess in a reminiscent way of the chess scene in Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone.

Without sidekicks to help you out, you must rely on the following spells to get you through the puzzle:

• Wingardium Leviosa
• Transformation
• Depulso

You can gain access to these spells by attending class and completing assignments for professors during the school year.

How to solve the treasure vault Chess Puzzle 

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Once you're at the cave follow these steps:

• You'll first notice two bronze sculptures at the cave entrance. Cast Depulso on these several times to open the entrance. Casting the spell once on each sculpture will not be enough to open it
• Inside, you'll see a chessboard made out of raised stones and some chess pieces
• The board is incomplete
• Use Revelio in the room to highlight an interactable object
• This object will be random with some players reporting it being a white chair or vase and others as a cauldron
• Whatever the item's appearance, it will show in a white highlight under the Revelio spell
• Use the Transformation spell on the item to transform it into a random chess piece
• Once the item has become a chess piece, move it by using Wingardium Leviosa to a position where it will be able to check the King
• The black King is on the last row closest to the stairs, the trick is to place your piece in a position where it will check the King

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• If you have a Knight chess piece, place it one square down and two across from the King or two squares down and one across from the King

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• If you have a Bishop, place it on any square diagonal from the King

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• If you have a Castle, place it on any square across the King on the same line
• If you have any other type of chess piece refer to standard chess rules - players have only reported receiving one of the above pieces
• Once you have completed the checkmate, the King will be destroyed and a chest will summon at the top of the stairs for you to open

For more helpful tips, check out our Hogwarts Legacy homepage where you can find guides like all the Sophronia Franklin quiz answers and how to solve the bridge puzzle.