The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →The Deadlock hero whose reload animation uses chess positions is Solomon. His board layout changes with the ammunition count: secondary coverage reports 25 possible states labeled from 8 through 32 pieces. Match the number shown on the board to the list below, then verify the visible piece placement rather than relying on a partial animation.
Valve’s October 9, 2026 announcement confirms Solomon’s chess identity and in-game availability, but it does not publish a position-by-position key. The individual attributions below come from player and gaming-guide analysis, so treat them as reported identifications rather than a Valve-confirmed canonical list.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
What Solomon’s animation is showing
Valve introduces Solomon as a calm fighter who approaches the city “as if it’s one giant chessboard,” and gives him chess-themed abilities. The official Deadlock community announcement dated October 9, 2026 also says he is available in-game. During his reload, chess pieces appear on a board. According to an esports.gg guide, the ammunition count selects one of 25 arrangements; a separate Dexerto report describes the visible range as eight to 32 pieces.
Recommended Free Tools
That means the animation is not one static Easter egg. At eight rounds, you can see a different position from the one shown at 20 or 32 rounds. The reported set mixes complete historical games, individual games from matches, checkmate patterns, opening traps and one deliberately humorous opening.
#1 Best Overall
Use the ammunition count as the index
Start with the number of rounds represented on Solomon’s board. The esports.gg list labels the states 8, 9, 10 and so on through 32. Those labels are board-state identifiers, not dates and not a chronology of chess history. Eight pieces is especially common because the guide says Solomon starts with eight ammunition.
Once you have the count, compare the board with the corresponding row in this table. The names and years preserve the guide’s wording; the reference type and recognition cue explain what you are looking for.
| Ammo / pieces | Reported reference | Reference type | Recognition cue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | Joshua Waitzkin vs Maurice Ashley (1999) | Historical game | Common starting state; identify the two players and year. |
| 9 | Hikaru Nakamura vs Loek van Wely (2010) | Historical game | Nakamura–van Wely pairing, 2010. |
| 10 | Levy Rozman (GothamChess) vs Lelys Martínez Duany (2024) | Historical game | Recent 2024 game; Rozman’s name may appear as GothamChess in coverage. |
| 11 | Garry Kasparov vs Veselin Topalov (1999), “Kasparov’s Immortal” | Historical game | Look for the famous Kasparov–Topalov attacking position. |
| 12 | Maurice Ashley vs Sofia Polgar (1992), game 3 of the exhibition | Game from an exhibition | The guide specifically identifies the third game of the 1992 exhibition. |
| 13 | Judit Polgar vs Garry Kasparov (2002) | Historical game | Polgar–Kasparov pairing and 2002 date. |
| 14 | Deep Blue vs Garry Kasparov (1996), game 1 | Game from a match | The first game of the 1996 computer-versus-champion match. |
| 15 | Viswanathan Anand vs Veselin Topalov (2010) | Historical game | Anand–Topalov pairing, 2010. |
| 16 | Emory Tate vs Leonid Yudasin (1997) | Historical game | Tate–Yudasin pairing and 1997 date. |
| 17 | Magnus Carlsen vs Viswanathan Anand (2014), game 6 | World Championship game | Game six of the 2014 World Championship match. |
| 18 | Irina Krush vs Alice Lee (2025) | Historical game | Recent Krush–Lee pairing; use the 2025 date to distinguish it. |
| 19 | Mikhail Tal vs Vasily Smyslov (1959) | Historical game | Tal–Smyslov pairing, 1959. |
| 20 | Paul Morphy’s Opera Game against Duke Karl of Brunswick and Count Isouard | Historical game | The famous Paris Opera performance game; it is usually called the Opera Game. |
| 21 | Viktor Korchnoi vs Anatoly Karpov (1974) | Historical game | Korchnoi–Karpov pairing and 1974 date. |
| 22 | Mikhail Botvinnik vs Paul Keres (1948) | Historical game | Botvinnik–Keres pairing, 1948. |
| 23 | Adolf Anderssen vs Lionel Kieseritzky (1851), the Immortal Game | Historical game | The 1851 Anderssen–Kieseritzky game, distinct from other games called “Immortal.” |
| 24 | Bobby Fischer vs Pal Benko (1963) | Historical game | Fischer–Benko pairing and 1963 date. |
| 25 | Mikhail Botvinnik vs Rudolf Spielmann (1935) | Historical game | Botvinnik–Spielmann pairing, 1935. |
| 26 | Mikhail Tal vs Georgi Tringov (1964) | Historical game | Tal–Tringov pairing and 1964 date. |
| 27 | Paul Morphy vs Schulten (1857) | Historical game | Morphy–Schulten pairing, 1857; do not confuse it with Morphy’s Opera Game. |
| 28 | Larry Christiansen vs Anatoly Karpov (1993) | Historical game | Christiansen–Karpov pairing and 1993 date. |
| 29 | Légal’s Mate / Legal Trap | Opening trap and checkmate pattern | Recognize the familiar tactical motif rather than a named tournament game. |
| 30 | Viswanathan Anand vs Alfonso Zapata (1988) | Historical game | Anand–Zapata pairing and 1988 date. |
| 31 | Scholar’s Mate | Checkmate pattern | The basic four-move queen-and-bishop mating pattern. |
| 32 | Hikaru Nakamura vs Magnus Carlsen (2021), Double Bongcloud | Joke opening | The full, 32-piece state; both sides use the humorous Bongcloud idea. |
Every row above is the attribution reported by esports.gg; Dexerto independently supports the broad eight-to-32 range and the inclusion of traps and the Double Bongcloud, but does not verify every individual position.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
How to identify a board in practice
- Let the reload display enough of the board. Note the ammunition count shown by Solomon’s animation. Do not use a count inferred from your reserve ammunition; the relevant number is the board state’s displayed count.
- Find the matching label. Use the table’s 8–32 index. For example, a board showing 17 pieces maps to Carlsen–Anand, game six of the 2014 World Championship, according to the guide.
- Check the placement, not just the name. Compare the king locations, major pieces and any distinctive tactical arrangement with the reported game or pattern. Player names alone cannot prove that a partial screenshot is correct.
- Distinguish a game from a motif. Counts 29 and 31 are named traps or mating patterns, not complete historical match records. Count 32 is the Double Bongcloud joke opening rather than a conventional tournament reference.
- Replay if the evidence is incomplete. Capture the full board only after the pieces settle. A screenshot that omits one side or a few squares is not enough to identify a position reliably.
Why an interrupted animation can mislead you
The esports.gg guide warns that the Active Reload item can cut the reload animation short and reset the board before its intended arrangement appears. If you trigger Active Reload, cancel the animation or view only a transition frame, the pieces may not represent the state associated with the ammunition count.
- Record the count and wait for the board to finish assembling before matching it.
- If the board resets, run the reload again without interrupting it.
- When sharing a screenshot, include the complete board and the ammunition indicator so others can check both parts of the identification.
Recognizing the best-known references
The two “Immortal” labels
“The Immortal Game” in the table means Adolf Anderssen versus Lionel Kieseritzky in 1851, the 23-piece state. It is not Emory Tate’s game at 16 pieces. Kasparov–Topalov at 11 pieces is labeled “Kasparov’s Immortal” in the reported list, so the nickname alone is not a safe identifier.
Rank #2
- Author: Jeremy Silman
- Pages: 360 Pages
- Publication Years: 1998
Morphy’s two different entries
The Opera Game at 20 pieces is Paul Morphy’s famous game against Duke Karl of Brunswick and Count Isouard. Morphy versus Schulten in 1857 is a separate entry at 27 pieces. If you recognize Morphy but not the opponent, check the count before naming the reference.
Patterns rather than historical opponents
Légal’s Mate (29) and Scholar’s Mate (31) can be recognized from their tactical structure: they are standard patterns with familiar move ideas, not snapshots that require identifying two tournament players. The Double Bongcloud (32) is likewise identified by its opening joke and the Nakamura–Carlsen 2021 pairing, not by a conventional decisive-game narrative.
Windows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallOutdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchRecent and especially recognizable games
The guide highlights the 2024 Rozman–Martínez Duany position at 10, the 2014 Carlsen–Anand game six at 17 and the 2021 Nakamura–Carlsen Double Bongcloud at 32. The 1851 Anderssen–Kieseritzky Immortal Game (23) and Morphy’s Opera Game (20) are the historical positions most likely to be recognized by name.
How the references are grouped
Sorting the list by type makes identification easier. Most entries are complete games or snapshots from a named match, so the strongest clues are the players and year. Entries 12, 14 and 17 are explicitly tied to a particular game within an exhibition or match: Ashley–Sofia Polgar game three, Deep Blue–Kasparov game one and Carlsen–Anand game six. Do not omit the game number when reporting one of those states, because the broader match contains multiple positions.
The 29 and 31 states work differently. Légal’s Mate, also called the Legal Trap, and Scholar’s Mate are recognizable tactical patterns. They do not require you to identify an event, venue or opponent. The 32 state is another special case: the Double Bongcloud is a humorous opening idea associated here with Nakamura and Carlsen in 2021, not a conventional classical-game reference. Calling it simply “a Nakamura–Carlsen game” loses the feature that makes the state distinctive.
What to compare when two screenshots look similar
Use four comparison axes. First, classify the reference: complete historical game, one game within a match, trap or checkmate pattern, or joke opening. Second, record the recognition cue: names and year, a distinctive tactical structure, or the opening joke. Third, keep the reported board-state label beside the image. Fourth, state the evidence level. Valve confirms Solomon’s chess concept; the exact mapping is a secondary identification.
This approach prevents common mix-ups. “Immortal” can mean Anderssen–Kieseritzky at 23 or the Kasparov–Topalov game called “Kasparov’s Immortal” at 11. Morphy appears at both 20 and 27, but the Opera Game and the Schulten game are different references. A screenshot with only a few pieces visible may support a tentative match, not a definitive one.
Recreating a position for study
If you want to inspect a reported position away from the game, use a normal chessboard and set up the pieces from a complete screenshot or a reliable game record. A standard chess set is an optional study aid, not Deadlock merchandise and not a requirement for playing Solomon. No particular brand, model or price is established for this purpose.
For a useful comparison, write the ammunition label beside the setup, note whether the entry is a full game or a pattern, and save the screenshot that shows the whole board. This preserves the distinction between what the animation displays and what a historical game database may show at a different move. The goal is to compare the arrangement, not to imply that every visual frame is a Valve-published diagram.
What is confirmed, and what remains uncertain
The official Valve post establishes Solomon’s chess theme, his chess-related presentation and his availability on October 9, 2026. It does not provide a diagram for each reload state or name the historical games. The 25-state list and its player-by-player mappings come from secondary coverage, principally the esports.gg guide, with Dexerto supporting the overall mechanic and range.
There is also a counting qualification: the guide says there are “25 possible permutations” while labeling states 8 through 32. Those labels contain 25 integers, but no Valve explanation establishes why the ammunition count is the canonical selector or whether every internal board permutation is exposed in every gameplay circumstance. Use the labels as a practical matching key, not as proof of an official numbered catalog.
Because no Valve-authored position list was published with the announcement, a partially visible or altered animation should be described as a likely match rather than an official confirmation. A standard chess set can help you recreate a reported position for study, but it is optional and is not Deadlock merchandise or a gameplay requirement.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.A quick checklist for screenshots and clips
- Is Solomon’s ammunition count visible?
- Did the reload finish before the image was captured?
- Does the count fall between the reported eight- and 32-piece states?
- Have you checked whether the reference is a game, a match game, a trap, a mate or the Double Bongcloud?
- For “Immortal” or Morphy references, did you verify the opponents and year?
- Are you presenting the attribution as reported coverage rather than a Valve-confirmed canonical list?
Common mistakes to avoid
- Treating the number as a year. The 8–32 labels identify animation states; they are not dates.
- Calling every state a famous match. Légal’s Mate, Scholar’s Mate and the Double Bongcloud are special-pattern entries.
- Using reserve ammunition. The reported selector is the number represented by the board state, not a guess based on the rest of your weapon’s ammunition.
- Capturing a transition frame. Pieces may still be moving, or the board may already have reset after an interrupted reload.
- Overstating certainty. Say “the esports.gg guide identifies this as…” when documenting an attribution; do not present an unverified screenshot as an official Valve key.
Reader questions worth checking before you identify a clip
Ask whether the image shows the whole board, whether the reload completed normally and whether the ammunition label is readable. Then decide whether you are matching a historical game, an individual game within a match, a standard tactical pattern or the joke opening. Those checks answer most disagreements without requiring a perfect memory of every chess position.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Deadlock hero has the chess-board reload animation?
Solomon. Valve’s October 9, 2026 community announcement presents him with a chess theme and says he is available in-game.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →How does the animation choose a chess position?
Secondary coverage reports that the displayed ammunition count selects the board layout. The reported labels run from 8 through 32, with 25 listed states.
Best Value
- Bantam, A great option for a Book Lover
- Must try for a book lover
- Compact for travelling
Is every board a complete historical chess match?
No. The list includes historical games, individual games from larger matches, Légal’s Mate, Scholar’s Mate and the 2021 Double Bongcloud.
What is the most common state?
The esports.gg guide says the eight-piece Waitzkin–Ashley (1999) state is especially common because Solomon starts with eight ammunition.
Which state is the Immortal Game?
The reported 23-piece state is Adolf Anderssen versus Lionel Kieseritzky in 1851. Do not confuse it with Kasparov–Topalov’s “Kasparov’s Immortal” at 11 or the Emory Tate entry at 16.
Why did my board not match the ammunition count?
The reload may have been interrupted. The guide reports that Active Reload can cut the animation short and reset the board before the intended arrangement appears. Replay it and wait for the pieces to settle.
Is the 32-piece board a normal tournament game?
It is reported as Hikaru Nakamura versus Magnus Carlsen in the 2021 Double Bongcloud, a humorous opening reference rather than a conventional tournament-game category.
Has Valve published an official list of every position?
The official announcement confirms Solomon’s chess identity but does not publish a position-by-position key. The detailed mappings remain reported identifications from secondary coverage.
The Bottom Line
Use Solomon’s displayed ammunition count as the practical index, wait for the reload to finish, and verify the complete piece placement. The reported 8–32 list covers famous games, match games, tactical patterns and the Double Bongcloud, but the exact mappings are secondary attributions rather than a Valve-published canonical catalog.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsQuick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
