Chess is a musical with lyrics by Tim Rice and music by Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson, formerly of ABBA. The story involves a romantic triangle between two players in a world chess championship, and a woman who manages one and falls in love with the other. Although the protagonists were not intended to represent any specific individuals, the characters personalities are loosely based on those of Victor Korchnoi and Bobby Fischer and the oddity of the Merano championship in the musical is based on the similar oddities which occurred during the 1978 World Championship between Korchnoi and Anatoly Karpov.

Following the pattern of Jesus Christ Superstar and Evita, a concept album was recorded and released in 1984, before any stage production was underway. A single from the album, "One Night In Bangkok", sung by Murray Head, was an unlikely top-40 hit, and the duet, "I Know Him So Well", by Elaine Paige and Barbara Dickson, held the number one spot on the UK singles charts for 4 weeks in February 1985.