This is from Frank Powell’s 1915 A Fool There Was, chapter 8: Vampire’s Venom. I had to look at this scene several times to convince myself that this was really a chess board and pieces placed on the table. And to what end?

While it may seem strange to modern eyes, I think the sole purpose of the chess set’s presence on the table is to indicate to the audience that the “players” surrounding the game are engaged in — not just idle chatter, but — a battle of wits.