Comic Title: Checkmate #1
Publisher: DC
Cover Date: April 1988
On Sale Date: December 8, 1987 Shipping Date December 8, 1987
Source: DC Releases, #47

Shipping Date December 8, 1987
Source: Amazing Heroes, #131

Copyright Date December 8, 1987
Source: Library of Congress, Copyright Office 1987

Newsstand Date December 31, 1987
Source: Amazing Heroes, #131

Cover Price: $1.25
Page Count: 32
Editor: Jonathan Peterson

Title: "Opening Gambit"
Pages: 24

Feature(s):
Checkmate

Writer: Paul Kupperberg
Penciller: Steve Erwin
Inker: Al Vey
Letterer: Janice Chiang
Colorist: Julianna Ferriter

Feature Character(s)

• Checkmate (Gilroy named; last appearance in Action Comics #598; next appearance in Checkmate #2)
• Harry Stein (last appearance in Action Comics #598; next appearance in Checkmate #2)
• Harvey Bullock (last appearance in Action Comics #598; next appearance in Checkmate #2)
• Grace Guiness (name revealed; a rook; last appearance in Action Comics #598; next appearance in Checkmate #2)
• Philip Kramer (last appearance in Vigilante #47; next appearance in Checkmate #3)
• Scott Jameson (last appearance in Vigilante #47; next appearance in Checkmate #10)
• Gary Washington (becomes a knight; last appearance in Vigilante #37; next appearance in Checkmate #2)

Supporting Character(s)

• Black Thorn (last appearance in Vigilante #50; next appearance in Checkmate #2)
• Amanda Waller (last appearance in Suicide Squad #12; next appearance in Justice League International #13)
• John Reed (aka Pawn One; first name revealed in Checkmate #5; first appearance; last appearance in Checkmate #5; next appearance in Checkmate #2)
• B.J. (last appearance in Action Comics #598; next appearance in Checkmate #3)

Villain(s)

• Kevin Maxwell (leader of the American Supremacist Party; next appearance in Checkmate #2)
• William Cross (an ASP member; dies in this story; no further appearances)
• Members of the American Supremacist Party (Larry, Dave, and Moose named; next appearance in Checkmate #2)

Other Character(s)

• O'Connor (an undercover agent; no further appearances)
• Several Chicago police officers (some die in this story; no further appearances)

Comments:
This story continues in Checkmate #2.

This story formally introduces Checkmate, a covert government agency. The organization, which had previously been unnamed, was originally headed by Val Vostok and was later turned over to Harry Stein. It had previously used Adrian Chase (the Vigilante) and Peacemaker as field agents.

Under the organizational restructuring, Harry Stein serves as king. He reports to Amanda Waller, the queen. Harvey Bullock is a bishop and second in command to Stein. Other bishops include agents Kramer and Jameson. Rooks are field directors such as Grace Guiness. Knights serve as field agents, including Stein's ex-NYPD partner Gary Washington. Pawns serve as support personnel.

Synopsis:
Harvey Bullock meets Black Thorn, who has been killing criminals since the death of Adrian Chase. Harvey and his agents drug her and bring her to Checkmate headquarters. He attempts to recruit her to work in the restructured organization. He also wants to ensure her silence since she already knows about the existence of the agency. However, Black Thorn is able to overpower the guards and escape the building.

Meanwhile Harry Stein, the appointed head of Checkmate, briefs his bishops, including Bullock, on the American Supremacist Party. A radical racist organization who recently bombed the Chicago trade market.

A Checkmate field agent, known as a knight, is dispatched to gather information on Kevin Maxwell, the head of ASP. The agent is forced to crash a meeting of the group to save the life of O'Connor, an undercover operative of the Justice Department. A chase ensues, and some of Maxwell's men are apprehended. Despite the capture, the ASP is able to carry out a bombing of the McCormick Place Convention Center.