Did you know that Black Pieces is a historical fiction story based on the first African American Chess Master Theophilus Thompson. (1855-unknown). It was the question of when, why, where, what caused him to vanish all of a sudden, Especially by being the Author of Chess Problems: Either to Play and Mate, or Compel Self-mate in Four Moves. Published in 1873, the book was a compilation of chess endgame positions, puzzles which covered the final moves of chess games. Thompson's book was reviewed favorably in The City of London Chess Magazine in July 1874.