I had the pleasure of talking to David Melo recently, designer of chess-based game The Pawn’s Gambit, which I’ve covered elsewhere on the blog.
Welcome, David.
Hello, L.N.! Thank you so much for this interview and for giving me the opportunity to share The Pawn’s Gambit with more people. I’m really happy to talk about the project!
We’re here to talk mainly about The Pawn’s Gambit. What was your inspiration for the game, and how did it get from idea to Gamefound.
From the start, the game has drawn its inspiration from chess: its structure, values, and philosophy. When I began conceptualizing it, I started by assigning traditional chess piece values to cards. For example, a pawn card is worth 1 point, a knight 3 points, and so on, just as in chess, where each piece has a theoretical value.
Then I combined those chess-based values with poker-inspired mechanics, like betting your pieces to win a round. From there, I kept building complexity: introducing imbalance cards, opening cards, game actions, and opening powers to create richer, more dynamic, and strategic gameplay.
Stating the truly obvious, the theme is Chess, but all non-Chess players might see are the shapes and names of the pieces on the cards. What can you say about the ideas behind the Opening Cards, Imbalances, and so on, and what do you hope players take from the game?
The Opening Cards are designed to capture the spirit of the chess openings they represent. For example, the King’s Gambit is a double-edged opening in chess: it’s bold and risky. In The Pawn’s Gambit, that same idea is mirrored: the card multiplies your opening value by four, but it also puts your king piece card at risk. It’s truly “all or nothing,” just like The King’s Gambit opening in chess.
Imbalance Cards function similarly to how positional imbalances work in real chess: they change the value of certain pieces dynamically. In chess, a knight might be more valuable than a rook depending on the position, or a pawn about to promote could be more powerful than a bishop. These cards recreate that sense of shifting value and tension.
Finally, Game Actions are inspired by the tactical manoeuvres players use in chess, like creating counterplay when under pressure. I wanted players to feel that same strategic push and pull.
Ultimately, my goal is for players to experience the depth and beauty of chess concepts in a fun, social way and to realize that chess is much more than just moving pieces on a board!
I love the artwork—Justicia is very talented. Why the medieval theme and how did the pair of you settle on the final imagery?
Justicia is incredibly talented, and I couldn’t be happier with his work! Early on, the game was just names and numbers on plain cards but I quickly realized that great artwork was essential to bring it to life (you can see below the evolution of the artwork).
At first, I considered representing the historical chess players who created the openings (for example, Alexander Alekhine for Alekhine’s Defence), but that approach would have resulted in a very uneven, Eurocentric visual style. Instead, I decided to create fictional characters that represent the essence and mystique of each opening.
The medieval theme came naturally: chess has deep associations with medieval warfare; knights, bishops, kings, queens, rooks (castles), and pawns (soldiers). To help Justicia visualize each character, I wrote a short piece of lore for every opening card, which really helped translate the gameplay concept into artwork.
The campaign ends on November 23. What happens then? Is the hard part over and it’s ‘merely’ managing production and distribution, so you get a bit of a rest?
I’ve already finalized production and shipping details, so from that perspective, it’s mainly about managing the delivery process.
That said, I’m realistic, the game may not be fully funded by November 23, and that’s okay! For me, that just means there’s room to improve and more time needed to reach a wider audience. Every project has its own pace, and I’m focused on learning and growing from the experience.
The world’s economy is a bit wobbly at the moment, with prices of everything hurtling upwards (and let’s not mention the T-word)—what impact has that had on your ambitions for The Pawn’s Gambit and beyond?
Honestly, it hasn’t affected my ambitions much. Creating this game was never primarily about making money, it was about doing something meaningful for myself and sharing it with others. Of course, I’d be thrilled if it became a financial success, but my main focus is on crafting a great game that people enjoy.
That mindset, I think, is what fuels many great indie projects, it’s all about passion first.
What’s next for The Pawn’s Gambit? Will there be any expansions, for example, more Opening Cards?
Yes! I’ve been exploring several ideas for expansion: definitely more Opening Cards, and also new Imbalance Cards with different effects beyond just modifying piece values.
I’m also considering alternative game modes, including a solo mode. I think there’s a lot of potential to grow the game while keeping it true to its chess-inspired roots.
What’s next for you—are there more game ideas waiting to burst out of your head? Can you give us any hints?
I’m a big fan of space exploration, and my ultimate dream is to create a space-themed video game. That’s a big, ambitious project, expensive and technically demanding, so my plan is to start with a space-themed board game that could eventually help finance the video game.
The board game would include rich storytelling, exploration, and a sense of existential wonder (and dread!). It would likely be a solo game, since space exploration is such a solitary, dangerous endeavour with multiple possible outcomes. I want it to be simple but unique. I really admire games like I C E for their elegant design and unique game mechanics. And yes, I’d love to work with Justicia again for the artwork!
What else can you tell us about David Melo, the person outside the game industry? What do you do in your spare time, if such a thing exists?
I’m a father to a wonderful two-year-old daughter, and most of my free time is spent playing with her and making sure she doesn’t get into too much trouble—she’s in the “climbing everything” phase right now!
Professionally, I’m a materials engineer in the automotive industry, and I really enjoy my work. I’m also an amateur chess player (currently on a break from competitive play) and I’ve recently started a small gardening project, which I’m loving so far!
What lessons have you learned from your first crowdfunding project, and have you any advice for budding game designers?
I’ve learned that communication and marketing are absolutely essential for success—but long-term, nothing matters more than having a genuinely good product.
Don’t use AI for your artwork; invest in real artists you trust. If your budget is small, take it step by step: if you don’t have €1,000 to spend right away, invest €100 at a time. The key is steady progress and building trust with your collaborators. It’s a process, not a sprint.
Where can we find out more about you and your work?
You can follow the project on the following platforms: Instagram, YouTube, BoardGamesGeek, Gamefound.
Thank you, David Melo. It’s been a pleasure talking with you.
Thank you for the interview! It’s been a real pleasure sharing my thoughts and the journey behind The Pawn’s Gambit.
