So my story about a chess game is almost finished, all I need to do is add the chess game. Yeah...

But seriously, I'm at a complete loss here. How would you guys do it?

I think it would be kinda cool if you personified the pieces, like...
"Her majesty was quick to deal with the cheeky footsoldier."
"The knight practically flew to the aid of his master."
"..., but no God could protect the lowly priest from the wrath of the mighty watchtower."
Something like that, along with the players watching the battlefield like gods. I feel like that would hold the reader's attention like glue.

6636663

Flipping the board always works

It sort of depends on what you want your chess match to say. If the story is itself about the chess match itself, then you might need to be very descriptive about how each piece moves. Real-life chess tournaments and games between master players are recorded and can be found online, so you don't even have to make up high level play.

If its more of a metaphorical thing, then you can leave out most of the actual piece moving and focus on the two players and whatever conversation they might be having. (ex: Sherlock v Moriarty)

In fact, I put in a chess scene of my own in one of my fics. The actual game is described pretty loosely, but it was more of showing the players personalities and foreshadowing some stuff through the choices they made. Obviously the context is lost when I rip it out of the story, but you can how I've chosen to use a chess match in a story.

The pawn in white advances across the field, and strikes down the black knight. Eclipse cringes as his valiant soldier falls and is removed from action.

“Your move.” Rose Given smirks. Now the unicorn sighs as he moves his own pawn in to remove Rose’s. “A pawn for a knight, not a good a good trade.” A few days after they returned from the north, Eclipse met Rose in a relaxing public park, and finally got his chess match with her.

“It was that or let your queen take my other rook.” Eclipse surveys the board one more time as Rose moves another pawn. Their game has not gone his way. “Aside from beating nobles at chess, what are your interests? Surely there is more to you than duty.”

“Take my bishop, and I’ll tell you.” She slides the aforementioned piece to a powerful, but vulnerable location, where it threatens and is itself threatened. Eclipse almost leaps at the chance, but then looks again at the board. He could take the bishop with either his other knight or a bishop of his own, but both would leave an opening for her to move to an even more advantageous position with another piece.

“So tempting. I think I’ll have to ask again some other time.” Instead, he slips his queen to a location formerly threatened by said bishop, causing Rose’s eyes to narrow.

“Not as willing to take risks as I expected. Interesting.” They each take several turns moving pieces about the board. She is swift and sure with her moves, obviously used to thinking several turns ahead and already planning for them. This leaves Eclipse always on the defensive, trying to maintain his few powerful pieces without expending them needlessly. It isn’t long before it’s quite clear which of them has the clear advantage. All of Rose’s remaining power pieces are in dominant positions, making it difficult to move without losing something important. She keeps up the pressure by relentlessly advancing pawns across the board.

“This does not bode well for me.” Yet again Eclipse takes stock of the situation.

“I do believe you’ve lost.” Rose taps the table.

“It sure looks hopeless. But perhaps…” The unicorn moves his queen, taking what seems to be an innocuous pawn. “Hope can be found even in the fog of despair.” For the first time, Rose has to pause and examine the board. “Check. I’m surprised you didn’t see that.” Rose shifts her king out of the way, revealing her queen behind it, which he promptly removes. What follows is a veritable slaughter as they rapidly trade pieces, placing either king in check with nearly every move. When all is done, both sides are nearly crippled. Nearly.

“Checkmate.” Rose smiles again as Eclipse futilely searches for a way out. One hoof reaches out and tips the black king over.

The two then discuss tactics and strategy, only loosely about chess, and it gets into details about the other characters and events. (if anyone wants to read the story in it's unfinished entirety, it's here.)

6636663
Huh, very interesting. I'd write it like from the players P.O.V, but as if he/she was a general leading an army.

6636663 I actually do have a short scene with a chess game in a chapter for one of the stories I am working on. Though admittedly it is a bizarre version of chess.

6636663
Try to get the audio from a professional chess game which has an announcer. Essentially just copy fragments of it and insert thoughts and more in between each move. That way it's obvious to the reader that they're actually playing chess and consistent to anyone who can actually follow chess games...