It was lyrics to a Yes song. Circa 1971... sorry for not labeling it.
Thought you might recognize the passage. The song is 'Your Move/All Good People'.
I'm sure you'd recognize it if you heard it. Catchy tune, sung by a man with the voice of an angel.
It suggests relationships are like a game of chess (see lyric snippet again). The second part is an homage to two John Lennon songs.