The game of chess consists of a clearly defined opening, a middle, and an end. At the very outset of the game, the opponent is clearly identified, the playing field is level, and the opponent’s intentions are quite clear. In the West, chess has been used as an explanatory framework for understanding business management theory and practice. Military strategists and the intelligence community have long had a similar ability to classify various levels of threats and the relative maturity and lethality of these threats. This is a skill that counter terrorism experts in every country now must possess. There is a need for the development of a practical typology; ways to classify opponents and to quickly identify which stage of the competition the opponents are in. All entities engaged in counterterrorism activities must adopt this chess mater’s view. This paper reviews chess as a model for incorporating local police agencies in fighting global terrorism. It examines the literature concerning the nature of terrorist organizations and examines recent literature that suggests that new methods are required to design a broad protective network with a common purpose. References