CHESS (DAHYUN) Lyrics by TWICE
Oh, I used to be unskilled and naïve
You deceived me for your own benefit
With a cunning trick more than anything
Now completely, I realize everything
Calculated, educated
I’m the monster you created
So you changed me, I upgraded
I’ma tell ya
I ain’t playin’ checkers, I play chess
Became the best and nothin’ less
Yeah, that’s what I do, I’m making moves
I never lose, and that’s on you (And that’s on you)
I dominate the outcome of this game
It’s getting more and more interesting
Victory is mine, obviously I
Know I’m not the same person I used to be
Calculated, educated
I’m the monster you created
So you changed me, I upgraded
I’ma tell ya
I ain’t playin’ checkers, I play chess (I make ’em sweat)
Became the best and nothin’ less (I make a mess, I must confess)
Yeah, that’s what I do, I’m making moves (I bet ya knew)
I never lose and that’s on you (I never do, and that’s on you)
Because of you, I’ve become stronger
And I can go with the flow
Better without you, better now
With or without you, ain’t no doubt
You know you gotta, you gotta show me your manners, bow down
Better without you, better now
Want me to lose, I don’t know how
You know you gotta, you gotta, you gotta, uh
Let you shoot your shot, now that’s on you
Shoulda done it better when you had it all together, what now?
Now you’re really running out of moves, ah-ah
Yeah, that’s what I do, I’m making moves (I bet ya knew)
I never lose, and that’s on you (I never do, and that’s on you)
I ain’t playin’ checkers, I play chess (I make ’em sweat)
Became the best and nothin’ less (I make a mess, I must confess)
Yeah, that’s what I do, I’m making moves (I bet ya knew)
I never lose, and that’s on you (I never do, and that’s on you)
The Meaning of “CHESS (DAHYUN)” by TWICE
TWICE just dropped “CHESS (DAHYUN)” as track 8 on their new album TEN: The Story Goes On, and honestly? It hits different. There’s a sharpness here, a kind of quiet confidence that feels like it’s been earned the hard way.
Oh, I used to be unskilled and naïve / You deceived me for your own benefit
Hearing that opening, it’s impossible not to feel that sting of betrayal. It’s not just anger, though—it’s the moment you realize someone’s game, and it changes you completely. You can almost feel the gears turning, the shift from being a pawn to learning the board.
In the end, the song isn’t really about winning. It’s about that transformation, about how the very hurt meant to break you can become the thing that makes you unstoppable. It’s a quiet, personal victory you carry long after the game is over.