A game of chess

I've been thinking a lot lately. Thinking about things which concern me directly or indirectly, most of which I can do nothing about. Most of these things happening to me are not the result of my doing, but a result of those around me; a butterfly effect so obviously pre-planned by some force some would call pure coincidence and others something more far fetched as fate.
Then a few days ago, these thoughts going round in circles in my head, I came across a couple of friends playing chess on one of those dime-a-dozen androids available these days. Though not as avid a player I was a few years ago, I do enjoy  watching a good game and peered out of genuine interest over their shoulders. It was a slow game with one guy taking hours to decide what to move and what not to. As the game progressed, it became clear the way they were moving their pieces was so dependent on how they had moved earlier, something as a 15 year old I had never fully appreciated. And at the same time, I couldn't help but notice how similar the pieces' positions and movements affected their immediate future and 'fate'. Sounded real familiar to me. Anyhow, the game ended with the slower player getting thrashed thoroughly with only his king left to hop in handicapped fashion till the other guy used a rook and a bishop to execute the finishing moves.

At this point, a comparison.

The chessboard has 32 pieces with 64 squares. Two players move them around trying to outwit one another based on a constant set of rules. The only aim is to checkmate the opposition by rendering the king immobile.
Now welcome to the real world. Our chessboard has as many pieces as the ones you would care to/have to interact with. The number of squares are the places you'd want to go to ('going places' is a good thing apparently, hence the phrase). And yes, you yourself are a piece; a pawn, a bishop, a rook or a knight. You don't get to decide that, the others do as they are the ones who perceive you as what you are or aren't. And each piece has an intellect. No one is moving them. They are moving all by themselves. The ultimate goal is survival. Period.

A few questions now. If no one's moving us, what determines to what extent we can do something about stuff we want to? How well can we judge others based on how they've moved previously? How predictable will they be in the future? To what extent can you influence that to your advantage? Can you actually do anything about it? And what is your idea of a checkmate? Do you get to decide what it could be or would it be lumped on you like it would be when in a real game of chess your opponent says "checkmate!" and you have no choice but to lump it?

One of my most confused posts, no doubt, but I really had to, you know..just realized what I really am is a chess piece which can think for itself on a presently very confusing chessboard.