House of Mystery #226

In "The Devil's Chessboard," chess master Alan Blake finds himself trapped in a chilling game on a cursed board where each captured piece costs him a real-life consequence. When his queen is taken, his fiancée collapses—only to survive as long as Blake can promote a pawn to a queen in time.

In "The Living Nightmare!", boxing champion Jerry Samson is manipulated into believing he’s lost his strength—his hair cut, his faith shattered—by a shadowy syndicate betting on his downfall. When the enigmatic Phantom Stranger steps in to guide him, Jerry must confront a terrifying illusion of his own past to reclaim what was taken.

In "The Wishes of Doom!", a mysterious idol head passes from hand to hand, each new owner granted a single wish—each one fulfilled, but with a hidden curse that twists the outcome. As the cycle continues, one wish stands apart: the only one that brings true good is one made for the benefit of mankind.