Like Helen in the Trojan War, Melissa is a pearl of great worth desired by both White and Black. Both sides pull Melissa back and forth between themselves while attacking each other.
 
The story of Melissa is played like ordinary chess with all the normal rules except for the presence of Melissa. Each side begins a turn by moving Melissa, who moves like a Queen but cannot capture, then one of their own pieces. To compensate for white's advantage from going first, white does not move Melissa on his first turn.
 
The object of the game is to get Melissa onto your own back rank (the row your King begins the game on) without your King being captured. (Since you play the King in this story, the story ends if you die.)