Stories generally require characters with ambition. Sure, a protagonist could be a natural improviser being eternally pushed around by the whims of fate, but most heroes are attempting to do something. Some examples feature heroes and villains with complex strategies, each with dozens of contingencies, moving parts, and calculated risks. When every character wants to engineer a 30-stage scheme, the author risks a chaotic Gambit Pileup.

In a typical action movie, the villain has a plan that the hero must work around. In Die Hard, Hans Gruber and his team arrive at the Nakatomi Plaza with a well-orchestrated scheme. John McClane can only work around their plan initially, but he gradually develops his strategy and occasionally pulls one over on his enemies. Imagine if John, Hans, Al, Holly, Karl, and Argyle each had a unique plot to make off with the building's treasure.

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The Gambit Pileup is the mad dash of crossed wires and changing motivations endemic to multiple players bringing their complex scheme to the same event. One character can plot out a long game, and everyone else can play their part or attempt to stop them, but a Gambit Pileup requires several schemes. Perhaps several people are trying to steal the same thing. Maybe a group of assassins finds themselves competing for the same mark. Maybe their motivations are unrelated, but none of the schemes can exist simultaneously. This trope tends to leave characters and audiences deliberately confused. It's hard to determine who's winning or losing when everyone's two stages into a six-stage plan. Typically, the plot will start to unravel, characters will die off, and the most likable members of the cast will walk away with a questionable win. The fun of the Gambit Pileup is its constant surprises, but it can require a flow chart to figure out by the end.

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The most notable early champion of the Gambit Pileup was Fyodor Dostoevsky. His final work, The Brothers Karamazov, has earned due praise for its literary genius. Those who haven't read the lengthy philosophical treatise may be surprised by its structure. The titular brothers, Dimitri, Ivan, and Alyosha, are wildly different sons of the same abusive father, Fyodor. When their dad turns up dead, Dimitri is the prime suspect. Karamazov is made up of 12 books, released over 22 months. Fyodor doesn't die until the third act of Book Eight. Once the inciting incident is out of the way, every member of the family, their romantic interests, and several other members of the community start their intricate scheme. Dimitri wants to run away with his lover, Ivan wants to prove his brother's innocence, and the killer wants to escape. There are multiple love triangles, a deep inner narrative about the nature of God, and an endless supply of mind games between neighbors. At the center of it all is Alyosha, the lone pure man. It's a brilliantly constructed piece, and though the schemes aren't the primary storyline, they are impressive.

On the big screen, the home of the Gambit Pileup is the heist movie. A classic example like Ocean's Eleven typically features one person or crew's grand plan, but more complex entries involve multiple parties. Guy Ritchie's first two films are perfect examples. Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels follows a network of escalating capers that often arbitrarily intersect. It starts when three petty thieves led by a skilled card sharp get ripped off by a wealthier criminal. As they try to steal their cash back, they encounter a pair of priceless antique shotguns, a van full of drugs, and a dozen other London gangs. Ritchie's follow-up, Snatch, pulls a similar trick with diamond heists, boxing matches, and a mess of international criminals. He's still playing with the concept. His 2019 film The Gentlemen was seen as a return to his comically complicated prime.

Video games aren't free from this trope. Metal Gear Solid is famous for its incomprehensible narrative, and the entire problem is its Gambit Pileup. So many characters make so many intricate schemes that the writers seem to consistently forget their antagonists' original intentions. There are countless video essays dedicated to figuring out exactly what's going on across the franchise. There's always another secret organization pulling the strings, a new grand ideal for the villains to aspire to, and several targets for Ocelot to stab in the back. There are a ton of compelling ideas throughout the games, but the full picture is hilariously messy.

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The Gambit Pileup is either the conceit of a narrative or the messy structure that makes it hard to see. A well-executed example is instantly engaging and worthy of multiple viewings. A bad example will leave the audience confused and uninterested. The Gambit Pileup is a simple explanation for countless needlessly complicated stories. Whether it's a hilarious series of coincidences or a world-changing political thriller, the Gambit Pileup packs every narrative with details.

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