Algebra and Searching for Bobby Fischer

I like to use this video because, let's face it, any excuse to show a clip from Searching for Bobby Fischer is a good excuse. But the description of isolating the king serves as a good analogy--or at least introductory hook--for isolating the variable in algebra. 

Clear the lines of men in your head, one at a time and the king will be left standing alone like a guy on a street corner.

You can do it step by step on paper. But it would also be good practice to clear the constant and coefficient in your head, while preserving equality of course, until the variable is standing alone on one side of the equation like a man on a street corner.