What's the Name of That Book??? discussion

I read this series (maybe as many as 3 books) around 1992. It was about a young boy who lived with his grandfather and maybe his mother. His mother wasn't around a lot, and somehow he gets involved fighting evil supernatural forces. He has a small metal matchbox that I remember having some importance which may have contained a splinter of the holy cross which helped ward off evil. I feel like the author's last name started with a letter in the first half of the alphabet. I think the boy and his grandfather might have played chess and the grandfather was big on the "touch rule" where you have to move the piece after you've touched it, even if you decided it was a terrible idea to move the piece.

Jordan ~~
You can bump this book every month or so to keep your thread at or near the head of this Unsolved folder, rather than languishing here on page 34 where hardly anyone will see it. More eyes will take note, and someone must surely know this book.
Good luck!

Jordan, are you still looking for this or did you find it?

I think I found it. It’s the same author of The House With a Clock in the Walls

The Spell of the Sorcerer's Skull (book 3 of series) by John Bellairs?

Google Books preview:
https://books.google.com/books/about/... There are different cover images.

Johnny Dixon series = https://www.goodreads.com/series/6688...

Thank you!

You're welcome. Glad you found your book series, Jordan. link for the first book in the series - The Curse of the Blue Figurine by John Bellairs.