Tuesday, March 30, 2010

On the Final Knight

Here is the problem, he said, moving the pieces around, letting the soft, heavy bases bump deeply against board. Your skewer is good, and it makes me make the move I did (more clicking here, she loved that sound) But after that, it's done. The rook is protected, and it's not worth sacrificing anything for. Take advantage of the position you're in.

She blinked at him and then stared at the board some, and after a while she moved a knight to fork the rook and his white-square bishop, a long queen's fianchetto back in the opening - he liked those indirect occupations.

No! She noticed he almost yelled now, and the way he touched his hair and then his ear, struggling, frustrated. He moved his rook and looked back up at her. The rook can move now, you have to-

She took his bishop and handed him the note, and then she left, because sometimes you just have to give up on a good thing.

3 comments:

Carissa said...

what did the note say???? i think you should tell us

Jeff said...

I saw my cousin try to teach my younger cousin chess. It was a disaster. He didn't get that he couldn't move the pawn like a queen.

Anonymous said...

I see "profound"