Checkmate
I haven't played chess with Big Bro in months now, he hasn't been particularly interested when I asked. He took chess at his summer class and has also been in an afternoon program. Tonight, when we talked about playing, I was quite interested in seeing how his skills had changed since we last played.
As for myself, I am very much an average player. I can move the pieces and line up basic attacks. Strategy = not much. I learned from the best, my father, when I was around seven, Big Bro's age. His grasp of the game is much better than mine was at that age (or this age for that matter!)
We started the first game, and I was swiftly knocked into defense as Big Bro began doubling up on all my pieces. He swept through my pieces, capturing them quickly. As I tried to make countermoves, he observed with comments like "Well, that wasn't part of my plan, but it will merely be a momentary distraction" -- and sure enough, he would handle my re-attack and then move back to his checkmate strategy.
At an early point in our second game, I moved my knight out -- really for no reason other than to get it out onto the board. He looked at me and attacked it with a pawn, reached over to our pencil cup, found one that needed sharpening and smiling ear-to-ear, said "Would you want a pencil like this? No because it's pointless... Just like that move you just made!" Such a clever little comment, I put my tail between my legs and moved my knight back into its original position. He was right, it was a pointless move!
Our second game was down to king, queen & 2 pawns on my side and king, queen & rook on his side. When we were down to his king & queen and my king, I asked him if this game could even be won or if we would just end up chasing each other. He didn't want to end up in a king-king stalemate, but said he wanted to play it out.
Sure enough, a few moves later, he looks at me and said "I reckon the end has come for you". He proceeded to march me into checkmate. His king, then queen, closing in on me, backing me into a corner, closing in my space. Checkmate. He won.
What a wonderful game.
As for myself, I am very much an average player. I can move the pieces and line up basic attacks. Strategy = not much. I learned from the best, my father, when I was around seven, Big Bro's age. His grasp of the game is much better than mine was at that age (or this age for that matter!)
We started the first game, and I was swiftly knocked into defense as Big Bro began doubling up on all my pieces. He swept through my pieces, capturing them quickly. As I tried to make countermoves, he observed with comments like "Well, that wasn't part of my plan, but it will merely be a momentary distraction" -- and sure enough, he would handle my re-attack and then move back to his checkmate strategy.
At an early point in our second game, I moved my knight out -- really for no reason other than to get it out onto the board. He looked at me and attacked it with a pawn, reached over to our pencil cup, found one that needed sharpening and smiling ear-to-ear, said "Would you want a pencil like this? No because it's pointless... Just like that move you just made!" Such a clever little comment, I put my tail between my legs and moved my knight back into its original position. He was right, it was a pointless move!
Our second game was down to king, queen & 2 pawns on my side and king, queen & rook on his side. When we were down to his king & queen and my king, I asked him if this game could even be won or if we would just end up chasing each other. He didn't want to end up in a king-king stalemate, but said he wanted to play it out.
Sure enough, a few moves later, he looks at me and said "I reckon the end has come for you". He proceeded to march me into checkmate. His king, then queen, closing in on me, backing me into a corner, closing in my space. Checkmate. He won.
What a wonderful game.
posted by Counting_Blessings | 6:25 AM
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