The board was set. Traditional rules say white goes first, so I made my move – the Queen's Open. Always a wise start. I looked up from the board, made eye contact with my opponent, and began the walk to my seat a few yards off. When I sat down, my opponent stood from his seat and carried himself slowly toward the board. He took his place quietly and responded with a Knight, placing it forward and to the left, in front of the Bishop. After studying the layout for a moment, he looked my way and rose to his feet. As he returned to his seat a few yards in the opposite direction of mine, I stood and made my way to the black and white arrangement. I studied it along the way and had my next three moves determined by the time I reached for another Pawn.
Our game went on as such for some time, undisturbed by passersby or conversation. We were in a sad oasis, a tree or two with a small pool of muddy water in their shade, and a humble tent where my opponent slept. A city could be just barely seen on the horizon to the east, but mountains and desert surrounded us otherwise. Our battle of strategy unfurled slowly, as we each made our way back and forth to the board accordingly. I tried my best, out of courtesy, to set my pace to match that of my opponent's, this being a shuffling sort of limp. I wondered if he weren't uncomfortably warm in his garb; under such a hot sun, his rags and bandages had to be cumbersome and irritating to the skin. The gauze and linens were wrapped around his hands and the calves of his legs, and they covered his mouth and both ears. His left eye was covered, but the right was piercing enough on its own, glancing up to meet my own eyes at each turn taken.
As the round progressed, it became clear that I had the upper hand and would arise the victor. I quickly took that Knight with which he had stepped out so boldly, then I made off like a bandit with a few of his Pawns and a Rook. Then went the other Rook, a Bishop, and a couple more of his Pawns. In due time, I had seized all but his Queen, King, a Bishop, and three Pawns. And all the while, he merely scrapped a handful of my Pawns and Rook. I smiled to myself menacingly as I drew ever-nearer to my win. This was one of the easiest games I had ever taken, and it will be over in just a few more moves.
I gazed up at the sun as my opponent stumbled toward the board. It was past midday, nearly three hours had gone by. For such an easy game, it was certainly proving to be the longest I had ever engaged as well. Not only was my opponent slow in gait, but he took his time in choosing strategy as well, holding pieces in place for several minutes at a time. Finally, he would shift the pieces painfully and I would then proceed to take them with anything but mercy. This time was no different.
Upon checking the time, I directed my focus back to my opponent, who was still inching his way toward the board. As he reached it, he placed his shriveled hand atop his King and held it there for several moments. Then he switched to the Bishop and leaned down upon it. Suddenly, he spoke with heaving and a tattered voice.
“Your kingdom is wide, and your life abundant. See, I have nothing but this eye and nose, and a few simple fingers. Yet I understand life in this light and need nothing more to feel complete.”
His expression never changed, but a gleam crossed his right eye like a shooting star through the blackest of nights. Gripping the Bishop tightly, he slid it convulsively to meet one of my Knights and claimed it without emotion. As he returned to his seat, he called back over his shoulder to me.
“Watch now as I burn your kingdom to the ground.”
I was stunned at his sudden change in character, and remained seated in shock for a moment. Who was this man, so feeble yet full of such surprises? I gathered my wits and made my way to the game, one piece less than before, but still on top. As I studied the board, the bit of confidence I had been robbed was returned to me. With a swift and graceful strike, I took another of his Pawns, and returned to my seat. To think, for a moment I was nervous!
Despite the change in his attitude, my opponent's speed remained the same. This time, he took hold of his Queen and leapt her across the plane to attack one of my Pawns.
I called out to him as he released the piece.
“Finger for a finger, eh?”
He acknowledged my comment with a slight wink and found his seat again. Our turns went on quietly as before, but the tables were turned with each play and I was soon stripped of all but my two pieces of Royalty. I was confounded with each move. As I would advance and maneuver my way to strike well, he would blindside me and overtake my pieces before I had time to retreat. Lastly, he took my Queen.
I grew frustrated and forgot about the sun lowering in the west. As darkness fell around us, my opponent stood once more and limped forward to make his final move. He held his right arm to his chest and breathed heavily with each step. He was tired, but this was it. The ground soaked up the blood from his knees as he knelt roughly before the board. He could stand no long, but he didn't have to. He was the victor. With one simple shift of his Queen, I would find myself defeated.
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