The universal language of chess [D1EE, Market Ward] (Open)

[Dare Shah]

Queen's bishop takes king's rook. Clock button. No eyelid was batted.

[Ikkit the Bastard]

Ikkit frowned, but didn't seem particularly upset.

"Might be best if I play someone only slightly more experienced'n I am next, 'coz this is gonna be over real quick and all I'm learning is that I'm bad at this. Which I kinda figured already."

But he used the nearby knight to take the bishop. May as well draw some blood on his way down.

[Dare Shah]

King's pawn moves two steps forward, joining queen's pawn side. Clock.

"Whoever you're facing, you're mostly expected to lose your first match. Chess is a game with no luck involved, so victory as a beginner is only possible if the other side throws to make you feel good, even if they play with a tremendous handicap. My elder brother wiped the floor with me many times when he taught me for example, including when starting with several less pieces on his side.

Goal for now is to get a good idea of what the pieces can and can't do. Then we'll oversee some basic strategic notions. And then, you'll be ready to lose less harshly against either me without queen and rooks or another player of your choice.

Be warned though: We have a few false beginners here, who downplay their abilities for betting purpose."

[Ikkit the Bastard]

"Oh, hustlers."

He nodded, quite familiar with the concept.

"Y'see it with card sharps, an' a fair few sporting contests. Only makes sense if there's jink on the line, 'coz then it's work, not a game."

He scratched his head.

"But a game like this, what's the angle on baiting in a sucker? The game's too clean to make it any fun, an' anyone lays money on the game against someone they think is an easy win when they ain't so hot themselves is... stupid. An' I'd say the play tells its tale pretty clearly. Anyone bets against someone they haven't seen play more'n once is asking to get gulled."

Speaking of stupid! His right flank's starting to look a little thin.But he instead moved his queen's pawn out to free up both the queen and her bishop. Copying Dare's earlier move? Possibly

Or possibly, he just wanted to play with more of the types of piece.

[Dare Shah]

King's bishop to b4. Clock.

"Check.

It's definitely a game poorly suited for betting and cheating. There are people however who are seemingly unable to play games without delving into the former or the later.

I guess it stems from a necessity for something to be at stake to take it seriously in the first case, a bit like the difference between a spar and an actual fight.

As for the second, I'm not so sure. Uneven mix of reasons maybe. Part inferiority complex, not believing in one own ability to succeed honestly. Part superiority complex, contempt for one's opponent translating into a desire to make them fall even harder. Part high social, being more interested in the metagame between people than in the game itself.

Not the side of psychology I've studied really. All about predicting one's actions from their psychological profile, not much about what made them that way."

[Ikkit the Bastard]

"Know the why, you c'n usually predict the what pretty easily."

He moved the bishop into the way.

"Skill can save your skin in some parts'a town."

[Dare Shah]

Bishop takes bishop. Clock.

"Check.

Do something for long enough and it becomes a part of you, to the point you continue doing it even if the reasons for which you started are now obsolete. This is especially true for anything made on the spur of the moment. Finding a rational to explain why you did it is only done after the fact.

A classic example: What would you say you want most in life?"

[Ikkit the Bastard]

Queen takes bishop.

"What I want most in life? Well. Honestly pretty contented with my lot, aside from one glaring pain in my arse. Not many as want to hear it, though."

He paused.

"Normally I ain't so reserved about it, but I'm in your space now, so tryin' t'extend th'same courtesy I expect when someone's in my bailiwick."

[Dare Shah]

Queen takes pawn (H4). Clock.

"A good example actually. People defaults to mimicking when they're in an unknown environment. Which makes them more predictable even if the details of the inner workings of their brains escape you.

In general, where we are shape what we do far more than we admit. For example, in a ballroom, you would find me far more smashed on various alcoholic beverages than I would ever be in any other circumstances."

[Ikkit the Bastard]

"Never been in a ballroom."

He left his knight where it was- it still had a pawn to avenge it, after all. No sense in a panicky retreat. Instead, he moved his queen out to follow the track of the bishop it had just captured- but not far.

"Doubt I'd care for it much. Rules ain't s'clear as they are here- or in the Hive. An' make less sense."


[OOC: While for style/staying in character reasons, I'm not usually this clear , Queen to C3]