Page 22 of Daddy's Game

“I suppose,” I said at last, “that I enjoy the strategy involved. And the fact that all people are created equal on a chess board. Size, athletic ability, all of it doesn’t matter. But most of all…”

I put the last piece on the board and looked up to meet her gaze.

“I believe there’s no better way to get to know someone than by playing chess with them.”

“Well, all you’re going to learn about me is that I’m a rank amateur.”

“How much do you know about chess?” I asked.

“Well, I know that if the King gets captured, it’s game over. And that the queen is the most powerful piece on the board. Naturally.”

I laughed at her quip as she pulled the makeshift shawl around her tighter.

“Are you cold?”

“Kind of,” she replied.

I picked up the sleek remote on the console next to me and upped the temperature several degrees.

“Let me explain how the pieces work,” I said. “This one is the pawn. They can normally only move one space at a time, and only toward the other end of the board, except on the first turn when you can move them two spaces–”

“I’m already lost,” she said.

“Here, let’s play a friendly game. I believe the best way to learn how to do anything is by doing it.

“This is going to be a slaughter,” she said with a sigh.

I didn’t exactly go easy on her, but I was splitting my attention between playing the game and teaching her how it worked. So when she took my knight with her bishop, I didn’t think much of it.

Then she captured one of my rooks with a pawn, and I started paying a little more attention. I captured her exposed bishop and then took the pawn with my own knight–

Only to have her utilize a rook to steal my knight. It took me a moment to realize what had happened.

“You set me up,” I said, proudly and not angrily. I was pleasantly surprised. “You let me take the pawn so you could take my knight.”

“Isn't that what you’re supposed to do?” she asked in a voice just a little bit too innocent for its own good.

I cocked an eyebrow and then got serious. By that point, however, it was too late. She’d made too many strides and set up a long-term strategy, whereas I had been playing move to move.

Eventually I sat up straight and spread my hands.

“Congratulations.”

Grace looked up from the board.

“What? I haven’t taken your King yet.”

“No, but you will in three moves. Your victory is inevitable.”

“If you just lost, why are you smiling?” Grace’s blue eyes danced with suspicion. “You didn’t let me win, did you?”

“No, I didn’t let you win.” A flash of annoyance came over me. “I would never insult you by doing that.”

“Sorry. Didn’t mean to offend you.”

“No, it’s fine,” I said. “As for the reason why I'm smiling, well, it’s rare for me to find a worthy opponent. Best two out of three?”

“Sure,” she said, but I could tell something was still bothering her.

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