Adultery Chess Game by urbanslut

[Ramesh_Rocky]

"No, not really. I just played it with my father, for fun. Never got any formal training." I lied. I don't know what made me lie. Maybe false modesty. But in a previous life, I had played chess competitively. Yes, I started off playing with my father for fun, when I was in middle college. But then, I got good enough at it for him to send me to a chess coach. And I was quite good at under-15 and under-17 levels. After finishing high college, I actually had the option of making a career in chess, trying for a WM norm. But like I said before, my family was not financially flush, so instead I took the well-trodden and safe path of academics, degree, and so on. But in our living room cabinet and on the walls, I still proudly displayed my chess trophies and a picture of Vishwanathan Anand handing one of them to me.

"Really? The way you spotted that move, you sure you're not some Judith Polgar in disguise?" the colonel said and let out a booming laughter at his own feeble joke. The major joined in with his own moderately booming laughter. I smiled.

"No, in fact I haven't played chess in years. In fact gosh, it's been many years since I even saw a chess board." This was not a lie. After going to college, I lost track of my chess buddies. In college, none of my friends were really into chess. Occasionally if I did find someone interested in chess, they were not very good. I would beat them with ease and then they would stop playing me, saying I was too good. The same thing happened with Dhruv too. He was moderately good at chess, but no match for me. In the initial days of our courtship, he would play with me, mainly, I suspected, to make me happy enough to let him do stuff to me. Once we were committed to each other, or in other words, slept together, he refused to play chess with me, saying I was too good at it. It had really been almost 5 years since I even saw a chess board.

"Is that so? Then come on, let's play a game. If you're not busy that is." the colonel said.

"Well, if Ratna is not coming, I will have to do all the work myself....." I said tentatively.

"Oh come now!" the colonel said emphatically, taking the pipe out of his mouth and reaching for his tobacco bag. "Just one game. We play with a 15 minute time limit. What do you say?"

"Do stay for one game." the major politely added with a smile.

"Oh what the heck. Sure." I said. The major got up and moved to the couch next to the table. I sat down in the armchair. The colonel finished filling his pipe and then started winding up the timer. It was one of those old analog timers with the flipping numbers. It looked older than me, to be honest.

"Your choice, my lady. Blacks or whites?" the colonel asked.

"Whites are fine." I said. Actually, I was always stronger playing blacks. But I didn't want to show off.

"And dear me! Where are my manners?" he stretched his hand in my direction and said, "Introductions! I am Colonel Harchand Dayal Mehra, formerly of the Maratha Light Infantry. This is Major Shakeel Raslan who used to serve under me. Also retired."

I gave him my hand and he pressed it gently but firmly.

"I am Prerna Soni-Mahajan." I said, and also shook hands with Major Raslan who got up from the couch to greet me.

"Soni-Mahajan? Hyphenated name! One of those empowered modern women, I see. Does not give up her maiden name. And teaches army men how to play chess." the colonel said, stayed silent for a second and then again, that booming laughter. The major and I joined in. Yes, I was very possessive of my maiden name. Even the nameplate on our door said 'Dhruv Mahajan, Prerna Soni-Mahajan'.

"So Mrs. Soni-Mahajan...is that what I should call you?" he continued.

"Prerna is fine." I said.

"So Prerna, care to make it interesting?" he asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you just got that hundred from the major. Put that up in the stakes. You win, you get my hundred. I win, I get yours." he said.

"What do you think, major?" I asked. "It is your money after all."

"Well Prerna, I always find that a game without anything at stake is a boring one." he smiled and said.

"Okay colonel. You're on." I said and put the hundred next to the timer.

"Your move, then." he said, and I moved my king's pawn two squares ahead.

Over the years, whenever I have played chess with amateurs, I assess their abilities using what I call the "4-move-checkmate test". The 4 move checkmate is the most hackneyed tactic that newbies use. They move the king's pawn ahead, then the king's bishop three squares, then the queen two squares, and then try to checkmate you with the queen. The more evolved amateurs can neutralize the threat easily. The experts can actually neutralize the threat by being on the defensive in a tantalizing way that makes the opponent keep pushing for that win, and then corner their queen.

The colonel started with the 4-move maneuver. Amused at his newbie-ness, I drew him in, and within minutes had cornered the queen.

"Holy hell!" the colonel exclaimed. "You've got my queen again!"

With a smile, I moved the big ivory queen off the board. And then I mounted my offensive. Nothing too sophisticated. Just advanced my troops deep into his territory. The major was chuckling at the worried look on the colonel's face. That got the colonel even more riled up.

"What's so funny, major??" he said hotly.

"Sir, nothing, sir." the major said and suppressed his chuckle.

He had lost any chance he had just eight moves into the game. But he gamely fought on, as I took both his bishops, both his knights, and one rook in addition to the queen. Actually, I could have ended the game long ago. But I was enjoying playing chess after so many years. And I loved how the pretty ivory chess pieces felt against my fingers. So I strung him along. Also, I made the moves almost instantly, while he labored over his. After a while, I had used up barely two minutes of my time and he had used up 13 minutes of his.

"Prerna." the major said.

"Yes, major?" I asked.

"Just end his misery. This is like torturing ants using a magnifying glass."

I laughed at the analogy but the colonel, clearly not amused, scowled. He glared at the major for a few seconds and then went back to thinking his next move. After he moved his rook in a futile attempt to threaten my king, I decided to have mercy, and went in for the kill. Two more moves, and it was checkmate.

"Nice game, colonel." I said, with a smile.

"One more!" He boomed, chewing on his pipe in annoyance. "One more game. Double or nothing!"

"Colonel, I really have a lot of work to get to. The clothes and the dishes." I said.

"Oh stop being so damn effete!" he exclaimed.

"I am a woman!" I responded with a chuckle, and the major burst out laughing.

"Oh you know what I mean. Have some balls. No, I mean...." he said, searching for a gender-neutral metaphor for being brave.

"Alright colonel. One more game. Double or nothing." I said. Actually I had been hoping for another game. I just didn't want to sound too eager. There were two reasons I wanted another game, if not many more. One, playing chess was very relaxing for me, and it was melting away all the worries I had about my comatose career and the financial troubles with my husband. And secondly, without taking any significant effort, I had won 200 rupees. Given how cash-strapped we were, that was a welcome addition. And the colonel was clearly no match for me in terms of chess abilities. If a fool was so eager to be parted from his money, why shouldn't I be the one to take advantage?