oneman_onevote | (no subject)

The assassin strikes, appearing four spaces from where it should have been and taking a hapless knight.

Havelock tilts his head, noting the new positions on the board, considering the position from each player's point of view. His coffee sits off to one side, slowly growing cold, to the tragic sadness of a nearby waitrat. (Apparently Ianto Jones has rubbed off on at least one.)

Yes.

If not used in conjunction with the queen, first and foremost, a dangerous gambit, but...

Hmm.

Well, he has time to think it over.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Havelock calmly resets the board.

No matter how good you are, playing against another person is almost always more beneficial that yourself.

"The Assassin moves one square in any direction, and two to capture. The only piece it may not take is an opposing assassin," he says.

"That includes the pieces on its own team, should it be necessary."

It certainly provides more scope for unexpected developments.

Trowa absorbs this information with the very slightest of head-tilts, acknowledging the implications.

(Not in Trowa's mental lexicon: oh hey, nifty.

Some buried echo of the sentiment may nonetheless apply.)

(Indeed...

Is very much in Havelock's mental lexicon, but he leaves it unsaid for now.)

"You know the other rules?" he says, more than asks.

Trowa nods slightly.

To clarify, however: "Assuming they're the same."

It looks right, and the previous set-up was consistent. But Milliways is weird sometimes.

"From what I have read, yes."

(And he reads a lot.)

He gestures politely for Trowa to pick white or black.

Fair enough.

Trowa opts for black: a revealing choice, but what it reveals is largely the obvious.

It does.

Havelock moves without apparent opinion on the matter, starting the game off then settling back to see what Trowa does.

There are many ways to play a game like this.

Trowa's first move is relatively conservative: not tentative, and not excessively confident.

(Many ways a game could go from a first move, too. His and Havelock's alike.)

It's a testing move, which Havelock can understand.

It's a new game, they are new opponents.

He picks one strategy of his few possible options more or less at random and makes another move along that route.

Indeed.

This is as much a conversation as anything; winning is a consideration, but far from the only one.

Trowa, accordingly, moves again in the same mode.

Havelock next move is a minor risk, curious with a slight opening for more intricate play.

(Inwardly, he steeples his fingers and observes with keen interest.)

Well.

Trowa is amenable.

Excellent.

Havelock continues.

A few exchanges later, it's Trowa's turn to make a slightly riskier move.

And Trowa's turn to sit back (metaphorically) and see what Havelock chooses to do with the opening.

Havelock chooses to take a more daring play than had been advisable before.

It fits with his current agenda, after all.

Trowa's response is, in turn, a neutral play.

(Trowa's habitual response to many non-combat situations includes biding his time in observation. The choice to do so in this moment is, of course, a deliberate one.)

The assassins do add useful possibilities.

(It's telling enough, to the right sort of person.)

Havelock fails to smile, making a neutral play of his own this time.

Havelock is, Trowa feels, an excellent conversationalist.

Accordingly, he replies in kind.

Isn't he just?

...This could go on for a while.

Yep.

It does.

At length, Trowa (expression unchanged, of course) opts for a slightly more aggressive play.

Hmm.

Havelock examines the board, eyes glinting.

He moves the assassin once along the side of the board.

Indeed.

Trowa moves a bishop; the aggressor is the role that suits his purposes, at the moment.

(But his assassins are still in the Slurks -- of course. For now.)

So are Havelock's, although... perhaps in a slightly more tactically advantageous position, if you can see a few possible moves ahead.

(Havelock privately has no doubts on that score about Trowa.)

He concentrates innocently on his main pieces, shifting a rook delicately.

(Just a few moves, yes.

But then they're well matched, in this.)

Knight to capture pawn -- pawns are never to be overlooked, after all.

Though that's only one factor among many.