Ход королевы
Chapter 5
Once,whenhehadtoreachacrosstheboardtothebackrankandmovearookfromitshomesquare,shewasastonishedtoseeashestretchedhisbodythathewascarryingaknifeathiswaist.Theleather-and-metalhandleprotrudedabovehisbelt.HelookedsomuchlikesomeoneoutofTreasureIslandthattheknifedidnotseematalloutofplace.Justthenhepausedinhismovingandsaid,“Nowwatchthis,”andbroughttheblackrookuptoitskingfivesquare,settingitdownwithamutedflourish.Hefoldedhisarmsacrosshischest.“WhatdoesWhitedohere?”heasked,lookingaroundhim.
Bethconsideredtheboard.Therewerepitfallsalloverforwhite.Oneofthemenwatchingspokeup.“Queentakespawn?”
Themaninthecapshookhishead,smiling.“Rooktokingeightcheck.Andthequeenfalls.”
Bethhadseenthat.Itlookedtobealloverforthewhitepiecesandshestartedtosaysowhenanothermanspokeup.“That’sMieses-Reshevsky.Fromthethirties.”
Themanlookedupathim.“You’vegotit,”hesaid.“Margate.Nineteenthirty-five.”
“Whiteplayedrooktoqueenone,”thefirstmansaid.
“Right,”saidtheother.“Whatelsehashegot?”Hemadethemoveandcontinued.ItwasclearnowthatWhitewaslosing.Thereweresomefasttradesandthenanendgamethatlookedforamomentasthoughitmightbeslow,butBlackmadeastrikingsacrificeofapassedpawnandabruptlythetopologyofpawn-queeningmadeitclearthatBlackwouldhaveaqueentwomovesbeforeWhite.Itwasadazzlinggame,likesomeofthebestonesBethhadlearnedfrombooks.
