Ход королевы

           Therewasanemptytournamentboardonatablenearher;shesetupthepositionbeforecastlingagainstBeltik,justtobecertain,butshefeltaknotinherstomachdoingit.Beltikcouldhavemadethepin,andthenhisqueenknightbecameathreat.Shehadtobreakthepinandthenprotectagainstaforkwiththatdamnedknight,andafterthathehadarookthreatand,bingo,therewentherpawn.Itcouldhavebeencrucial.Butwhatwasworse,shehadn’tseenit.AndBennyWatts,justreadingLifemagazine,readingaboutaplayerheknewnothingabout,hadpickeditup.Shewasstandingattheboard;shebitherlip,reacheddownandtoppledtheking.ShehadbeensoproudoffindinganerrorinaMorphygamewhenshewasinseventhgrade.Nowshe’dhadsomethinglikethatdonetoher,andshedidnotlikeit.Notatall.

           ShewassittingbehindthewhitepiecesatBoardOnewhenWattscamein.Whenheshookherhand,hesaidinalowvoice,“Knighttoknightfive.Right?”

           “Yes,”shesaid,betweenherteeth.Aflashbulbpopped.Bethpushedherqueen’spawntoqueenfour.

           SheplayedtheQueen’sGambitagainsthimandbymidgamefeltwithdismaythatithadbeenamistake.TheQueen’sGambitcouldleadtocomplicatedpositions,andthisonewasByzantine.Therewerehalfadozenthreatsoneachside,andthethingthatmadehernervous,thatmadeherreachoutforapieceseveraltimesandthenstopherhandbeforetouchingitanddrawback,wasthatshedidn’ttrustherself.ShedidnottrustherselftoseeeverythingBennyWattscouldsee.