Ход королевы
Chapter 8
Therewasanotherannoyanceonherqueenside:hecouldplayrooktakespawn,givinguptherooktohersonlytogetitbackwithaqueencheck,comingoutapawnaheadandwithanimprovedposition.No.Twopawnsahead.Shewouldhavetoputherqueenonknightthree.Queentoqueentwowasnogoodbecauseofhisdamnedbishoppawnthatcouldattackherknight.Shedidnotlikethisdefensivenessandstudiedtheboardforalongtimebeforemoving,tryingtofindsomethingthatwouldcounterattack.Therewasnothing.Shehadtomovethequeenandprotecttheknight.Shefelthercheeksburningandstudiedthepositionagain.Nothing.ShebroughtherqueentoknightthreeanddidnotlookatBorgov.
WithnohesitationwhateverBorgovbroughthisbishoptokingthree,protectinghisking.Whyhadn’tsheseenthat?Shehadlookedlongenough.Nowifshepushedthepawnshehadplannedtopush,shewouldloseherqueen.Howcouldshehavemissedit?Shehadplannedthethreatofdiscoveredcheckwiththenewpositionofherqueen,andhehadparrieditinstantlywithamovethatwaschillinglyobvious.Sheglancedathim,athiswell-shaven,imperturbableRussianfacewiththetiesofinelyknottedbeneathhisheavychin,andthefearshefeltalmostfrozehermuscles.
Shestudiedtheboardwithalltheintensityshecouldmuster,sittingrigidlyfortwentyminutesstaringattheposition.Herstomachsankevenfartherasshetriedandrejectedadozencontinuations.Shecouldnotsavetheknight
