Ход королевы

           Sheplayedthemtoexultinthewin—tofeelthestabofexcitementatasacrificeoraforcedmate,especiallyinthegamesthatwereprintedinbookspreciselybecausetheyincorporateddramaofthatkind—likethegamebooksbyFredReinfeldthatwerefullofqueensacrificesandmelodrama.Sheknewfromhertournamentexperiencethatyoucouldn’trelyonyouropponentsettinghimselfupforaqueensacrificeorasurprisematewithknightandrook;still,shetreasuredthethrillofgameslikethat.ItwaswhatshelovedinMorphy,nothisroutinegamesandcertainlynothislostones—andMorphylikeeveryoneelsehadlostgames.Butshehadalwaysbeenboredbyordinarychessevenwhenitwasplayedbygrandmasters,boredinthewaythatshewasboredbyReubenFine’sendgameanalysesandthecounteranalysesinplaceslikeChessReviewthatpointedouterrorsinReubenFine.ShehadneverdoneanythinglikewhatBennywasmakingherdonow.

           Thegamesshewasplayingwereserious,workmanlikechessplayedbythebestplayersintheworld,andtheamountofmentalenergylatentineachmovewasstaggering.Yettheresultswereoftenmonumentallydullandinconclusive.Anenormouspowerofthoughtmightbeimplicitinasinglewhitepawnmove,say,openingupalong-rangethreatthatcouldbecomemanifestonlyinhalfadozenmoves;butBlackwouldforeseethethreatandfindthemovethatcanceleditout,andthebrilliancywouldbeaborted.Itwasfrustratingandanticlimactic,yet—becauseBennyforcedhertostopandseewhatwasgoingon—fascinating.