Ход королевы
Chapter 11
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ItfeltstrangetoBethtohaveallthesepeopleinBenny’ssmalllivingroom.Itseemedasthoughshehadlivedhalfherlifeinthisapartmentwithhim,studyingchessgames,anditwasoutrageousforanyoneelsetobethere.ShehadbeeninNewYorkninedays.Notknowingexactlywhattodo,shesatdownattheboardagain.Wexlercameoverandstoodattheotherside.“Doyoudoproblems?”
“No.”Shehadtriedafewasachild,buttheydidnotinteresther.Thepositionsdidnotlooknatural.Whitetomoveandmateintwo.Itwas,asMrs.Wheatleywouldhavesaid,irrelevant.
“Letmeshowyouone,”Wexlersaid.Hisvoicewasfriendlyandeasy.“CanImessthisup?”
“Goahead.”
“Hilton,”Jennysaid,comingovertothem,“she’snotoneofyourproblemfreaks.She’stheU.S.Champion.”
“It’sokay,”Bethsaid.ButshewasgladofwhatJennyhadsaid.
Wexlerputpiecesontheboarduntiltherewasaweird-lookingpositionwithbothqueensincornersandallfourrooksonthesamefile.Thekingswerenearlycentered,whichwouldbeunlikelyinarealgame.Whenhefinished,hefoldedhisarmsacrosshischest.“Thisismyfavorite,”hesaid.“Whitewinsitinthree.”
Bethlookedatit,annoyed.Itseemedsillytodealwithsomethinglikethis.Itcouldnevercomeupinagame.Advancethepawn,checkwiththeknight,andthekingmovedtothecorner.Butthenthepawnqueened,anditwasstalemate.Maybethepawnknighted,tomakethenextcheck.Thatworked.
