Ход королевы
Chapter 14
Shehatedit,butithadtobedone.Sheshouldhaveseenitcoming.Shepushedupherqueenrookpawnasshehadtoandwatchedthemovesplaythemselvesout.Sevenmoveslaterhegottherookforhisbishop,andherstomachknottedwhenshesawhimtakeupthepieceinhishandandsetitdownatthesideoftheboard.Whenshetooktherookpawntwomoveslateritwasnorealhelp.Shewasbehindinthegame,andherwholebodywastense.
Juststoppingtheadvanceofhispawnsdownthequeensidewasgrimwork.Shehadtoreturnthepawnshehadtakenfromhimtomanageit,andthatdone,hewasdoublinghisrooksonthekingfile.Hewouldn’tletup.Shemadeathreattowardhiskingasacoverandmanagedtotradeoffoneofhisrooksforherremainingone.Itdidnogoodtotradewhenyouweredown,becauseitincreasedhisadvantage,butshehadtodoit.Luchenkogaveupthetradedpiececasually,andshelookedathissnow-whitehairashetookhersinexchange,hatinghimforit.Hatinghimforhistheatricalhairandhatinghimforbeingaheadofherbytheexchange.Iftheywentontrading,shewouldbegrounddowntonothing.Shehadtofindawaytostophim.
ThemiddlegamewasByzantine.Theywerebothentrenchedwitheverypiecesupportedatleastonceandmanyofthemtwice.Shefoughttoavoidtradesandtofindawedgethatcouldbringherbacktoeven;hecounteredeverythingsheattempted,movinghispiecessurelywithhisbeautifullymanicuredhand.Theintervalsbetweenmoveswerelong.
