Ход королевы
Chapter 3
Thereweresixtygames,andeachhadatitleatthetopofthepage,like“V.Smyslov—I.Rudakavsky:Moscow1945”or“A.Rubinstein—O.Duras:Vienna1908.”Inthatone,Whitequeenedapawnonthethirty-sixthmovebythreateningadiscoveredcheck.
Bethlookedatthecoverofthebook.ItwassmallerthanModemChessOpeningsandtherewasastickeronitthatsaid$2.95.Shebegangoingthroughitsystematically.Theclockonthebookstorewallreadten-thirty.ShewouldhavetoleaveinanhourtogettoschoolfortheHistoryexam.Upfronttheclerkwaspayingnoattentiontoher,absorbedinhisownreading.Shebeganconcentrating,andbyeleven-thirtyshehadtwelveofthegamesmemorized.
Onthebusbacktoschoolshebeganplayingthemoverinherhead.Behindsomeofthemoves—nottheglamorousoneslikethequeensacrificesbutsometimesonlyintheone-squareadvanceofapawn—shecouldseesubtletiesthatmadethesmallhairsonthebackofhernecktingle.
Shewasfiveminuteslateforthetest,butnooneseemedtocareandshefinishedbeforeeveryoneelseanyway.Inthetwentyminutesuntiltheendoftheperiodsheplayed“P.Keres—A.Tarnowski:Helsinki1952.”ItwastheRuyLopezOpeningwhereWhitebroughtthebishopoutinawaythatBethcouldseemeantanindirectattackonBlack’skingpawn.Onthethirty-fifthmoveWhitebroughthisrookdowntotheknightsevensquareinashockingwaythatmadeBethalmostcryoutinherseat.
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FairfieldJuniorHighhadsocialclubsthatmetforanhourafterschoolandsometimesduringhome-roomperiodonFridays.
