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Thread: Dr. T'Var plays some chess

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    Member Elendil's Heir's avatar
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    Default Dr. T'Var plays some chess

    See post 438 here: http://www.mellophant.com/forums/sho...p-thread/page9

    It was a lazy afternoon aboard the USS Yorktown, a week away from her next port of call. Dr. T'Var, the ship's Vulcan assistant chief medical officer, decided to go to the Rec Room to see if she could find a worthy chess opponent. She set up one of the several Earth-standard 2-D boards and its 32 pieces, and looked around the room.
    Last edited by Elendil's Heir; 12 Oct 2011 at 11:33 AM.

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    Technician Onsott, recently off shift after several hours running routine maintenance on the food replicators, spotted the Doctor and watched in mild interest to see who would pick up the implied challenge. By accident or design - but since when did a Vulcan do anything by accident? - there was plenty of room around the board for kibitzers.
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    "Would you care to play?" asks Delaney.

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    Good to see Engineering take up the challenge, though Onsott's too far down the hierarchy to hob-nob with the departmental deputy.
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    Dr. T'Var smiles at Delaney. "It would be my honor," she says. "Shall we use short algebraic notation to keep a record of our first match?"

    T'Var gestures at the board. "Would you like to play as white or black, Mr. Delaney?"

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    Elen síla lumenn' omentielvo What Exit?'s avatar
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    I'll gladly take black. Your move Dr. T'Var.


    (I'm very rusty on my notation, it has been 27 years since I used it. I assume P E7-E5 will suffice as an example?)

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    Lt. Guillaume Vaudreuil, a middle-aged officer in Command gold, sees the game start and pulls up a chair. "Mind if I watch?" the Frenchman asks. He looks over the board and strokes his graying beard thoughtfully. "I'm not very good at chess, but I've been interested in it ever since my father taught it to me when I was a boy."

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    Quote Originally posted by What Exit? View post
    I'll gladly take black. Your move Dr. T'Var.


    (I'm very rusty on my notation, it has been 27 years since I used it. I assume P E7-E5 will suffice as an example?)
    You would say "e7". If it's a pawn move you don't use P as a prefix (for a piece move you would use the initial - N for kNight) and you do not specify the start square unless you need to disambiguate (never possible with a pawn move). File coordinates are given in lower case and piece initials in upper.
    Last edited by Malacandra; 13 Oct 2011 at 01:59 AM.
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    Dr. T'Var sits in front of the white pieces. She nods at Lt. Vaudreuil. "Of course," she replies.

    T'Var notices Onsott. "Feel free to join us if you'd like," she says.

    The doctor looks over the board. She then makes her first move (e4).

    "Your move, Mr. Delaney."

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    Delaney quickly moves to Pawn to e5.

    "Over to you Doc."

    Last edited by What Exit?; 13 Oct 2011 at 07:26 PM.

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    Very cool to see the board like that - and much easier than following the algebraic notation. Thanks, What Exit!

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    Almost crimson with embarrassment at being noticed by such a senior officer, Onsott sips nervously at his Saurian brandy and wonders where these two giants of the game will go.
    Last edited by Elendil's Heir; 14 Oct 2011 at 11:14 PM. Reason: Changed drink at poster's request.
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    T'Var notices Onsott's discomfort. She did not mean to embarrass him. As a medical officer, whatever her position aboard the ship, she wants the crew to see her as a doctor first, someone they can rely on if and when they have need of her services.

    She decides to focus on the chessboard for now, allowing Onsott the chance to recover.

    T'Var moves her kingside knight (Nf3). A common enough start to this game, she thinks to herself.

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    Delaney moves his pawn to d6.
    Last edited by What Exit?; 14 Oct 2011 at 06:54 PM.

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    Onsott thinks Delaney was wise to steer clear of the Spanish after 2. ... Nc6; 3. Bb5, which might have handed too much advantage to the awesome memory capacity and calculating power of the Vulcan Doctor, but is well aware that the line chosen will call for patient, precise defence. Fortunately, not even a Vulcan can analyse every possible position out to mate or a mandatory draw - the whole Universe could be one giant computer and it would still be too small for the task. Come on, Engineering!
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    Onsott is lucky he cannot read minds as Delaney is distracted by a small irregularity in one of the warp regulators.

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    Dr. T'Var moves her pawn to d4.

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    Bishop to g4

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    Onsott continues to pay close attention. The line now being played is at least four hundred years old - has one of the two officers unearthed a refinement? As quietly as possible, not to disturb their concentration, he makes a few notes for later study.
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    Lt. Vaudreuil looks curiously at Onsott but says nothing.

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    Dr. T'Var mulls over her next move. Openings are quite important, of course. A blunder now could mean a lost game sooner rather than later. She has several solid moves to consider here.

    T'Var decides to capture black's pawn on e5 (dxe5).

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    While waiting, Onsott pulls up another document and makes a few additions to an essay he is writing: Evolution of a religion, part 3, Sikhism: The transition from Kaur to Singh in female naming conventions. However, he keeps nervously checking the board to see if Lt. Delaney has moved yet.
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    Delaney takes the pawn exchange. d6xe5.


    Delaney starts talking to Dr. T'Var about a strange old team chess variant called Siamese Chess. "It requires 4 players or more generally and is played with a short clock. Never more than 10 minutes and as little as 5 minutes. It was used for blowing off steam between matches. Each team has one player as black and one as white. When you capture a piece it become available for placement by your teammate on his board. It is fast furious and has many unexpected twists. Back in my primary schools days on the L5 Heinlein, I was renown as one of the best speed chess players and with my teammate we were usually the best Siamese chess pair."
    Last edited by What Exit?; 18 Oct 2011 at 05:25 PM.

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    Quote Originally posted by Malacandra View post
    ...While waiting, Onsott pulls up another document and makes a few additions to an essay he is writing: Evolution of a religion, part 3, Sikhism: The transition from Kaur to Singh in female naming conventions....
    Heheheheh.

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    Quote Originally posted by Elendil's Heir View post
    Quote Originally posted by Malacandra View post
    ...While waiting, Onsott pulls up another document and makes a few additions to an essay he is writing: Evolution of a religion, part 3, Sikhism: The transition from Kaur to Singh in female naming conventions....
    Heheheheh.


    Onsott twitches fractionally.
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    "Siamese Chess sounds like a very stimulating form of the game," T'Var replies. "Though I prefer a slower pace to my chess matches, I would certainly enjoy observing this variation some time -- perhaps even trying it myself."

    T'Var then captures Black's Queen. "Check, Mr. Delaney." (Qxd8+)

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    Delaney knowing his rust is showing takes the enemy queen with his King.

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    Onsott is agog to see what plan Delaney had in mind when he resurrected this ancient line.
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    May we have another diagram as to what just happened?

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    Quote Originally posted by Elendil's Heir View post
    May we have another diagram as to what just happened?
    Queen exchange. T'Var (white) captures Delaney's (black's) queen with his own, forcing Delaney to use his own king to capture T'Var's queen. I'll refrain from strategic commentary. This is a fun sidebar, folks! Great idea. I wonder if glee will drop by; he's a chess instructor IRL, if I recall correctly.

    Ens. Rangin quietly pulls up a stool opposite Lt. Vaudreuil, tucks his legs underneath himself in the double-jointed Coridani style, and resumes munching his bowl of minchin berries, with a quick "Thanks!" to Ens. Onsott for finally working that sodium bug out of the food replicators. Salty minchins are simply not worth the time.

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    Quote Originally posted by Appleciders View post
    Quote Originally posted by Elendil's Heir View post
    May we have another diagram as to what just happened?
    Queen exchange. T'Var (white) captures Delaney's (black's) queen with his own, forcing Delaney to use his own king to capture T'Var's queen. I'll refrain from strategic commentary. This is a fun sidebar, folks! Great idea. I wonder if glee will drop by; he's a chess instructor IRL, if I recall correctly.
    He is, but he's not been here or the Dope in ages. If people want an analysis thread, I guess the SDMB 2010 chess champion could do his best, on the honour system usual in Mafia games.

    Quote Originally posted by Appleciders View post
    Ens. Rangin quietly pulls up a stool opposite Lt. Vaudreuil, tucks his legs underneath himself in the double-jointed Coridani style, and resumes munching his bowl of minchin berries, with a quick "Thanks!" to Ens. Onsott for finally working that sodium bug out of the food replicators. Salty minchins are simply not worth the time.
    Onsott nods, but is still engrossed.
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    Dr. T'Var gives Ens. Rangin a welcoming nod, then returns her attention to the game in progress.

    The doctor makes her next move, capturing Black's pawn on e5 with her Knight. (Nxe5).

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    Thus far all as Onsott was expecting. Of course Delaney never intended to try to save the pawn after 4. dxe5 with 4. ... Bxf3; 5. Qxf3, dxe5 in the light of the historic game -- though centuries ago, in the 1800s, Earth time -- in which the brilliant Paul Morphy devastatingly paid out his hosts for giving him an opera-box seat with his back to the stage. That much would be well known to the two officers. But what new wrinkle has the wily Delaney unearthed in the resulting position? This is gripping!
    Librarians rule, Oook

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    Quote Originally posted by Appleciders View post
    Queen exchange. T'Var (white) captures Delaney's (black's) queen with his own, forcing Delaney to use his own king to capture T'Var's queen....


    Thanks, but I meant another graphic of the board, as in post #23.

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    B-e6 (To prevent the Fork, though I have already put myself in terrible shape for this game with my screwed up opening.)


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    T'Var scans the current piece positions on the board, then makes her move. (Bc4)

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    Thanks, What Exit?

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    Quote Originally posted by Elendil's Heir View post
    Thanks, What Exit?
    No problem, but I won't being doing every move. The board is down by cutting and pasting carefully in paint and then uploading to photobucket. Not terrible but it does eat up time.

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    Dr. T'Var patiently awaits Delaney's next move while sipping her Vulcan spice tea.

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    Delaney sighs and exchanges bishops. Bxc4

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    Dr. T'Var completes the exchange with Nxc4.

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    Delaney moves up a defensive pawn. f7-f6

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    Dr. T'Var moves her pawn forward one square (e5).

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    Lt. Vaudreuil decides to get a small sherry from the replicator. "May I get anyone anything to drink?" he asks.

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    Pawn to b5

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    Quote Originally posted by Elendil's Heir View post
    Lt. Vaudreuil decides to get a small sherry from the replicator. "May I get anyone anything to drink?" he asks.
    "Um, a-another one of these please, sir," mutters Onsott, indicating the nearly-finished Saurian brandy. He is peering alternately at the board and the players with what seem to be severely conflicting emotions.
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    The French officer nods, smiles and gets a refill for Onsott and a sherry for himself. He's enjoying the game so far.

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    "I believe I would enjoy a small glass of the brandy Mr. Onsott is having," Dr. T'Var says. "Thank you, Lt. Vaudreuil."

    T'Var returns her attention to the chessboard, pondering her possible next move after Delaney moves his pawn to b5. She has several possibilities in mind, but which one would be best?

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    Vaudreuil silently sets a small brandy down beside the Vulcan physician, not wanting to disturb her concentration.

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    T'Var moves her Knight to e3, then takes a sip of her drink. (Ne3)

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