Dr. T'Var plays some chess

"Black to move, no further information."

"White to move, no further information."

"Oh, Thank you Mr Onsott."

"Capture on c5. Black to move. No further Information."

Johnson takes the latest move from Dr T'Var and takes a deep breath.

"Capture on e4 and White is in check by Knight. White, move 35 when you are ready and no further information."

Onsott restrains himself from thinking aloud. It is easy money that Dr T'Var is reaching the same conclusion as he is, but there is no need to confirm this. He considers briefly and makes what he supposes to be the logical move.

"Capture on e4. Black to move. No further information."

"Capture on e4. White to move. No further information."

Once again the call comes out, "Capture on e4. Black to move. No further information."

T'Var sighs. At this rate, neither one of us will have any pieces left on the board the doctor muses. She sighs again, then makes her next move.

The French lieutenant watches the carnage with great interest. This is not the game he expected.

"White is in check on the long diagonal. White, move 37 when you are ready, no further information."

Onsott ponders the various possibilities and attempts a move.

Johnson takes the move. "You may not"

A second move follows; "Capture on c5. Black to move, no further information."

And the carnage continues.

Johnson waits patiently for Black's next move.

Thought this might be of interest, re: HAL 9000 playing chess: http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/...d.php?t=656637

"You may Not"

"You may not."

Onsott listens, intrigued. T'Var cannot be attempting pawn captures, for no such eligibility has been announced. Is Black trying to move through a blocked square, or running into self-check?

T'Var sighs -- more heavily this time. She looks over her pieces on the board and frowns.

Onsott is somewhat shocked to hear a Vulcan fuming and fretting so publicly. But he is well aware that to win the full point from the Doctor it will be necessary to win the game at least three times - once in the opening, once in the middle-game, and once in the ending.

"Phew. That you may do."

"White to move, no further information."

Onsott mulls it over, then tries a move.

Johnson nods and accepts the move. "Black to move, no further information."

"You may not."

"Ok, White to move, No further information."

"Black to move. No further information."

"You may not."

"White to Move, no further information"

"Black to Move, no further information."

Johnson accepts the move.

"Capture on c5. White is in check on the long diagonal. White, Move 41 required, no further information."

Onsott pauses only briefly before moving. He seems to replay something in his head, then nods in apparent satisfaction.

Lt. Vaudreuil strokes his beard as he looks over the boards. He thinks he knows how this will all end, but he's been surprised several times already, so....

"Capture on c5. Black to move, no further information."

"Capture on c5. White to move, no further information."

Onsott listens philosophically to the news of a second successive capture by Black. One cannot protect everything...

He cogitates for a while, then formulates another plan to deal with his invisible enemy.

"Black to move, no further information"

"You may not."

Onsott listens carefully for any clues to Black's intentions.

"Capture on c4. White to move, no further information."

Onsott pauses only briefly.

"Capture on c4. Black to move, no further information."

T'Var looks over her board. She sighs, then frowns.

"I believe the most logical course of action at this point is to resign and congratulate Mr. Onsott for his well-deserved victory."

The doctor places her black king on its side. "Well played, Mr. Onsott."

"Yes, Doctor, I have been fortunate enough to preserve all my heavy pieces intact and would remain at least a Queen and the exchange ahead for a few pawns if you were able to recapture," says Onsott before turning to inspect the master board. "Ah, I see that I had taken one piece more than I thought. As you rightly deduce, the win for White is straightforward from this point. Thank you for a fascinating game."

Johnson happily reveals the boards for all to see. "I hope you both enjoyed playing."

"Yes," T'Var says, "a fascinating game, indeed."

"And thank you, Mr. Johnson, for a job well done."

Lt. Vaudreuil claps quietly. "Well done, both of you. And Mr. Onsott, if I may say, you showed a particularly impressive tactical awareness of the board. Perhaps you might consider a transfer to Security someday...?"

Onsott appears flattered. "Thank you, Lieutenant. Whom should I talk to?"

"Either Cmdr. Vargas or Lt. JG Collins would be a good place to start," the Frenchman says. "But who will you be playing next?"

"I'll pass on playing next.", says Johnson. "Unless someone with knowledge of the game but no skill would like to play?"

"It need not be the hidden-board variety of the game again, either," Vaudreuil says, looking around.