go all the way

Last Thursday before dropping by Dr. Nic Tiongson's Philippine Film class (that night he was showing Malvarosa (1958), more on that movie in a bit), we ate at the cafe in the International House on the Berkeley campus.

In the corner was a chess game in full swing with quite the line and audience, complete with timer. Every now and then I'd look over at the match play. It has been years since I have played chess. I've always been a bit too lazy to learn it well, but I enjoy watching matches. One of the young men in line was cringing at the recent game play. I forget why. It was his turn next. He won the game handily. Now it was his turn at white. An older gentleman sat opposite of him.

When I turned to the table next, the young man was saying, "pressure, pressure" as he moved his pieces to corral the older gentleman's king into a corner closely walled off by his pieces. "Pressure, more pressure," the young man said with glee. The older man said nothing but continued to move his pieces in defense.

When I looked at the game again, there was a swift exchange of pieces. Then the older gentleman broke his queen away to chase after white's king. Next thing we know the white king is mated, trapped by the queen, and a pawn. The young man so sure of his strategy before wasn't sure what happened. The older gentleman as he took his seat gave him a bit of whispered advise on the young man's failed attempt.

The young man had gone for the pressure, but he had forgotten to go for the kill. He had not anticipated that his opponent could handle the pressure, outlast him, had the patience to wait for his time. While the young man sent in an army to capture the king, the older gentleman had sent in the assassin.