CHAPTER TEN: DISTRICT MEET PART 2

A huge horn rang that indicated that the next match was about to begin,

"Speak of the devil.. I didn't even have any time to rest." I muttered

I walked towards my table and I already saw Matt Suen on the way there....

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“Speak of the devil… I didn’t even have any time to rest!”

I glanced at the tournament bracket, squinting. “Jax Torres… looks like my next victim. Here it goes.”

I walked toward my table and immediately froze. A huge guy was already standing there, towering over the board.

THERE’S NO WAY THIS GUY PLAYS CHESS.

Before I could think again, he spoke. “Excuse me… are you Mateo?”

“Y-Yeah,” I muttered.

He was at least 6’2, dark-skinned, wearing his school’s crest proudly. Without thinking, I blurted out, “Uh… no offense, but shouldn’t you be playing basketball or football or something?”

His face tightened. “Isn’t that kinda racist?”

Silence.

My face burned. “Woops—sorry. My bad. Let’s just play.”

We shook hands and sat down. I took a deep breath.

I’m not scared like Marco. I’m not stubborn like Nareen. I just play.

He opened with a simple e4, slowly transitioning into the Queen’s Gambit. “Tch… this opening,” I muttered. After a few moves, I played Nf6 and immediately regretted it when his bishop slid to g5, pinning my knight.

“Damn it…”

We played evenly for a while. I castled early, trying to stay solid, and by move ten I managed to take his pinned bishop. Alright… I’m in this.

My pieces slowly crept into his position, my rooks finally getting out, and by move thirty my queen was running around like a mercenary while he chased it with his lone rook left and right, back and forth, until my head started spinning.

When I finally escaped, he stepped in front with his queen and I traded without thinking.

“Shoot… my position’s a mess.”

I placed my knight behind his, confident it was protected by a pawn. Safe… or so I thought.

Without hesitation, his rook slammed into it.

“What?!” I whispered. “Are you crazy?”

He smiled slightly. “I guess you didn’t see it.”

Now it was an endgame. Pawns and kings. No room for mistakes.

My passed pawn marched forward, one square at a time, and so did his. My heart was pounding. If he queens first, I’m done.

I pushed again. He blocked. I checked. He moved.

My fingers trembled. Then I saw it.

One opening. One move.

I pushed.

He froze.

His king was one square too far.

“…No way,” he muttered.

I promoted.

A queen.

Gasps from nearby boards. I didn’t hesitate. Check. Check. Mate.

He leaned back and laughed quietly. “…Wow. You got me.”

He reached out his hand. I shook it. “That was insane,” he said, smiling. “You played really well.”

“…Thanks,” I replied, breathing out. “So did you.”

He walked away while I stayed seated, staring at the board. My hands were still shaking.

I won, I actually won.

Across the room, I saw Nareen glance over. “Huh… maybe Mateo really is getting better,” he thought.

On the screen, my name stayed bright.

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I walked up to my board and faced Matt, "You again?" I said, gripping on my chair

"I'm getting off this tournament while the backwater is good, with any luck I'll never see any of your hideous faces ever again." He replied; with a childish smile on his face

We both sat down on our respective chairs and as I reached out for a handshake, he formed his fist into a ball and fist bumped my hand, placing his hand above mine, as if to showcase his superiority

He played the natural e4, and I countered with c5, the Sicilian defense

This should be an easy defense against someone who plays so fast

After I played d5 he took it immediately, with blinding speed--

"What the fuck? he isn't even taking any time to think!"

I recaptured with my Queen and had dominance over the board with my queen already out, he had placed his pawn on c3 so he opted for Knight f3

The game moved forward and he placed his left knight on a3

I hesitated for a moment, analyzing; 

He noticed; "What's wrong?" almost chuckling

"What.. What is this? Your position.. I've never seen anything like it!"

"Can't put one over you Marco, at least not for a few days." He chuckled, opening his arms for an invitation

He pushed his d5 pawn, facing my Queen; A few moves passed and he threatened I pushed my b5 pawn threatening his c4 knight

He added; "I dare not use this opening when we first clashed--"

He retreated my knight back to e3, threatening my Queen on d5, He pushed an a4 pawn, opening his rook file and I started a battery by placing my bishop on b7

We exchanged pawns on the left side of the board until we traded rooks, ending with me retaking the rook with my b7 bishop

"The knights, they always give me away." 

He continued by moving quickly with his pieces, castling early, placing his rook behind his bishop while I prepared a defensive position

I also castled king side and looked back up at him; 

"I know this is a trap!"

He placed his queen on B3 overlooking a pawn trade, 

"Then I'll come out!" He replied, still bearing a child-like smile

I moved my Queen back to c7 preparing for the worst and after he moved his bishop I slid my rook past the back rank and threatened his queen after placing it on b8, protected by my c7 Queen

"And you're right, It is a trap!"

We continued but the pace was faster, the pieces flew past flying and I couldn't keep up with his speed, losing time whilst defending my position

by move 30 we had both lost a bishop and a Rook and We traded Queens soon after,

it was by then I started feeling unsettled, Hands almost shivering while He leaned back, still wearing a smug smile

"Don't you have a heart?" He mocked

"No, Your brother took it with me."

He had one bishop over me and successfully taken both of my bishops

The game continued as he placed a rook directly into my back line checking my king

"Dear Chess-Master, It seems you don't play like you used to!" he mocked

I moved my King to h7, hiding from his rook, and without skipping a beat he pinned my knight with his bishop, if taken would check my King

I pushed a pawn to f7, blocking his pin;

"I won't lose to you again!"

He took it anyway and we traded minor pieces, he pushed back to c4, threatening my lone knight on a4

I froze; "I didn't even calculate that!"

and I unnervingly moved my knight to b2, threatening his rook

"I am the head of the Suen family!" Matt thought furiously

By move 60 we both had 30 seconds left on the clock, the position was all over the place with me on the losing end, He had one minor piece that I was threatening while He just placed his rook next to my pawn which was covering my Queen

I took the knight and he took my pawn swiftly, I moved closer to his Rook threatening to take and he chuckled, pushing it towards the end of the board

He tried to force my moves by checking me multiple times with his back rank rook, He pushed a pawn, a clear mistake;

"I can capitalize off this!"

I immediately moved my rook back and placed it in front of the past pawn

I took the past pawn and focused my rook on the right side of his pawn, I moved the pawn closer as the time flew by

12 seconds for me... 19 seconds for him..

"I won't lose!"

I moved my rook threatening 2 lone pawns at the same time, one pawn was stuck due to my pawn facing directly in front of it

Nareen on his side of the match had won yet again, so did Michael and they got up to spectate my match closely from behind me

Michael, intrigued mumbled; "Go.. Marco!"

I pushed my King close to his Rook, and he moved to take the stuck pawn, We both had past pawns with mine being in the middle of the board, He tried to force moves again by checking simultaneously 

"I'm the only one who can stand next to those giants!" Matt thought, completely engulfing himself in the game

Matt continued furiously, eyes gleaming with determination, a sweat drop fell on the board as his eyes went blank with tenacity

"You aren't Raghavendra Iyer, Victor Hale or Michael Fauante. No one ever understood them and I'm the only one who can stand by their side! I'll take my place as my fathers respective heir and defeat you all!"

Matt accelerated his moves, breaking his highest movement speed personal record and continued blasting chess pieces towards the board

We fought for who could reach the end of the rank first, promoting, our pawns were 2 steps away, hindered only by our respective rooks

"I can do this, I can do this!" I thought

I looked at my clock, 5 seconds left

I moved quicker as I finally got the upper hand after taking his past pawn unguarded; I exclaimed "Yes!"

He stuttered, leaving him with only 6 seconds left, "I won't stop, I won't screw up like last time. Power is weight and speed and I have a lot of it!"

Meanwhile, I thought; "I won't lose to him again, I'll prove to someone like you heritage means nothing! It takes pure dedication and I have a lot of it!"

All it took was one mistake.. I placed my rook too close to his king and he exploited the blunder by taking it instantly; "You really are a fake!" he thought

I reacted; "Too close!" and started shivering, the realization slowly settled in

With only a few seconds left on the clock I hesitated, analyzing the moves I could make with only a pawn and a king

"You planned to take my hit even if you sacrificed your pieces to take my hit right? as If I fell for something that obvious!" He thought,

He raised his head, standing up without even offering a handshake; "It's over... The one who stands with those giants is me." He muttered, pointing directly at me

I looked down and resigned the match, looking up at his smug smile, a tear drop fell off my face and I muttered; "Damn it."

Michael motioned Nareen to go back to their table and they walked away, 

Matt looked down on me; "Sorry, say that one more time?" before walking away

I looked down in utter defeat, realizing I was the only one in my team to lose.

v

e4 c5
c3 d5
exd5 Qxd5
Nf3 Nf6
Na3 e6
d4 a6
Nc4 Nbd7
Be2 b5
Ne3 Qc6
a4 Bb7
axb5 axb5
Rxa8+ Bxa8
O-O Bd6
c4 bxc4
Nxc4 Be7
Re1 O-O
Bf1 Rd8
Qb3 Qc7
Bd2 Rb8
Qd3 Bd5
Rc1 Qb7
Bf4 Ra8
Nfd2 cxd4
Qxd4 Bc5
Qd3 h6
h3 Rd8
Qc3 Qa7
Be3 Bxe3
Nxe3 Rb8
b4 Qb6
b5 Bb7
Qb3 Nc5
Qb4 Nce4
Ndc4 Qd4
Rd1 Qc5
Qxc5 Nxc5
Nd6 Nfe4
Nxb7 Rxb7
Rc1 Na4
Rc8+ Kh7
Bd3 f5
Bxe4 fxe4
Rc4 Nb2
Rb4 Nd3
Rb1 Ne5
b6 Kg6
Rb5 Kf6
Kf1 g5
Ke2 h5
g3 h4
g4 Nd3
Nc4 Nf4+
Kf1 Nd5
Rb2 Ke7
Kg1 Kd7
Nd2 Nf6
Rb5 Kc6
Rxg5 Rxb6
Rg6 Rb2
Rxf6 Rxd2
Rxe6+ Kd5
Re8 Ra2
Rd8+ Ke5
Rh8 Kf4
Rf8+ Ke5
g5 Ra6
Rg8 Kf5
Kf1 Rg6
Re8 Rxg5
Rh8 e3
fxe3 Rg3
Kf2 Rxh3
Rf8+ Kg4
Rg8+ Kf5
Rh8 Kg4
e4 Rh2+
Ke3 Rh1
Rg8+ Kh3
Kf2 Rh2+
Kf3 Ra2
e5 Ra3+
Kf4 Ra4+
Kf5 Ra5
Kf4 Ra4+
Kf3 Ra5
e6 Re5
Rg6 Rf5+
Ke4 Rf1
Ke5 Re1+
Kf4 Kh2
Rh6 h3
Kf3 Rf1+
Ke2 Rf5
Rh7 Re5+
Kf2 Rf5+
Ke3 Re5+
Kf4 Rxe6
Kg4 Rg6+
Kf5 Rf6+
Kxf6

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A FEW YEARS BACK


"Everybody agrees! I'm a genius!" a younger Matt exclaimed;

When his brother Liam was born, Matt watched as his younger brother grew up to be a disappointment

"You were supposed to be the head?" He judged

Their father saw the envious attitude Matt bore on his face and exploited it by comparing Matt to Liam constantly;

By the time Liam had reached High school, he came to the conclusion; "Although you're the youngest, You're way too weak to come close to me."

A few days into high school, Matt had come across Michael Fauante

"What's with that look? Don't you have a heart, Child prodigy?" He cockily asked Michael

Michael had been revered as the best high school player, His popularity was synonymous throughout the city

". . ." Michael kept silent

Michael’s cold face destroyed Matt’s ability to predict moves. Matt relied on instinct and reaction, but Michael gave neither, playing unorthodox openings and baffling tactics.

"This guy-- he doesn't even talk! he doesn't even react!" Matt stuttered, sweating under pressure

After Matt had inevitably lost, he watched as Michael looked at him, no boasting, no remarks afterwards, just pure unfiltered dominance

He looked up into Michael's bright green eyes, muttering the words; "I hate you..."

A few months after, Matt had met Raghevandra Iyer, and he shared the same fate as he did with Michael

"I heard you were one of the best and I'm hero hunting!" He boasted

Raghavendra turned around; "Cocky for someone who lost to Michael Fauante. It's all over the news, Michael's games are recorded. I know who you are."

Matt took a step back; "That doesn't change anything!"

Raghavendra replied; "I have perfect memory Matt and I have studied you, You will not win."

He realized all the chess pros have the same glint in their eye as if they already knew they were gonna win

"I'll beat you all." He thought