CHAPTER THIRTEEN: DISTRICT MEET PART 4

THE FINAL GAME


Michael stared into Raghavendra Iyer with a blank expression, He glanced towards the spectators and saw as they cheered Michael on. The usual enthusiasm of Nareen, the face of awe in Marcos face, and Mateo's envious face

Michael looked back at Raghavendra 

Raghavendra took his seat at the white pieces while Michael sat down at the black pieces

Meanwhile...

Raghavendra looked straight towards the board, everything had come up until this point, 

Raghavendra sat down, and thought

"Potentially useful openings; Kings pawn, Kings Gambit, Queens Gambit."

He looked up towards Michael, the same blank expression:

He thought "His advantage? Superior experience. My advantage: Superior intelligence."

Nothing betokened the board, and Raghavendra started with e4, and Michael replied with d6, the Pirc-Ufimtsev defense, Raghavendra thought for a few seconds.

"This opening is hardly worth using in real tournaments of the highest category. White has too many opportunities for anyone's liking."

Raghavendra responded with d4, The Kings Pawn opening. Michael had completely engulfed his thoughts with the game, even for someone like Michael-- He too was scared

He responded with Nf6, threatening a Kings Indian.

Michael thought: "I have to play this one carefully, there's no room for mistakes."

Raghavendra continued with Nc3, developing his knight and taking advantage of the defense Michael played

Michael played g6, a clear sign of the Kings indian

Raghavendra pondered: "Michael Fauante; A hothead-- something to prove, used to be in charge. He will strike first."

He pushed his Queen forward to d2, giving his King an open space for the Queenside castle

"As far as I know, Black usually plays c6 before Bg7, but I don't think that this change shift changes something seriously." An audience member murmured

Michael continued with c6, leaving Raghavendras knight with no space to move in the center. Slowly taking the center move by move

Raghavendra Iyer continued with f3, defending his e4 pawn from any attack

Nareen from the sidelines muttered; "Hmmmm.. Why not Nf3 b5 and then Bd3? Well.. I do have to take into account both players are played on common sense and not exact knowledge."

Michael continued with B5, a strange move. Raghavendra Iyer paused: "Does he think I'm going to take with my knight? But this move lets my other knight free while providing opportunity to develop the other. This move doesn't contain any threats but continues the development."

Raghavendra played with Nge2, for in the event his knight was taken, he could replace it with the other

Michael played with Nbd7, defending his other knight on f6,

Raghavendra hurled his bishop all the way to h6, offering a trade

He thought: "Better late than ever. It is useful to exchange the bishops."

Michael took and Raghavendra retook with his Queen, Preventing the King from castling Kingside

The game continued with Bb7, threatening to castle Queenside if not monitored

Raghavendra monologued: "I don't want to castle as the opportunities were unclear on how to defend the King after Qa5 from the b4 threat. But it's obvious, I should play.."

a4 was drawn, protecting the Queen from said Qa5 and B4 threat

e5, O-O-OQ e7 b1, Kb1 a6, 

Nc1, 

"The development of the pieces are coming to an end. However, black must show some enterprise as he is under some pressure." Victor narrated, towards his coach and teammates

O-O-O, b3 exd4

Michael's face turned calm, thinking: "A relief in the center, I'll take advantage of the fact that He's a bit backward in development."

Raghavendra retook with Rxd4, and then c5. He retreated his rook back to d1, all the way to the end of the board-- and b6 followed.

Raghavendra followed with g3, and Michael moved back to Kb8

"Does he really think he has time to prepare for d6-d5?"

Suddenly, the main door opened and 2 mysterious figures walked inside, they headed straight towards our table

A white haired, old man spoke first: "Excuse me... Is this where UWA plays?"

The other old fellow followed up: "What are you thinking old man? Ofcourse it is! Mateo's sitting right there!" He replied, pointing directly at Mateo

Our Coach, Nareen, and I looked at them with confusion, until we glanced towards Nareen, whos face was full with pure terror and awe

"Y-You're.."

The old man spoke: "I am."

"You're Michaels Father! a-and you're Coach Jorge!" He yelled out

Mateo got up and ran towards them and gave them a group hug, tears of joy flowing down his eyes

"Michaels Father? The Father? World Championship Semi-Finalist Father? There's no way!" I thought

Our Coach walked up towards them and gave them both firm handshakes

Mateo, unable to hold in his excitment. Blurted out: "T-There's no way! I thought you quit professional chess unc!"

"I did, I just came to watch my son play." He replied

They both sat down at the empty seats we had, Mateo sat next to both of them, right in the middle.

Mateo asked: "Uncle, Do you know him? Raghavendra Iyer?"

Coach Jorge replied: "Well... No.. The name sounds international, and my mind from that point is blank. The world is mad Mateo, There are legends out there far greater than your father. Let's just hope this kid isn't one of them."

Michaels Father, visibly offended: "Excuse you."

From the other tables, Matt noticed. 

"W-What's he doing here!" Matt yelled out, immediately standing up. His body shook as if he was seeing a ghost
 
His teammate, visibly irritated after a loss: "Shut up dude. What's there to fuss about two old guys anyway.." 

Matt grabbed them by the collar and pulled them up, "Don't disrespect heroes like that you mutt."


Continuing...


Raghavendra continued with Na5, slowly cutting through Michaels defense, like a sword wedged into the enemies armor

Michael backed his bishop up to a8, and Raghavendra continued with Bh3, and Michael with d5

Coach Jorge commentated: "So, both sides have fulfilled what was planned: White has finished the development while Black has played d6-d5. Rhe1 would have been an opportunity but..."

Raghavendra gave the first check of the game Qf4+, and Michael retreated back to Ka7, Raghavendra followed up with Rhe1. Michael pushed to d4

Michaels Father continued: "If  21. dxe4, 22. fxe4.. The game is open for the threat Nd5. It would be trouble for Michael, the black king is too weak."

Coach Jorge gave a light slap on the back of Michaels Father

"Come on! Believe in your kid!"

Raghavendra pushed his knight to Nd5

Raghavendra thought: "This move isn't the strongest but it'll serve a great prologue for the upcoming combination."

Michael on the other hand, thought: "What is he thinking, haven't the attacking resources dried out? A check on c6 is senseless, and there's hardly enough opportunities for White to move their rooks towards the Black King."

exd5 Qd6

Michael spoke first, an unusual move for Michael: "You allowed me to glimpse my own follie!"

and after cxd4, Raghavendra Iyers rook rushed towards the backstage, checking the Black King

Kb6, threatening to take the knight while also retreating from the check

Qxd4, checking the Queen again, the room slowly in Raghavendra's favor

Kxa5, taking the knight

Raghavendra thought: "You're scared aren't you."

He then pushed a pawn forward, checking the Black King. The game is reaching its end, and furthermore, each move makes the game obvious for who the taking is

Ka4, Qc3

"I made this move without hesitation. Frankly speaking, I can't make myself think as 'I strove to the end.' I already saw it, and it seemed to me that it was the only way to end the game." Raghavendra commented

Victor Hale watched: "Come on now Michael, what's the big deal, to afraid to go back to the jury like the rest of us losers?"

I thought: "There's no way.. He's gonna lose!" 

I turned towards Michaels Father and he had an uneasy look in his eyes, as if he knew where the outcome was heading

A desperate turn of events, Qxd5. Michael was clearly running out of clever ideas, the first in his whole career

Ra7, threatening to end this game early while threatening to take the bishop on a8

Michael noticed, and moved it to Bb7

Rxb7 but Michael completely ignored it, instead opting to Qc4, placing his Queen right infront of mine

"You're too late!" Raghavendra thought, a wave of exhilaration filled his brain

"That was the most natural defense,  and I counted on it too. Moreover, this is the defense that leads to the most effective mating end that I had no rest from for the last 15-20 minutes ever since its image mysteriously arose from my mind."

Kxa3, trying to break free from the cage that was placed under the Black King, 

Qxa6, checking the King and forcing him to take the b4 pawn and then c3+

Raghavendra stared deeply into Michaels eyes. Michael face crunched into a face of confusion, 

"Probably, this should be the time where you realize everything."

Kxc3 Qa1+, a direct check this time, There's no way back.

After Michael played Kd2, Raghavendra immediately rushed towards Qb2+,

"There's no way out for you, The black king has made the way towards the cavalry."

Kd1, an obvious plea for help, the only piece who could directly defend the king was the rook who was placed earlier on d8

Bf1, placing itself directly towards the queen, the white bishop was a sacrificial scapegoat. In order to directly guarantee checkmate it must be taken

Michael, stuttering, moved his rook all the way towards Rd2, facing the Queen on b2, a Queen for a Queen. But either way, the game would be in Raghavendras favor

Raghavendra played Rd7, pinning the rook towards its king

"Tch, you little brat." Michael muttered under his breath

Michael didn't hesitate to take the rook, after all, it was the only way

Suddenly, a flurry of moves arose

Bxc4 Pxc4, taking the Black Queen and retaking with the black pawn
Qxh8, taking the unguarded and unplayed rook

Michael's rook forward back to d3, trying to salvage what's left of the board by threatening to take one of Michaels pawns

Qa8, moving closer to the battlefield

Another flurry of moves came after c3, an opportunity to promote-- suddenly cut off by Qa4+, pushing would mean an end to the game, Ke1 and Raghavendra moved his pawn forward to f4

"And here, the Black King is deprived of the last hope to get a position of the Rook against a Queen that demands a certain accuracy from the strongest side."

Michael moved forward to Pf5 and Raghavendra moved his king towards Michaels' neutralizing any hope connected with a c-pawn

Michael played Rd2

"Huh, looks like you've finally learned how to use your eyes on the field of play."

 Raghavendra followed with Qa7

"But playing a half baked chess like that--"

Michael stuttered for the first time

"Could never make my heart dance."

Michael held onto a piece and paused

His head fell, covering his face with his long hair. "What can I do.." He thought repeatedly

Raghavendra looked upon Michael with a blank expression, and said: "You of all people should know Michael.. It's over."

Michael looked up again into Raghavendra with tears flowing in his eyes, the same tears that fell when he lost all those years ago

"Woah-- wait it's not that big a' deal isn't it?" Raghavendra thought, almost panicked

Michael gripped the piece he was holding 

"Shit.." He murmured

From the sidelines, Michael's Father closed his eyes and embraced a warm smile: "It's over." He thought

I looked around and saw Victor and his team walking away

"So it ends like that huh? and here I thought you really would have won Michael." Victor spoke, walking away from the venue 

Matt, still gripping onto his teammate: "There's no way it ends like this.. Michael."

Nareen's mouth blew wide open and he slammed his desk onto the board: "There's no way! It ends like that? Does the reign of Michael Fauante end there!?"

"It's not over right? Right?" I asked, turning towards Mateo and the two seniors

Mateo looked up at the screen that displayed the position

"It's over Marco." He replied

Michaels Father got up and walked towards the stage, right by the fence that separated the players and the audience

Michael glanced and noticed his father, but couldn't bare to let his father see this side of him again and turned away


Michael.. had lost