Chapter 22:

Fool's gold

En Passant Grandmaster Volume 7

Leading up to Utami's victory, the game at board 3 between Tenju and Golda had proceeded with c3, a king's side castle, queen e2, knight d5, bishop d2, g6, a-rook d1, bishop d7, bishop h6, and rook e8 all being played. It was far from over, but Tenju now had an overwhelming edge.

"Now that's something, Nancy. Look at that eval bar, Golda's Goldsmith looks like it was nothing but fool's gold," Danny quipped as Tenju moved her knight to e5.

"I'd hold your tongue until things are more clear-cut. That play by Tenju just now is a bit risqué, still nothing to worry about, but not my top choice," Nancy frowned as Golda captured said knight with her knight.

"How's it risqué? It's a knight trade. See, Tenju just recaptured the knight at d5 with her d-pawn- Oh, AND Golda just blundered," Danny smirked.

Indeed, Golda's bishop a4 play now put things almost squarely in Tenju's corner, and Tenju could sense it, moving her pawn to b3, sending the bishop to c6.

As she followed up with bishop b1, Golda began to get VERY antsy, ferociously tapping her foot and biting her lip. "Bullshit! Tenju's supposed to be shit! How's she kicking my ass!?" she thought as she moved her pawn to b5.

"So what do ya think's going through Golda's mind?" Danny asked as Tenju moved her pawn to c4.

"Not good thoughts. You can see it on her face, she's not happy. And I certainly wouldn't be either if I was in her shoes," Nancy stated as Golda captured the pawn at c4 with her b-pawn.

"Speaking of shoes, Golda's got some sick gold kicks," Danny noted as the camera zoomed in on Golda's shoes.

"Zoom it in on the board, I don't think Mizuse Niimi inc is requiring we do more "shoe shots"," Nancy scowled.

"What? The chat doesn't mind."

Nancy glanced at the chat, a look of disgust forming on her face as she read the comments. Just as Danny said, everyone was gushing over Golda's shoes, particularly her feet inside the shoes.

"Perverts. We'll go emote only if you don't keep your pants zipped up."

"You telling them that will only make them keep them down."

Slap!

"Getting back to the game, seems Tenju's captured the pawn at c4 with her b-pawn, and Golda's responded... by sending her bishop back to a4."

"Not a great play, but Tenju's not playing perfectly. Rook d3's the best move according to the engine, but she just went rook d2."

"But that's not a misstep by any means. And remember, she's human and cant see the eval bar and engine like us."

"Neither can Golda," Danny scowled as he highlighted Golda's recent play of rook b8.

It was all too obvious that Golda was going to lose, especially after Tenju went on the attack and captured the knight at d5 with her c-pawn. Golda, unsure of what to do, moved her bishop to b5, giving Tenju a free move in a sense, in the form of queen f3. At this point, Golda decided to just go for anything in hopes of it sticking and captured the pawn at d5 with her e-pawn.

Tenju scowled, pitying Golda's pathetic struggle, and moved her pawn to e6. This left Golda with little choice but to move her pawn to f6 to avoid disaster, but thanks to that, her plan to win a knight evaporated into thin air as the pawn at d5 quickly fell to Tenju's rook.

"You're kidding me!? Tenju's actually top tier now!?" Golda thought as panic consumed her face while moving her bishop to e2.

"Check. Your humbling makeover will soon be done, madam," Tenju growled as she captured the pawn at f6 with her knight.

The snide got a scowl out of Golda as she angrily captured said knight with her bishop. But at this point it was a matter of whether Golda would resign or get mated. Tenju knew what she was doing and moved her queen to e4, as Golda moved her queen to e7. Next came another check in the form of queen captures g6, sending the king to h8.

"Talk about resistance. Golda's screwed, but she refuses to throw in the towel," Danny noted as Tenju moved her bishop to g5.

"Do you not know Golda? She's very prideful. No way she'd resign to someone like Tenju," Nancy frowned as she shook her head and watched Golda move her bishop to a1.

Her analysis was right on the money as despite an inevitable mate, Golda refused to resign, meaning Tenju had to do things the old fashioned way. Bishop captures e7, rook captures e7, rook d7, bishop d3, bishop captures d3, rook f8, rook captures e7, rook f7, and finally the end was in sight after e captures f7.

Golda began shaking as tears began pouring down her face. "How... You suck ass, but you played like Taira," she trembled aloud as she moved her bishop to d4.

Tenju let out a heavy sigh before giving her response. "Because now I'm living for her legacy. Checkmate. Next time you want to be competitive, don't play that fool's gold of an opening against me," she snarled as she moved her rook to e8, winning the game.

A soft smile spread across Golda's face as she shook hands and turned in her move sheet. "So Taira lives on in you, huh. I'm glad," she thought as she slowly got up and walked away.

Now Japan officially led the Hebrew Federation 2-0, ensuring a draw at worst. But with how things were going at board 1, a win seemed very likely for Team Japan. However, unbeknownst to all, a sinister plot was secretly underway at board 2, drastically raising the stakes there.

The full game:

White: SPCM Himitsutan (Tenju Kuroshiro) (2222) Black: DSPCM Golda Goldschmidt (2505)

1. e4 h5

2. d4 e6

3. Nc3 Nc6

4. Nf3 d5

5. Bd3 dxe4

6. Nxe4 Be7

7. O-O Nf6

8. c3 O-O

9. Qe2 Nd5

10. Bd2 g6