Are you CHEeSSy?

Mr. Sleazy: “Yesterday I read about this funny game. It’s called suicide chess.”

Mr. Crazy: “Oh…I am CRAZY about chess!! You must be aware that suicide chess is also called anti chess or zero chess and is technically reverse chess.”

Mr. Sleazy: “You are truly crazy. I wonder what skill is required in getting your own coins killed. Hahaha…”

Mr. Crazy: “You seem to know a lot about Chess. Do you know how chess originated?”

Mr. Sleazy: “That’s not important.”

Mr. Crazy: “It is important because chess is thought to have originated in India, in the 6th century. There is a theory that chess originated from a Chinese game called Xiangqi.”

Mr. Sleazy: “Really?”

Mr. Crazy: “Yes. Chess was originally known as ‘Chaturanga’, which means four divisions of the military: infantry, cavalry, elephants and chariots, represented respectively by the pawn (soldier), the knight (horse), the bishop (camel) and the rook (elephant). Persians renamed it as Shatranj.”

Mr. Sleazy: “Chess is boring and monotonous. I rather play soccer or table tennis.”

Mr. Crazy: “Precisely! To help people foster an interest in chess, numerous variants of chess were popularised e.g. atomic chess, monochromatic chess, dodo chess, madrasi chess, etc. Anti-chess is one such widespread variant.”

Mr. Sleazy: “Anti-chess is all about getting your coins killed. You don’t need a skill for that. A person, who discerns that a pond moves one or two steps and a camel moves diagonally, can also play it.”

Mr. Crazy: “Its pawn not pond. Pawn refers to the soldier who is the king and the queen’s guardian.”

Mr. Sleazy: “Big deal! And why are you so proud of anti-chess?”

Mr. Crazy: “Anti-chess is an extension of the regular chess. In anti-chess, if a capture is available to you, then you must capture it. This is synonymous to opportunities in life. If an opportunity is available to you, then you must make the most of it.”

Mr. Sleazy: “So, losing is your goal. You’re a loser!”

Mr. Crazy: “Winning has always been the crux of any competition, however losing a game indeed requires mindful tactics, shrewd judgement and the ability to seize the opponent’s mind! Any coward can fight a battle when he’s sure of winning; but give me the man who has the guts to fight when he’s sure of losing.”

Mr. Sleazy: “My cousin who won in the girl’s chess tournament at her college told me that chess equals strategy.”

Mr. Crazy: “She was right but I wonder why chess tournaments have different categories for different genders. Gender based categories are introduced when physical strength is involved. But in a game like chess, where your intelligence and its application is tested, how can gender based categorization help?”

Mr. Sleazy: “Well, chess is not my cup of tea. So, it’s pointless arguing with me.”

Mr. Crazy: “It is important to understand that it is you who controls the pieces. Stop thinking that you are the pawn and are controlled by God, your genes, society or any other convenient force you wish to empower. Chess is the game of life my friend.”

The Chess-Board is the World, the pieces are the phenomena of the Universe and the rules of the game are what we call the Laws of Nature. The player on the other side is hidden from us. - Thomas Huxley