(OPEN!) ... Nc5xb3

[burntviolet]

Who: Hanako (burntviolet) and YOU!
What: After this network post was made, three days passed indeed. There will be lots of chess playing and the general cute stuff that happens when a girl named Hanako is involved.
When: Day 80, from morning to late afternoon.
Where: Sigyn House's yard.
Rating: PG, just to be safe.
Note(s): It's not only about the chess itself, and you don't need to have commented to the network post if you want to play/chat with her. You could be a passer by and spot her, or watch the game as a third party, or just enjoy drinking tea with her. Anything goes!

Also, since I really can't chess for the life of me, it's ok if we keep the game vague with the moves and all that stuff. |Dc



[When Hisao went to pick Nashi up for the daily jogging session, Hanako took a shower, dressed herself casually, and prepared herself psychologically for what's to come shortly later.

And there she is, sitting by a round table in the garden, with her precious and finely carved chess set laying in front of her. The pieces are still inside, waiting to be used. She knows that people might have preferences with either black or white, so she's going to wait before setting them on the board.

She even thought of bringing a tray with a teapot, sugar, milk, and a small pile of beakers. If the guests will be more than one, it wouldn't be convenient to bring tea cups and wash them in-between encounters. She hopes they like black tea. And she also hopes they like those chocolate chip cookies that she's put on a plate next to the tea, as well.

It looks like she's trying to do her best to make her opponents feel comfortable.

So while she waits, you can find her leaning back on her chair, fingers entangled together nervously on her lap as she looks down at the chessboard. Are you the one who accepted her challenge? Are you just passing by? Whoever you are, come on and talk to her~]

Comments

[burntviolet]

A momento? [She looks up at her, curious.]

[histories]

Ah, yes. [she produces from a side pocket, a single white piece of cloth, decorated(?) with red scriptures all over it. (basically what's found on this girl)]

My... best friend usually has plenty of these plastered over her clothes and tied in her hair. The magic that was once on these probably doesn't work here, but they were what kept her clothes and hair from catching fire when she uses her powers. [she speaks amiably, her fingers delicately brushing against the texture of the talisman]

[burntviolet]

F... Fire?

[She tenses up a little.]

[histories]

[Perceptive as usual, Keine notices that tensing up.

There were those burns-- of course she'd be sensitive towards any mentions of fire] Ah-- [treading carefully, now...] Yes... Her powers are based solely on it.

[burntviolet]

Hm... I see... that's a peculiar power... um...

[Going to quickly have some tea for herself. Her mouth suddenly feels dry.]

[histories]

Well... [seeing Hanako's discomfort grow, the best course of action is naturally a change of topic!] Well then! Shall we begin?

[burntviolet]

Yes... um...

[After drinking all the tea, she feels slightly better.]

Do you need me to... run a tutorial, first?

[histories]

Ah, yes, that will be helpful. Please.

[burntviolet]

Alright then. If you have any questions, please ask me.

We have six different kinds of pieces. Pawns, Rooks, Bishops, Knights, the Queen and the King. The goal of the game is to trap the opponent's King - that final move is named Checkmate.

[histories]

Ah, yes. And what does each different piece do? [she actually does know how to play -- it's just that she decided this would be a good distraction from the earlier conversation, and if they had just played right off the bat their prior conversation would no doubt affect Hanako's play]

[burntviolet]

You mean, their movesets? Okay, I'll explain each piece to you... we'll start with Pawns.

[And then she proceeds to give long and winded explanations about chess pieces, their movesets and roles in the board, which we could skip if you don't mind. :|a]

timeskips are fine and good yes o/

[histories]

[with nods, humming and hemming in acknowledgement of Hanako's explanations, that would no doubt eventually come to an end.]

Well then, shall we begin? I think I'm pretty clear on how to play now.

[burntviolet]

That's good. We shall start then- ah, I forgot... black or white?

[histories]

Ah. Shall I go first, then? [in other words, white.]

[burntviolet]

... Sure.

[Flipping the board over so that she faces the black pieces.]

[histories]

[and with the very first move, she brings forth her knight from the left. Being someone that tries her best to keep others alive, and protect them, Keine's play might look to be one that preserves her pawns to the best of her ability]

[it might seem pointless at first, but just wait until she gets them across the board.]

[burntviolet]

[Hanako decides to put forth a pawn first. She doesn't consider pawns as useless as most players do, and she uses them mostly to set up traps. We'll see if that's going to work.]

[histories]

[Not likely. After some turns, Hanako might realize that Keine will simply not take the bait for Hanako's traps, as Keine would be careful to make sure each move she makes doesn't leave her vulnerable. Even if it means she'll have to miss out on an opportunity to attack.

With each calculated move, she would slowly advance her pawns as she maintained a constant line of defence to cover her pawns' movement towards Hanako's side of the board.

If all goes well for Keine, she might just find herself being able preserve more of her key pieces than Hanako does.

Quite strange for a relatively new player such as Keine, really.]

[burntviolet]

[That wasn't going to last long, as Hanako decides to get serious quickly and attack aggressively on all fronts. Sacrificing some of her pawns, she makes sure that at least half of Keine's army won't reach the end, while at the same time holding the important pieces back for later.

Hanako can be no less than ferocious when she sees that the opponent is not as clueless as she thought, and she's doing all that with a straight face on.]

[histories]

[Then it would likely be an even match, until one of them slips up with an important move -- In which case, Keine would be the one to do so, to carelessly send a rook too deeply into enemy territory, to take down a knight that appeared to be unchecked.

It's too bad that it was just a trap waiting to happen, for another knight had already been waiting in ambush a bit away.]

[burntviolet]

[A trap that Hanako has seen through after a while of thinking of the next move to make. It was too much of a careless move to pass over her radar, and soon she realized why. And seeing as Keine seems more skilled than she passed herself for, it rings all bells in Hanako's head.

The Queen would move to catch Keine's knight. The opponent's rook is surrounded by her own pieces then, and the Queen is tightly protected as well. As aggressive as she can be, Hanako will not act without thinking.]

[histories]

[See, what Keine truly lacks in chess is experience and skill -- certainly most of what she has managed to do in this game so far was largely driven forth by logic and her previous skill in shogi. But ultimately it was still a different game altogether, and she would eventually fall behind in defending herself, thus allowing Hanako to break through her lines and take down many important pieces.]

[but there's nothing to be upset about. It's merely a game, and her unreadable expression of calm shows as much.]

[burntviolet]

[ Hanako does so, then, taking away pieces without mercy whatsoever. While protecting the King with her set of rooks and one bishop, she uses the rest of her remaining pieces to capture the opponents' bit by bit.

Her competitive spirit eventually prevailed over her initial intent of a friendly game. She'll most likely feel bad for it later... ]

[histories]

[and it isn't long before Keine was left with just her King, Queen, a Knight, and a lone pawn.]

[burntviolet]

[ With double the amount of pieces left, Hanako has Keine's side of the field surrounded, and she'll put one of her rooks forward, on the range of the opponent's King. ]

Check.