And black waits.

The planned move to begin.

A response to white's particular set.

A bishop's Fianchetto.

A knight's hippogonal.

Late and lazy in the game with a king's walk.

The zwischenzug of all things...!

What'll it be, pal?

Cut-throat or a slow dance?

Jackson's stonewall or the early castle...?

Exchanging queens so soon?

The possibilities, the mysteries, the long and deliberate dance of all the dances within the game.

The truest of openings. 

Before the first move.

The sizing-up of the god in the opposing chair.

The read on that movement - of eyes and head, shoulders and hands, gives away the sincerity of that first move.

To which black now replies...