Trump Card

The cards are dealt methodically by the dealer, face down, two to each player. You reached above the table to grasp the thin sheets of paper which determine your bet; you see the best combinations, but you slowly play your opponents to maximize the pot. You squirm without squirming, grimmace without grimmacing, misleading the opponents about the quality of your cards.

Two Aces, a ten, a queen, and a six are on the table. Without hesitation, you go all in and watch as the others upset their drinks and fold hastily...except the one with the Royal Flush.

Trump cards are something usually hidden from your opponent until the best moment; but for chess, especially the online chess that I enjoy playing, I play my best as many times as I can. If the opponent is stronger tactically, I'll steer the game into strategy. If the opponent is still stronger strategically, I'll drag him into a dead endgame, which is one of my personal "trump cards" against players of similar caliber. And if he's still stronger, I'll just find a weaker opponent! =D

Below is one of my recent live chess games; after a string of losses I resort to my best opening - The King's Indian Defen- er...Attack, in this case.

Unfortunately, he avoids the line I prefer so I drag him into the endgame at the cost of a pawn in return for excellent positional strengths such as king centralization and strong pawns. Eventually I convert the resulting bishop endgame, thereby demonstrating my endgame technique in that particular endgame is stronger! And possibly my chess too...hopefully.

For me, I absolutely love situations where the opponent has to resort to passive defence and I have to find a way through. Endgames in particular are good for my skills...hopefully I can continue to extend that to the middlegame.