BEST CHESS BOOK EVER WRITTEN? PROBABLY! MUST READ

Ding! Road To Rapport!

Chapter 1: The Nepo Arc -

The score is tied, Ding and Nepo have fought a long and grueling war of minds...

They both have played impeccable chess, it all comes down to Armageddon...

As they arrive for their final battle, an announcement.

"Former World Chess Champion - 'Magnus Carlsen', has sent an envelope to be delivered to the winner of the match."

Nepo and Ding looked at each other, both puzzled...

There was no time to pay any attention, they both regained their wit's and took their respective seats.

E4, E5, classic, neither player wanting to lose...

Magnus was finally out of the picture, this was a once in a lifetime opportunity...

It was classic theory, but then on move 32, Ding found a Brilliant move that GM Nepo had missed!

As they say, B5 decides the tide of a battle!

It unpinned a piece while threatening the queen, the pawn was defended!

Simultaneously freeing his queen for a tactic leading to checkmate!

Nepo's eyes grew wide, he shook his head as if declining reality was another chess variation.

In the end, Ding managed to pull a miracle with the black pieces...

Nepo fought to the last move, "Checkmate" uttered Ding, followed by silence....

The greatest applause in the chess world, then the handshake.

Just like that, the 21st World Chess champion was born !

The entire world was elated!

Nepo was the favorite to win, he had the white pieces!

Yet, Ding had done the impossible!

Yes, Magnus wasn't there but in this game, everyone forgot for a while.

Just pure passion for the game, and incredible chess!

Ding accepted his trophy, reporters asked how he felt...

He still couldn't believe it was real...

And then, finally, the name came back up...

The elephant in the room, Magnus-senpai...

Everyone in the chess world waited with baited breath, what did Magnus senpais letter say!?

Ding, as to not keep the people waiting.

Decided his celebration could wait for now.

Ding, the new WCC - did the honor of opening and reading the letter Magnus senpai had sent for the winner.

A sort of changing of the guard...

The letter read, -

"Congratulations, to my successor!

I know you both have fought a hard battle, but do not become complacent...

You must both, no - you must all! Continue to sharpen your blade. There is a dark storm looming over the chess world, it will take our utter best and then some to refute our fate!

Or I fear it will be sealed... Stay vigilant, to all of my chess nakama... I have taught you all that you know, but not all that I know...

Signed, The Goat, - Magnus Carlsen Sensei"

Everyone was perplexed, wanting to clarify what his words meant?

But that same day, Magnus had disappeared.

Did he felt bitter sweet after losing the title he had held for all these years.

Did he regret his decision to not defend it?

Or was this a decree that he would be coming back for his title in two years time...

With no sign of the former champion, the chess world focused on the big news that just unfolded infront of them once again.

Their new king of chess!

Ding looked among the crowd, searching for the face of his closest nakama, Rapport-kun...

They were to celebrate his victory at their favorite ramen shop, mostly because of the cheap sake.

But Rapport-kun had disappeared.

Ding searched desperately for his lost nakama, little did he know,

What the world would remember as Ding-sans greatest day,

He would remember as his greatest loss...

That day was 8 years ago...

Ding has defended his title 3 times so far,

each time a fierce battle.

Each time a stronger opponent.

Each time, coming out victorious.

Each of which sought to dethrone him, in order to become the next ultimate chess senpai.

Each of which, would fail.

The year is now 2031, Ding feels he has achieved everything there is to achieve.

He still misses his nakama deeply whenever he sees his 2023 W-C-C trophy....

Even tho his heart is burdened, his pieces are never blundered.

He channeled this great emotion into sharpening his skills, perfecting his craft. The year, is 2031....

The world chess championship candidates....

Ding no longer feels pressure, he's grown cold. numb to the pressures of the worlds expectations.

Reporters would always say - "This year, the challengers are stronger then ever before!"

Ding could only reply, "Let them come."

Until - Front page news,

"Chess report! Return of Rapport! The Hungarian GM that has been missing for nearly a decade returns! Along with American GM Niemann, truly incredible!

Carlsen still missing, when will the king of games make his ret-"

Chess news, had devolved greatly in the previous decade.

Ding never kept up with the headlines, but today -Ding froze!

For a moment, the unshakable chess Champion, usually cold and unfazed...

Completely shutdown for a moment...

How could this be!? Ding asked himself

He checked the contestants for the WCC prure as the sun will rise and set, the name is indeed registered to compete. He attempts to get in contact but to no avail...

Could this really be his estranged nakama? Where had he been? Why wouldn't he answer? Ding waits, what else could he do...

The Candidates tournament names were released...

On it - was Rapport, in fact, multiple names he hadn't seen in years...

But all that mattered to Din was he would soon be face to face with none other than Rapport-kun...

His closest confidant when he first won the title of world champion.

Ding arrived at The Candidates Tournament, surely Rapport had a good reason why he couldn't keep in contact!

"He probably had a new queen that kept him pinned!

Rapport, always a sucker for the ladies, that baka!"

Ding joked to himself, cheerfully.

Ding looks vigilantly around, something was - strange....

Was there always this much security?

"The tournament was being held in Russia, the war ended not long ago.

Everyone on each side was happy for that.

Chess is called a game of war, of intense battle.

But truly, it is a game who's fans enjoy intense battles between minds,

Everyone was glad the war was over, especially the Russian fans.

Maybe tensions are still high."

Ding told himself, he wasn't one to keep up with politics either.

He'd much rather immerse himself in the game he dedicated his life to.

Just then, Ding spotted Rapport!

He tried getting as close as he could, out of excitement he yelled out - "Rapport-sama!!!"

Gleefully, surely Rapport would be elated to see him as well!

But, Ding felt something different from Rapports aura...

His energy was ominous, malicious,
A far cry from the nakama he once knew...

Next to him, was none other than Niemann-me...

They had both disappeared in the same week, all those years ago...

Surely a coincidence, Ding-san assured himself for all these years.

Ding tried to usher himself closer, but several arbiters placed themselves infront of Ding far before he could reach Rapport.

"What is the meaning of this!?" Ding asserted!

The arbiters all smiled in unison, like some sort of synchronized evil entity...

"Our Greatest sympathies, Ding-heika... But we cannot allow you to interfere with the contestants... Surely you've heard of the new regulations, Your Majesty?"

They spoke with such disdain and contempt, the disrespect enraged Ding-san!

"The matches haven't even started, surely there is no such rules that would prevent me from seeing a close freind before a match in place!" Ding protested!

"Your Majesty- *The head arbiter said sarcastically* haven't you heard? The WCC rules have been... Revised... Implemented only just before this tournament... We DO represent FIDE... Surely you believe us? I mean, WE WERE - the ones who made the changes..."
FIDE, an outdated organization that had plagued the chess world, even since the distant years of the Carlsen and Kasparov dynasties...

Yet it had only grown in power, uncontested, they monopolized all of chess...

Basically becoming the chess Yakuza, even the WCC knew better then to speak out of line against them!

"I.... I understand... Of course..." Ding uttered, biting his cheek until it bled....

He didn't want to risk disappearing conspicuously, Like Magnus-senpai all those years ago...

Or even worse for a chess player, being disqualified!

Ding went to return to the sidelines, as he did, the piercing gaze of Niemann met his own... A devilish smirk across his face...

"One more thing... Why is Niemann-me playing! He was banned in 2023, the very year and week I became WCC!" Ding exclaimed furiously

"His ban has been lifted. He deeply regrets his past decisions. We cannot punish someone so young and passionate about the game to be exiled forever. Can we? What life would that be for a young man so driven and passionate about the game? Worse than death is that fate to a chess player. You must sympathize with that. Show some... Compassion... Your Majesty..." The arbiters snickered

*How many palms did he grease to weasel his way back into a tournament of this prestige!?* Ding thought to himself

Returning to the observers section, Ding fell silent, observing closely as he watched intently...

He could feel the power emanating in the room...

"Begin!"

Just like that, the start of The Candidates Tournament was underway.

Hans and Rapport both played at an elo rating outlandishly higher than their own.

It was far worse than Ding previously feared, it was as if the room was coated in a thick fog that you couldn't see, tangling players and pieces alike.

Game after game, meticulously and methodically, they deconstructed the best players in the world as if they were school children...

In no time at all ,the candidates tournament dwindled down until the day of the, final match was set to take place.

Hans vs Rapport...

But something was off, Niemann began to play particularly poorly...

As if he were subtly losing, on purposefully...

Over just as quickly as it began,
The winner, without a single loss nor draw... Rapport!

Ding felt sick, he was happy for Rapport-kun, but he knew that something was wrong with him.

Niemann glanced at Ding from across the room, eyes like a fianchettoed bishop.

Their eyes hadn't met since the tournament first began...

Again, with a smirk so unsightly Ding felt it was that of the devil himself...
This time Ding stared back, like a queen on the bishops diagonal, and it was Ding to play!

Niemann and Rapport stood from the board and began to walk, for some reason surrounded by several arbiters...

As the stadium cleared, Ding pushed his way through the crowd.

Propelling himself forward by any means!

"RAPORTT-SAMA!!" bellowed Ding....

Rapport froze for an instant, as if the pain in his nakamas scream had finally reached him.

Rapports head turned, for the briefest instant, Ding saw half of Rapport-kuns face stare back at him...

His eyes were empty, hazed as that of a corpse. Ding saw what looked to be a tear fall...
The arbiters surrounding Rapport-kun quickly ushered him away...

Unable to go against FIDE, and the chess world powers that be.

Ding felt powerless, for the first time in a long time.

Reflecting on what to do as he returned to his hotel room, there was something very, very wrong...

He contemplated deeply and endlessly...

At this point in his career, he could calculate thousands of games, and within each of those games, hundreds of positions at once, all in his mind.

But on this night, as he sat alone, his mind was silent, blank, dark...

He didn't cry, Rapport had shed one tear, yet for Dings heart, it was a million too many...

Anger engulfed him.... What had happened to his once closest nakama!?

Ding looked over his trophies, pondered all he had achieved. And decided, he would not defend his title.

He could not play Rapport-kun in such a fierce battle... Then, there was a knock at the door....

Ding didn't intend to answer... He couldn't move.... I mean, how could he!? It was as if he was petrified by medusa.

The eyes of Niemann still glaring into his own.

Until a voice outside exclaimed - "Ding, you must speak with me, it is of the utmost importance to the entirety of the chess world!"

Dings eyes batted open, he knew the voice! How could he ever forget it!?

But surely he was losing his mind! It couldn't be!

He ran to the door, and ripped it open!

He saw him standing there, after he disappeared for all of these years, Carlsen-sensei!!

Carlsen-sensei had chosen not to defend his title, all of those years ago.
That's the only reason he had the opportunity to play in what would later be called the greatest upset in chess history, when he won his first WCC against Nepo!
Ding looked at Carlsen-sensei, and before he could ask anything, Carlsen-san said 'Surely you've figured it out... You are my successor...."

In that moment, everything made sense... Carlsen-sensei not defending his title, The ominous warning in the letter, the strange disappearance and reemergence of Rapport and Hans, the increasingly corrupt FIDE, it all made sense. This is the storm Carlsen-sensei had warned the chess world of!

As if he had calculated every second of the next 8 years, was he psychic!? Surely the work of an omniscient being!?

Confounded, Ding exclaimed... "I think I'm starting to understand, sensei... But why did you leave you're chess nakama without preparing us for what was to come! You were the ultimate chess senpai! Then, you were just, gone!"

Ding-san's fist clenched, filled with rage as he thought about how helpless and powerless he felt...

"They... THEY TOOK RAPPORT-SAN, HOW COULD YOU LET THIS HAPPEN!! HOW!? HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN.... HOW COULD, how could I, let this happen..." Finally, the tears Ding had held in for so long surfaced.

Carlsen-Sensei poked ding-san in the forehead, "I am sorry, Ding-san, You have been through a lot... I'm sorry I left you with this burden for all of these years... I know my shoes aren't easy to fill, often I wonder if I fit them myself." Carlsen smiled.

"I was gathering knowledge on theory and all aspects of the game.

Calculating every possible line... Searching for the holy grail of the game... The perfect game of chess, beginning to end... Even I could only calculate roughly half of the moves into the perfect game, in the 8 years I was gone, even calculating lines in the few hours of sleep I managed to get. Sharing my findings with another decent player as a contingency should anything happen to me..." Magnus said this while fidgeting with a piece in his hand, but Ding dismissed it as a nervous tick

I also uncovered the corruption between Niemann, FIDE and all other conspirators! The corruption runs deep, deeper than even I could have calculated. All I could do was prepare, and hope I would have at least a couple allies left by the time of my return... As it now stands, the only ones left are you, Nakamura and Gothamchess..." Magnus said, uncharacteristically dreary in his demeanor.

Ding realized just how dire the situation had become... "Just you, Nakamura, and me remain?" Ding repeated sensei's words, making sure he heard correctly...

"That is our unfortunate reality..." Said Carlsen-sensei.

"Your nakama is being controlled by the same entity that is controlling FIDE and all the others. For now, that's all I can say in that regard.
I must train you quickly, on how to solve chess! Beginning to end, without flaw, without fail! You won't be playing your nakama, but a chess entity unlike anything the world has ever seen, working through Rapport-sama without any weaknesses, without blunder, without error..." Carlsen-sensei admitted

"I'm sorry, I can't, I won't play Rapport-kun.... I will forfeit the match... I can't battle my closest nakama... Even if he isn't there mentally, the soul of a chess player will always remain." Said Ding, defeated down to his very spirit...

"WE DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THIS! That's exactly what Niemann wants!" Magnus-sensei yelled

"Ding-san, if you don't play your nakama and win, then you know EXACTLY- who it will be that does! Surely you remember, it's how you became champion in the first place! If you as champion vacate your title, then the match will be between your nakama and Niemann, and this time, Niemann will not lose." Carlsen-sensei warned

"I HAD - to leave the game, to SAVE - the game! I had given my LIFE, MY SOUL to chess!

And I left chess in YOUR hands for safekeeping! I knew it would be safe until my return.

If you don't play Rapport-san then it was all in vain! Right now, you are the reigning chess champion.

I can't simply tag in to defend the title I relinquished, things aren't so simple!

I would have to wait until the next WCC, and by then it will be FAR TOO LATE!"

Carlsen articulated himself like he articulated a sharp line of chess theory.

Ding paused. He knew Carlsen-sensei was right... They sat in silence for an entire minute...

Dings tears had stopped... Steam began eminating from where they had flown down his cheeks and chin...

He knew, win or lose, this was a war he could not walk away from...

The two locked eyes,

"So where do we begin, sensei?" Ding asserted, knowing there was no alternative choice.

Carlsen smiled, "I am glad, that it was you who succeeded me, Ding-san" Carlsen-sensei said with pride.

Then his eyes gestured towards the board in the middle of the room that was already set.

Ding looked at it, then back at Magnus-sensei who smiled and said "Oh, and from here on out. No more honorifics, just call me Magnus."

Ding nodded, gratefully.

"E4! - E5 " Magnus commanded, the race on the road to Rapport was in full sprint!

And this was no relay, Ding would have to see it to the bitter end, luckily he finally had a much needed ally.

Chapter 2 - Ding vs Rapport, King Takes King! Nakamura, An Unlikely Ally!?-

Magnus has been teaching Ding for 3 days straight, on how to play the perfect game.

Explaining every line, down to the slightest details and contingencies.

Even for the depth of Dings talent, he couldn't help but feel the immeasurable distance between his ability and that of Magnus.

To think, in 8 years Magnus had managed to calculate so deeply into the perfect game of chess, a game with infinite possibilities.

Ding struggled at times - lost in the dark forest, lucky for him, Magnus was walking him, not racing him through it.

69 moves in, Magnus says - "it's time for the move B5!"

Ding gasped, what looks to completely blunder a juicer comes with tactics of forced checkmate in 19!
The enemy isn't able to punish it immediately, giving white the tempo it desperately requires to gain the edge.

Magnus receives a phone call, Ding hardly noticed, he was to focused on the impossibly dynamic position, truly unlike anything he had ever seen before.

Trying to gather and retain every minute detail, this was going to be the most important game of all time.

And it would be him vs his nakama, a shell of the man he once called his closest freind.

In this moment he thought of Shakespeer's work - "Et tu, Brute?" Ding thought to himself.

Magnus suddenly interrupts his thought process -

"Ding, hold out your hand." Ding complies without hesitation.

"This is my, "Lucky King", I entrust this to you, and with it, the future of the entire chess world!

Ding paused for a moment as he held it, he had seen Magnus fidgeting with it the past few days,

it seemed so, ordinary...

Was it a super natural keepsake from a chessgod? Or simply a chess players version of a rabbits foot?

Magnus looked Ding dead in the eye, and for the first time seemed deadly serious, "Guard this with your life. Now, hurry and leave through the back!" Magnus commanded!

*Just then, the door is swiftly kicked off it's hinges.*

Magnus whispers urgently, "Hurry! Outside, there is an unlikely ally waiting for you."

"But, how will I know it's him!? Please, we can go together!" Ding pleads with Magnus

"You'll know by his shirt, don't worry, he's pretty decent." Magnus remarks.

"B- but Sensei!!!" Ding replied.

*Magnus smiles*

"I thought I told you, no more honorifics! Now go, I'll buy you some time!"

Ding leaps out the open window. Ducking for a moment to gain his composure.

"WHERE IS HE, MAGNUS!" A voice cracks, like nails on a chalk board.

"Whoever do you mean?" Magnus says with an air of arrogance.

Ding peaks back in, contemplating going back for his sensei, what he see's is 50 super grandmasters standing before Magnus.

He ducks his head back down so as not to be seen.

"Ding-san! The World Chess Champion!" Screamed the man
Ding had seen that the voice was that of Niemann-me.

Ding-san knew this wasn't good, once Carlsen had criticized Niemann,

which triggered Niemann greatly, since he suffers from the rare "I'm a victim." syndrome.

Niemann then started his version of the "me too" movement in chess, which created a divide between all of the chess nakama.

"The World Chess Champion!? Your beads must not be programmed to tell you, that the World Chess Champion stands directly before you!" Magnus scoffed

"This is no game Magnus, I've always hated how you looked down on the rest of us super GMs. Like you believe you're a God! I admired you, but you coming out of hiding after all these years, I now realize, your myth is much scarier than you! YOU, ARE, NO, GOD!" - Hans proclaimed fiercely

"If you want to leave here, you must beat all 50 of us at once, all of the boards have soul fragment pieces.
If a single one of your kings is captured, you will lose much more then the game." Hans said in certain finality.

"Is that all? Well if your going to make it so easy on me, tell me, should I play with - or without a blindfold?" Magnus said, almost demonically, as if Magnus was going to go all out for the first time ever and a great power exuded from him.

Then, Magnus's last words, rang through Dings very soul.

"You're right about one thing, I am no God... I AM CARLSEN, MAGNUS - THE MAGICIAN!!!"

Dings eyes watered, chest clenched, mind raced, knees wobbled, but he moved forward.He felt like an exposed king, being head hunted.

He knew Magnus-sensei... NO! Magnus-san, was the goat... But even Ding could tell that Magnus was bluffing. 50 games against 50 super GMS, at once!? And what were soul pieces!?

"Now isn't the time to sit around asking questions!" Ding scolded himself,
HE COULDN'T look back, Magnus's sacrifice mustn't be blundered...

He stumbled into a dark alley, where he saw a man in a florescent shirt, smoking a ciggerate...

Surely this was the man Magnus spoke of! At this point all he could do is hope.

He got closer and realized it seemed to be a pineapple shirt....
As Ding approached slowly, he got close enough to hear the man was reciting something to himself while seemingly looking at the stars... "Takes, takes and takes, takes takes and takes-"

Wait, could it really be?

Ding finally got close enough to recognize it was Super GM Nakamura!?!?!? He wasn't as elegant or charming as Carlsen in the court of public opinion, but his skill rivaled that of Magnus's own.

With some saying his defense surpasses that of Magnus sensei.

"Nakamura-Senpai!" Ding quickly exclaimed!

Hikaru stopped muttering, yet his gaze was still set at the sky.

"The ceiling was no longer big enough, so I moved my calculations to the stars." Nakamura said, eye's reflecting moonlight like a projector casting incredible chess through the entire universe.

"Utter insanity... Yet, seldom does genius come from sane men." Ding thought to himself before speaking

"Hikaru-sensei!" Ding didn't even get the chance to finish before being interrupted with -

"Don't start with that sensei nonsense, call me shirt guy, hikaru, or whatever else, ANYTHING - ELSE, I literally don't care." Nakamura said, clearly annoyed

"Okay..." Ding replied."

"Magnus said the same thing, actually. Well, kind of..." Ding stopped...

Hikaru smirked, rolling his eyes half heartedly.

"That sounds like my wannabe rival! Always trying to copy my motion! Speaking of Magnus, where is he? I called him because I figured out the rest of the position he showed me." Hikaru said questioningly

"The... Other half!?" Asked Ding

"Yeah, a position starting from move 69, like I said, he's always copying me with the meme culture, but it's fine. He gets all the glory, but it was low key me that paved the way. I literally don't care, like actually. He knows the truth, that's why he call's me his number one rival, I literally couldn't care less." Hikaru said arrogantly

"You calling yourself his rival is the first I'm hearing of it..." Ding jokingly thought to himself

"He-, a group of 50 super GMs ambushed us in a hotel! He told me to hurry out the back and to find, well, you I think..."

*Hikaru, who's head had been moving erratically looking at the sky suddenly stopped. The muttering did as well.*

*He lowered his gaze to meet Dings.*

"What!?!? MAGNUS, MAGNUS CARLSEN, MAGNUS MAGNUS- was caught?!?!?" Hikaru stuttered in disbelief...

Ding nodded, "They said that he had to beat them all at once! Or else he'd blunder more then the game! And they mentioned soul pieces- and they wanted him to tell them where I was, I didn't want to leave, but he told me-" Ding pleaded erratically and apologetically

"Only 50?" Hikaru responded.

"If it was me, I would have waited for another 19 to show up..." Hikaru joked bleakly...

A few moment's of silence, until Ding remembered.

"H- he, gave me this... He said it was his - *Lucky King*. I think it was his version of a rabbits foot-"

Hikaru stopped Ding immediately from saying anything else.!

"Let me see it!" Hikaru commanded

*Ding brandished the king piece Carlsen had given him.*

*Hikarus eyes went wide, then they glistened, then they went dark.*

"That king..." Hikaru said

"Me and him once played dozens of matches in a hotel, off the books.
We were even in our match for most of the night, we played until morning, and decided we would settle the match with Armageddon. He said we should each wager our king piece. I agreed, he squeezed me in the endgame, in a completely drawn position, he found a way to win. He told me the day I overtook him in our match he would give me my king back... Since that game, I practiced and perfected my defensive chess," Hikaru admitted sheepishly...

"What's the score??" Ding asked curiously, also in an attempt to lighten the mood.

"Well, as you can tell... I never did get my king back... King takes king..."
*Hikaru turned away, jostling his pineapple shirt towards his face.*
"Next time we see him, remind me to tell him that was an illegal move!" Hikaru said with the fakest smile Ding had ever seen someone try to muster...

"King takes king, huh?..." Ding thought to himself, not quite understanding.

"Lets go, you world-champion level baka!" Said Hikaru, motioning ding to follow him.

*Ding tucked the - "Lucky King", back in his pocket.*

"Coming,Pineapple shirt senpai!!!"

(To be continued....)

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Written by Tristan Amory

Makes Hemingway look like a terrible writer.

Haha! Thank you!