Chess is a Game of War? ? ?

Is Chess a Game or War? ©

by

DENVER

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“What is absurd and monstrous about war is men who have no personal quarrel should be trained to murder one another in cold blood.

--Aldous Huxley--

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Since the beginning of man, many wars have been fought. The weapons used have changed as technology improved them. Foot soldiers, archers, lancers, chariots, knights in shining armor, including castles and forts were part of war.

I happen to be a foot soldier and expendable unit of an army at war. Nobody knows who will survive in battle. I am just a pawn.

To the victor go the spoils of war. The battle hasn’t yet begun. The armies are poised and ready to fight. I happen to be on the front line ready for battle. All is quiet and there is an empty, desolate large space between the two armies, like a no man’s land. The power and size of the armies are about equal. Of course, I am on the good guy’s side. That is the feeling I have. I suppose that the men on the opposing army feel the same way.

I say to the pawn on my right, “I’m so scared. I hope I live to see our victory. What about you, are you scared?”

“I’m so scared, I just might do it in my pants,” he says without looking at me.

There is so much tension in the air, just waiting for the beginning of the end. We don’t speak to each other very much. We just wait, keeping our thoughts to ourselves, with our weapons at ready. All of us are hoping and praying for a good outcome. We keep wondering how is it going to start. How will the first movement of troops be made? That will show the method of attack. How will the other army respond?

I’m fearful and I don’t want to be one of the first casualties. I am a foot soldier, on the front line to attack or defend. I know that if I’m killed, that is acceptable to the top brass, they don’t even know I exist. If I wasn’t here, they would have some other soldier. Sure there will be support from behind when we move up. We are told, that when help is needed, it will be sent. I don’t think they will send it. We will probably be on our own.

To the pawn soldier on my right I say, "Oh, Oh. I hear the trumpets of attack are sounding,"

"They have given the sound to attack," he said.

The pawn to my right moves up with speed toward the front line, to be in position to engage the enemy. I hold my position and wait for my orders.

He moved into the open space and I see him stop and hold his ground. He is supposed to occupy the area and hold it. When we move up, we are to hold and contain the area. They allow no retreat to a pawn. Only forward movement for us, unless we are in hand to hand combat. The area he is holding is e4.

The response from the other army was subtle, but a tactical movement that could be seen. The mounted Knight made a move toward us on the far right and we responded to the far left. The knight unit moved up very fast, passing on my left to attack from the flank and support the center force.

The knight is now located on C3. But from there he covers my area and can go in any direction where he decides to go.

So much tension and fears are everyone’s mind. No comrade casualties yet. More movement of the attack came from behind me.

I am glad they didn’t tell me to move forward yet. I know that when I go forward I can't retreat. Going backward for me is not in my vocabulary. I’m trained to go forward, attack, contain, threaten, capture, kill, and destroy the enemy. I hoped they did not kill me in turn.

A flurry of movement is all around me as both armies were battling for ground and position.

Now the battle has begun and some expendable units are captured and removed fron the field of battle. They haven’t ordered me to move yet.  

Internally I say to myself, "I’m wanting to move, just waiting is killing me. I want to do something to win the battle. I have confidence on my abilities."

Finally, "Denver move up and support the forward units from behind."

Just as I'm moving up to take my position, I see an enemy Knight take out the foot soldier the pawn on my right. I feel so bad for him. I just met him and didn't have a chance to know him.

I get ready and poised to strike at the proper moment.

"Oh no. It's the Black Knight."

I see the battle gear that is covering him. It looks so impenetrable and his steed is covered with mail. I prepare for the attack on the Black Knight with my lance and with proper timing and a quick thrust, it enter the horse’s chest between the metal plates that are covering his body. The hose bolts to one side and crumbles to the ground.

As soon as he hits the ground I pull the lance out with a quick jerk. The black knight is pinned to the ground by the body of the horse. Immediately I thrust it into the Black Knight’s neck below the helmet. Can’t afford to let him live, he would kill me if he could have gotten up. It’s my first kill. It was him or me.

I'm glad to be alive and beat this mounted soldier. My brow is wet and I'm panting. It didn't take long, just second of fast movements. My heart is beating a mile a minute. I must catch my breath and get ready again.

He probably didn't want to die either. He was there because they told him to attack and he did his best.He probably was just as scared as I was. Once you fight to survive, all of that is forgotten for a moment until it is over.

After I made the kill, there was a moment of silence that took over after all the action and many thoughts passed through my mind.

"Thank god I’m alive. I survived, so far, I'm not even injured," I said.

I see more support is coming from behind me. "Denver, hold and don't move up any further yet." I do , always alert to the enemy nearby.

"Oh no. The enemy sees how I have penetrated their area and are aware of my location. They are focusing on me. I’m pinned down. Hope that I can survive. I see more supporting forces coming to my aid from behind and from the far side. I can’t believe it. They are actually covering me. I’m being helped. I thought they didn't care about me. Much fighting is occurring all around me. They remove many fallen warriors from the field of battle from both sides.

I’m still alive. I can’t believe it. It must be my lucky day.

Again I’m ordered to move up and take my objective. We are moving as a unit, making penetration moves and many more fall from both sides. Cries of pain and death are all around me.

What happened? I don’t see any more attacks or confrontations near me. There is a lull in the fighting. I can see fighting going on to my far right flank and the enemy is defending fiercely. It looks like the commander is making the right tactical and attacking decisions. There is confidence in the air among our troops.

"Why can’t we stop and just get along? I’m a good man. I’m an honest man. I’m a nice man. I should be somewhere else."

All is quiet and both armies are regrouping for their next assaults, maybe. Only troop positional movements are being made.

I clean my lance and sword. I make sure I have ample sharp arrows for the bow I picked up on the field.I’m so tired. Can't stay awake. Maybe just a few minutes of shut eye. I fell a sleep, very soundly.

Hey go way. you're in the wrong game!

"Hey Denver. Wake up! we're being attacked."

 Another enemy foot soldier came from the left side of me. I jumped up, grabbed my sword and poised to defend. When our eyes made contact, I knew what he felt inside was just as I felt. I knew I had to fight for my life and kill him, to live. We clashed with swords in hand. I gave no quarter and neither did he . . .

Lucky for me he tripped and fell backwards during the fight and I thrust my sword to into his side. I saw his eyes looking at me but he did not utter a sound. He just opened his mouth as if to say something with his last breath. I pulled the sword out from his side with a twist and with a rotation of the handle in my hand I thrust it downward into his chest again.

I had a feeling of a loss though I didn't know the man. We had nothing against each other. It was just destiny. Exhausted I climbed up the crest, stood and saw that I was at the final target of my attack. I had been victorious so far.

Since I reached the eight rank they promoted me to a Queen immediately.

The King gave me an order for another target to attack. Now with supporting men behind me I moved to the right flank attacking the fort of the enemy.

Without thought of my well being and for the good of our army I attacked their position. I sacrificed myself breaking up the defender of the opposing King.

I succumbed to several wounds and was removed from the battlefield. Their King gave up and laid down his arms after several more attacks. Our army won the battle.

I died. I had no mother or father to cry for me.

Nobody wept for me . . . 

Nobody misses me . . . 

I had no one, only my comrades that fought by my side . . . I was an expendable part of this army, but a very important part.

So goes the wars. Sometimes there are many deaths, sometimes only a few. After the end, it doesn't matter who survived and who died, all the armies will be put together again for the next time.

Foot soldiers like me are always on the front line. I’m just a pawn in this game. Sometimes I live. Some times I die right away. Sometimes I don’t take any part during the whole war. Sometimes I get promoted to a higher rank and I sacrifice myself and become the hero.

Look for me on the front lines.

Come, reach out and touch me. 

I’m a lowly CHESS pawn.

My name is DENVER.

...I suppose you want this "war" in pgn format, huh? Nice story, though! Touchy ending, but look's like your a good story teller!

High Pave S

This was the first try in the forum.

I don't know if I wanted it in pgn, as I don't know what that is.

Please, maybe you can enlighten me?

Thanks for the read and maybe I will change the ending.

I changed the offensive words on my piece. It's not four letter words and aren't on the Goverment list of words that can't be said.

It is not a POEM.

Thanks

Personifying chess pieces for a war metaphor really needs lots of cussing!

In real life it probably requires a lot of profanity. My finger or mouth generally don't do that.

Thanks for reading and comment.

This has to be readable even by my grandchildren and the young members of chess.com

what is this i don't even..

OK, so who's clever enough to actually turn this great story into a watchable game ?

                    Thank you Mark.

                    For the information.

                        Hello Roger

Now that Mark told me what the pgn is, I think I can do turn it into a pgn. Great suggestion.

             I will have to think on that.

I will have to rewrite the story a bit to make it work. Thanks for the suggestion Roger.

Uhhhh...you?

Chess is WAR!!! It's a battle of wits, requiring skill and determination.  It's a clash of wills, an assault on another's psyche.  The BEST man always wins . . . unless Luck  steps in for the assist.  Nice piece!

Good concept, needs 'tweaking'  ie  consistency of the foot soldiers weapons,also the 'soldier 'seems invincible! perhaps let him through the battle field with other soldiers taking the flack.I could go on but as we haven't met it  would be considered bad manners ,I am not castigating you ,just making a few remarks, hope you don't mind .good luck pal Clive.

Nice writeup

Clive  and  Platolag

Thanks for the read and comments.

I changed the story a bit today, adding more dialog.

Interesting.  DENVER will you tell those listening your answer to the question?

The top brass know that pawns exist. Just imagine playing without any pawns.

Yeah.

Was that a reference to the leaders who lead by example?  Or to the ones who stay in the rear?