The Untamed: Game of Hearts
Chapter 307: Grandmasters

Chapter 307: Grandmasters

Going back to their suite, Raine was practically giddy as she made a beeline for one of their room’s numerous compartments. There she plucked out a chess board from among the numerous board games present.

Absently, she wondered if she should change the game into something more interesting like Poker or Scrabble, but chess was the one they already agreed upon, and it’d be in bad faith if she suddenly decided that they should play something else.

Besides, she was already pretty good with chess anyway.

"Shall I set us up by the balcony then?" Raine asked aloud at her husband, who was already busy calling room service for them.

"Go ahead," Nathan nodded. "I’ll just call up some finger foods for us." He then smirked as he joked, "I’ll also get myself some wine and fruit juice for you so that we can play like real professionals."

Letting out a chuckle, Raine made her way to their open-air balcony and picked out a spot for them to play. Dragging a few chairs and tables around, she made sure that they were going to be both well ventilated and underneath the dazzling white moon as they played for keeps.

’I do wonder if he’s actually good though,’ Raine thought to herself as she set up the pieces. ’Maybe he’s hiding some Grandmaster-like skill in that noggin of his...’

"I heard that you know," Nathan called out from within the suite. "And just so you know, I won’t hold back."

Raine giggled as she sat on her chosen seat. Playing with her white pieces, she couldn’t help but smile as Nathan finally graced her with his presence. Carting into what looked to be a mobile bar, her husband poured out a glass of red wine for himself before then pouring out what looked to be a bottle of grape juice for her to drink.

"You really went all in, huh," Raine pouted as she took her glass of grape juice in her right hand. "And I’m pretty sure I can safely drink alcohol. There’s no need for this juice stuff."

"And yet you still took it anyway," Nathan pointed out with a smirk as he sat down. "If you were really sure, you would’ve swiped the bottle and poured yourself a glass already."

"Touche," Raine clicked her tongue.

Soundly defeated, Raine simply shook her head as she took a sip from her grape juice. It wasn’t as good as actual red wine, but it’ll have to do as he swirled the drink with a smirk on her face.

"So, since I arranged the board, I’ll take the liberty of taking the white pieces," Raine confidently stated. "Are you alright with that?"

"I’m fine with either pieces," Nathan nodded, his fingers already playing through his pieces. "I can adjust."

"Huh, that sounds like you’re already giving yourself an excuse if you lose."

With a scoff, Raine made the first move. Moving a pawn to E4, she wordlessly motioned for Nathan to play his move.

"Not even going to give me the benefit of the doubt, huh," Nathan chuckled as he played a pawn to E5. "I’ll have you know that I’m pretty decent at chess."

"Well, at this point, you’re just copying my moves," Raine chuckled as he moved a knight to C3. "And I’m pretty sure initiative wins every time in these kinds of engagements."

"That’s only if the opponent doesn’t know how to respond," Nathan pointed out with a raised eyebrow as he moved his knight to F6. "While I’m copying you right now, that doesn’t mean it’ll stay the same throughout our game."

From there, the two settled down into a pensive silence as they thought out their moves. Seeing Nathan’s knight, Raine responded by pressuring his pawn by moving her pawn to F4. Likewise, Nathan did the same by moving a pawn to D5.

It was then that the carnage began.

"I’ll be taking this then," Raine smirked as she moved her F pawn to E5, capturing Nathan’s piece.

"Likewise, I’ll be doing this as well," Nathan retorted by using his knight to capture her pawn at E4. "Don’t think that’ll work out for you as easily."

Huffing out some air, Raine focused as she planned out her attack. Likewise, Nathan did the same. From then on, they began to move their pieces.

Queen to F3, his knight capture captures her C3 knight, which she promptly captures using her B pawn. A back and forth of moves then followed. Him moving a pawn to C5, her queen moving to G3, with him answering with his own queen moving to B6. It went on and on until eventually, they ended up with a board where Nathan’s king was practically pinned down.

"Can you even see a way out of that?" Raine scoffed as he twirled a captured black piece in between her fingers. "I think you should resign there, dear."

"Not yet," Nathan mumbled out, beads of sweat trailing down his face. "I still have a move."

After a good while, Nathan ended up moving his king to F8, avoiding the check that Raine’s queen had on him by a single turn.

"You do realize that it’s over, right?" Raine chuckled as she moved her knight to E5, effectively pinning his queen and king in an unwinnable position. "I don’t think even Grandmasters can get out of this one."

"Fine then, you win," Nathan grumbled as he tipped over his king. "I resign."

"That’s the spirit," Raine laughed as she took a sip from her glass of grape juice. "I believe that’s one point for me?"

"One out of three points needed to win, I might add," Nathan hastily pointed out. "I can still afford to lose one more game."

"Or maybe you just lose them all and I sweep you," Raine joked out with a sultry smile. "But surely that wouldn’t happen, right?"

"Not if I can help it," Nathan smirked. "At the very least, I’ll get a game off you. Once that happens, all bets are off."

********

EN: Confused? Pull out a chess board and play along... or search Karel Hromadka vs Solomon Rozental 1917

AN: Yawn... LOLS...