Perpetual Check Read Online Free PDF Page B

for disqualification. So Randy swallows hard and takes his seat across from Brian Burke.
    Burke has his sleeves rolled up. His slightly crossed eyes are fixed on the board.
    Randy has the white pieces, so he'll move first. The clock is to his right; it's a simple device with buttons on top to start and stop the timer as each player makes a move. Each player in this tournament has thirty minutes per game; his or her time begins as soon as the opponent hits the clock.
    Randy didn't use even a third of his time in either game last night. He takes a deep breath, starts the clock, moves a pawn two spaces forward to d4, and smacks the button to shift the time over to Burke.
    Burke looks surprised, as if Randy's extremely basic opening move was something original and daring. He hesitates withone hand over his queenside knight, then blinks slowly and puts the hand to his mouth.
    After nearly a minute, Burke makes a move that mirrors Randy's, shifting a pawn to d5 and sitting back with his arms folded across his chest.
    Randy holds back a smile.
This guy won two games last night?
He immediately brings out his queenside bishop and looks up to try to meet Burke's eyes. But Burke is squinting intently at the board. And again he makes an identical move with his own bishop.
    Randy guesses this is how Burke always plays when he has black, mirroring his opponent for a series of moves before establishing himself. But he senses that Burke is waiting for him to make an error rather than going on the attack.
    Randy develops his queenside knight, moves a second pawn, and soon castles on that same side. He's already in a position of strength, controlling the center of the board. Burke is tapping a finger loudly on the table. Jenna McNulty, at an adjacent table, shoots him an icy look and he stops.
    Burke is taking a long time with his next move, and Randy's eyes drift over to Jenna's board. He recognizes her strategy right away, an adventurous opening known as the Sicilian Dragon. It's the same game Zeke usually plays, so Randy's become proficient at dismantling it.
    Burke makes an ill-advised move, and Randy swiftly captures his queen with a knight. Burke retaliates by taking the knight with a pawn, but the exchange of pieces is greatly in Randy's favor. He wipes out that same pawn with his bishop, and Burke's frown grows deeper.
    Ten minutes,
Randy thinks, calculating how long it'll bebefore he wins the game. Astonishingly, Pramod is already on his feet a few tables away, shaking hands with his opponent and smirking. Randy watches him leave the room, then looks back at his own board.
    “Check,” Burke says, gesturing with a finger toward his bishop, which is attacking Randy's king.
    Randy purses his lips and ponders whether to take the bishop with his rook or his queen. He decides on the rook. Burke lets out a sigh and slumps a bit in his seat.
    Randy's material advantage grows quickly, and it becomes obvious that Burke is playing for a draw. The early loss of his queen is fatal, though, and Randy forces checkmate a few minutes later.
    All of the other games are still in progress. Randy heads for the door, and his father follows him out.
    “Was he any good?” Mr. Mansfield asks.
    Randy shrugs. “He made some absurdly bad moves.”
    “Probably choked.”
    “Seemed like it.”
    “Could you tell how your brother was doing?”
    Randy shakes his head. “He was on the totally other side, practically de-roomed from me.”
    “I'm sure he's doing fine… We had a little pep talk before he went in.”
    Burke comes out of the room in his letterman's jacket and walks past, shaking his head slowly. “Nice game,” he says.
    “You, too.”
    Burke laughs. “I sucked. Don't know where my head was at.”
    “There's a lot of pressure,” Randy says. “It's easy to mess up.”
    “Yeah, well, good luck the rest of the way. I'm out of here.”
    “Don't feel too bad,” Mr. Mansfield says. “You probably lost to the