In every fighting video game, like Mortal Kombat and Soul Caliber, there's always a character who's female, young, unnaturally cute, and one of the best characters to play because she's quick, precise, and tough as nails. In Mortal Kombat that character is Sonya Blade and in Soul Caliber that character is Talim. In MetroWest Chess Club that person is Laurie Chen.

She's, what, five years old? It sucks they keep getting younger and the mantra "Play the board, not the person is beginning to lose it's effectiveness. I've never seen such a "mathematically perfect" game outside of a computer. There was a point when I could have resigned much earlier than where I did because I just knew I was a heap more trouble than I could get myself out of, but I wanted to see how the game ended so I could take it home and analyze it later.

So, here's the game, and for those who don't know how to read this stuff, just go to move 21 for the funny part.

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Nc3 Bd6



Lame. Lame, lame, lame. This blunder, not being aggressive enough with the Bishop, cost me a valuable tempo.

5. O-O Bc5 6. d3 a6 7. Bg5 h6 8. Bh4 g5 9. Bg3 d6 10. h3 Qd7 11. Re1 d5



Lame, and the blunder that, I think, ultimately cost me the game for sure, the earlier blunder notwithstanding. Other things contributed to it, but this one that started it.

12. exd5 Nxd5 13. Bxd5 Nd4 14. Rxe5+ Be7 15. Nxd4 f6 16. Re4 c6 17. Be6 Qd8 18. Bxc8 Qxc8 19. Bd6 Rh7 20. Qh5+ Rf7 21. Rxe7+

At this point, it's mate in three. I can see it coming and there's not a thing I can do about it. I could have resigned here, but I didn't. I wanted to see the kill so I could take it home and analyze the game and combo.

(Here's the funny part for all the non-chess players) So, I'm sitting there at this point thinking about what my best death-throes are going to be, at which point she looks up from the board, looks at me, waves, and says "Bye-bye". I couldn't believe I just got taunted by a five year old. Play the board, not the person. Play the board, not the person. (Through gritted teeth now) Play the board...

21. ... Kd8 22. Qf7 Qd7 23. Rxd7+ 1-0

I resigned. It was obvious and inevitable what was coming. But, three good things came out of it...

I did notice this latest opponent and the one from last week both played the Guico Piano. So, screw the French Defense for now (which I never go to), I'm working on how to beat Guico Piano.

I also noticed was I was much more comfortable with the clock, the score sheet, moving the pieces, and was able to devote more brain power to the actual game.

The final good thing was I met George, who pointed me in the direction of a couple good websites, Chess Cafe with its novice column "Novice Nook" and Blunder Prone, his own blog and an amusing read. He also pointed me in the direction of a couple good chess books more my speed. Chess Ninja is cool and sometimes I walk away understanding, and sometimes I don't, but the materials he put in front of me I understand (almost) all of it the first time going through it.

In addition, some of the more loyal readers (all three of us ("us", get it? Anyway...)) may have noticed the new position art. That's because I picked up Sigma Chess with the HIARCS Engine. For the price, they're a steal for what they can do, and I'm sure that it will become a valuable tool in my training. One of the reaosn why i got it was because I can now use all of those freely available opening libraries out there to learn the Guico Piano and once and for all achieve my current goal of getting good enough so that I don't have to play against single digit aged opponents.

I'll be digging into it all while Renée is off at work dealing with snotty, feeling-too-entitled-for-their-own-good-and-worth Chestnut Hill shoppers. Can't wait. Just as soon as I finish some blog entries. And some laundry. Because, in the end, it's just a game.