the queens gambit ♖

XXVII

s1e7 end games
part three :

an old friends help

a single table sat inside the auditorium, and the raven haired man stared at the board in front of him. he shook my hand, looked me in the eye, and we sat down.

we went through the usual motions of prepping for a chess match, and i focused on my breathing.

the crowd applauded as we sat down, and i took my first move.

i opened with the queens gambit, and borgov took a surprising turn of play from his second move. he seemed to be straying away from his usual patterns, leaning on the element of surprise to deter me. i kept focused though, and kept myself straight as the game played on.

not once did my heart pound, not once did i flick up my eyes to meet his and wonder if he could tell how nervous i was. how much he was winning, or how much i felt like a loser. this, this was the difference between all our games before and now.

this time, i felt like a winner.

minutes felt like seconds, hours felt like half, and my mind was awake. my brain on fire, my focus like a laser. each click of the time button sent a jolt of adrenaline through my veins, and my mind grew sharper with every twist and turn of borgovs play. deep within his seeming to be mad techniques, laid his regular patterns. some part of himself in every move. i was just good enough to stuff it out.

"adjourn." he muttered, and i caught my jaw from falling. the simple word was muttered, a groggy voice said it and his eyes left mine.

i didn't know what this meant. was he tired, or threatened. was he feeling like a loser now, or knowing something i didn't.

hesitation clouded my mind, but i nodded all the same. the man standing next to our table took his next move, and borgov stood to briskly walk away.

loud voices echoed from my next hallway, the one to take to leave the auditorium. camera flashing and men's voices made my feet stop, this was the last thing i wanted to do right now. to tell a bunch of prying men i didn't know what this meant for my future, i didn't know whether to feel intimidated or triumphed.

"paris match, time magazine, the observer..." my guard went on to list all of the important reporters waiting for me, "you're bigger than the monkeys,"

i stayed back, shaking my head, like a little child who didn't want to go close to the lions cage, "please, i just want to go to sleep."

"don't be like that," he shook his head, "tell them how you like russia or how lucky you feel to be an american, and you'll be all set." he brushed it off, and encouraged me to walk out there with my head held high.

i wasn't going to let borgov wear me down. i had adjourned, which is just an opportunity to regroup and strengthen my strategy. an opportunity not a lot of chess players get, and i should be proud that i have made it this far.

the doors opened, and ten flashed greeted me into the hallway.

"one question-"

"do you have a minute?"

"ms harmon!"

i took my first deep breath, and turned to a reporter, "will you put me in the cover?" it shocked me how fast a group like this could quiet down, but within a second i could hear myself breathing again.

"are you going to beat him?" he asked the question tauntingly, and i flashed an award winning smile.

"i haven't made any mistakes yet."