The Retired Colourman: Compelled

[spacemutineer.livejournal.com]

Canon Story: The Retired Colourman
Title: Compelled
Author: spacemutineer
Rating: G
Author's Note: I learned a new word today! I love research. :)


He perceived the threat even if he did not recognize its source. A quality player learns to sense risk.

"I don't think I shall go."

Faced with a true master, he was forced into zugzwang, and as the German suggests, he was compelled to move.

"...but if you think --"

"I do think."

And Amberley's game was lost.

Comments

[snycock.livejournal.com]

Hee! Holmes is the master, of course. And what a great word! How did you discover it?

[spacemutineer.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you didn't find it too ridiculous -- I love vocabulary, so any opportunity I have to find a new word, I take. I found it because I wanted to do something with the chess angle, but about moves rather than pieces. I was never a very accomplished chess player, so I did some research on chess gambits and strategies and discovered "zugzwang" -- to force an opponent into a losing move. It was just too perfect not to use, even if it sounds ludicrous. :)

[hisietari.livejournal.com]

Ah~ pretty. There's never enough chess in stories. :) Thanks for sharing!

[spacemutineer.livejournal.com]

I am very happy you liked it! It's a strange word, but once I'd found a chess phrase so apt, I just couldn't let it go. Thank you!

[thesmallhobbit.livejournal.com]

Very clever (both Holmes and you). Amberley has met the Grand Master.

[spacemutineer.livejournal.com]

Oh, I'm glad you thought it was clever and not just pretentious! ;) Actually, I have to thank you, because I hadn't done my 60 by the time you posted yours about chess pieces, which was going to be my angle too. So I set out to find a good metaphor in other chess terminology and I found one so on the money I just had to go with it. Thank you!