Star Trek: En Passant

[stripedpetunia]

Title: En Passant
Author: stripedpetunia
Pairing: Kirk/Spock preslash, references to past Spock/Uhura
Rating: G, again. I know, I know.
Notes:Fills my 'habits & routines' square for Cliché Bingo. This is a companion piece to Discovered Check; in fact, we'll call it second in a series. A series in which the boys build a relationship around chess. Geeks. Betaed by

Comments

[whochick]

Lovely! There is not enough gen/pre-slash K/S out there, and a definite shortfall of the intelligent kind in any rating, imho. En passant is a favourite move of mine and it tickled me to have it turn up in fanfic.

Kudos for knowing your chess and your characters.

[stripedpetunia]

I sounded like I know chess?! \o/ *glee*

[whochick]

Indeed, you sound very familiar, actually!

I don't know whether you're remotely interested or not, but I've often thought of chess moves these two might employ (specifically gambits that suit Spock's personality) and I've always figured Kirk for a standard opening that gains him the center of the board (the high ground, if you will). Spock, however, might be disinclined to adopt the classic response, opting, perhaps, for the more modern and tactically oblique Pirc/Modern.

As the link above states, the Pirc is a "relatively new opening. In the 1930s this was considered inferior, but by the 1960s it was found to be quite playable. Black lets White take the center with the view to undermining and ruining White's "wonderful" position. This opening is tricky to play and correct play of it is counter-intuitive (immediate center control is not a goal, since Black is trying to undermine that control)."I've often used it to good effect because people think you're just a bit of an idiot for giving up e4/d4. I think Kirk's ego might delude

[stripedpetunia]

Oh, flattery. Stop, you'll make me blush (oh, but do go on).

Your link is broken, so I'm glad you quoted the relevant bits. ;) Thanks for the pro tips; I will ferret these away for reference in future installments of this series. Oh yes, there will be more.

The description of that opening makes it sound really shady and roundabout, which seems like more of a Kirk chess strategy... but if it exists since the 20th century that makes it more likely to be in Spock's arsenal, I guess. Kirk would be boldly going forth with brand-new, maybe self-made tactics. *ponder*

Oh god, look what you've done.

lovely!

[sandyk199]

This is gorgeous! I really enjoy these 'slice of life' offerings as it explores the relationship beautifully.