[o]

[cueball]

Phone;

Would anyone like to play a game of chess? I may as well open the offer now that so many people have been arriving and even returning. The influx was enough to prompt the town to make note of it as well. What do you think it could mean?

--Oh, you don't need to answer that. I already know what your answer will be before you say it. But I do implore you to play chess with me. I'll be waiting at 916 Bilko Boulevard if you're interested. Or you can voice your decision over phone.

Action; Outside 916 Bilko Boulevard

[And for anyone walking by, whether you have come to play him or not. Until someone does come to challenge him he's playing a match by himself. And for a game against himself, there is a rather intense look on concentration of his expression.]

[ooc: Do me a favor and answer this permission post real quick if you can. It'll be important for the future and for interacting with Scratch in general.]

Comments

action ♥

[priceofmagic]

Are you playing by yourself? [ Satou stops to watch, holding a few library books that she went and snagged for herself. She had heard the request via the phone but didn't answer, not thinking of herself as worth his time. ] Isn't that lonely?

[cueball]

[He doesn't turn his head, already knowing who the person talking is. A girl he met during that carnival.]

It isn't lonely at all. Sometimes the best opponent you can ever ask for is yourself. And I'm a very challenging opponent, if I must say as much.

[priceofmagic]

That's probably not true for me... I'm not very smart... It would be embarrassing if I couldn't even beat myself, though.

[ She hesitates at first, then walks a bit closer so she can examine the chess board. ]

[cueball]

Nonsense, you are smart in your own way. Not everyone can play chess and that can be remedied by practice and learning. When you play against yourself there is no win or lose. Only a matter of education and expanding your horizons.

action;

[encored]

[HE THINKS THE SUDDEN INFLUX OF PEOPLE MEANS SUSPICIOUS EVENTS LURKING ON THE HORIZON but he wouldn't have bothered saying so out loud even without that remark. instead, he hangs up the phone and moseys on over to the given address.

once he gets to it, he'll chill over by the fence for a while to quietly observe since that is some mighty concentration going on there and he doesn't want to break it.... partially out of politeness, but mostly because he is curious as to whether or not he's seriously going to finish out an entire game by himself.]

action;

[cueball]

[He reaches over to move a knight piece all the way on white's side of the board.]

Check.

[He says to himself mostly. He already knows Charles is there, but he would rather wait to see if the other comes over to the table first.]

[encored]

[he doesn't approach just yet, but he is actively thinking of all the ways that could keep that check from turning into a checkmate. this may or may not be the chess equivalent of that annoying baseball fan who spends the game loudly proclaiming that there's a better way to win]

[cueball]

[Oh Charles you're so silly. Scratch already knows every possible move. He even knows the move he will make ahead of when he makes it. He takes the black king and moves it up a space, so that it now endangers the knight. And immediately after that he takes the white rook and moves to the same row as the endangered knight, to defend it.

The endangered white knight is quickly consumed by a black bishop. But Scratch does not make a move for white just yet.]

[Action]

[noluckduck]

[Clover ignored the phone call pretty much from the start, since chess is one of the most boring activities she can think of. But, coincidentally, she happens to pass by later, and when she sees Scratch playing by himself, it strikes her that messing with the smart guys is rarely anything but fun. And this dude's an adult, he can take it.]

Wow, somebody's really fuckin' lonely.

[Action]

[cueball]

Not at all. I just want to see if I can best myself in a game.

[And then he moves the black bishop on his side of the board, pinning the knight on that side so that it cannot move. Less it wishes to give up the white queen.]

But if you think I'm so lonely, then you're welcomed to keep me company.

[noluckduck]

[Welp, she's bored enough to take a sea across Scratch.] What's even the point of playin' against yourself? Either way, you win.

[cueball]

The challenge is not meant to be one of obtaining victory. It is for educational purposes. I calculate the move my opponent would make in the situation presented and move the pieces on both sides. I am challenging myself as a way of knowing how to outsmart an opponent playing on my level.

phone

[madanomadamada]

I'd rather play tennis. Chess is boring.

phone

[cueball]

Tennis you say? I've never played, but I know how the game works. I find chess to be more enjoyable, as anyone is capable of playing.

Re: phone

[madanomadamada]

And you don't think anyone can play tennis? [ Beside people who can't due to problems with their bodies, but really? Who wouldn't enjoy it? ]

phone

[cueball]

Not everyone can play it good. More people are athletically challenged than mentally challenged in my experience.

Action Bilko Blvd.

[highfunctioning_sociopath]

[Sherlock is sitting on his porch when Doc comes out to place a chess match - against himself. Sherlock will just watch for awhile, curious. Finally he stands and walks across the street. His hands are casually in his pockets.]

Most people don't have to think that hard when they play themselves...

Action Bilko Blvd.

[cueball]

Very true. But, whenever I play a game of any sort against an opponent I always adjust my strategies and techniques to best compensate my foe. So that the game won't be overwhelming outmatched or underplayed on either side.

[He reaches to the white side of the board on the other end to take the queen and captured the black rook.]

As I am an excellent player, I therefore must challenge myself to my fullest capabilities.

Action Bilko Blvd.

[highfunctioning_sociopath]

[That still doesn't make much sense.]

But you already know what moves you're going to make. So, how does that challenge you?

[Never mind that Sherlock loves a good game of chess, but playing against himself would be... problematic.]

action

[1st_superhero]

So...are you playing by yourself or is your partner just invisible?

action

[cueball]

By myself. Invisibility is a cheap gag trick.

Re: action

[1st_superhero]

I see. And what about the rules? Since it's just yourself, how do you keep yourself from cheating?

action

[corrodes]

[The Handmaid was only passing by, but she pauses.] Surely you already know the outcome. [Never mind he's playing against himself.]

action

[cueball]

I do. But, the pleasure is reaching the outcome. It is the journey, not the destination.

action

[corrodes]

Is it. [The Handmaid is all about enduring the journey waiting for the destination, of course.] Playing against yourself seems like a useless exercise.