Everyone had assembled in the hall at 11:15 a.m. The host and judges had also arrived. The desks were rearranged and adorned with the boards. All of us were assigned to take our seats marked with our roll numbers. My opponent was Number 28. Shubham faced Sumedh and Bhanu faced Pratap. When I faced towards her, I could see Pratap smiling. While Bhanu turned around and smiled at me, she meant to say she was emoting fear on purpose.
The bell rung.
I made the first move. As the game proceeded, I aligned my powers in W form while my opponent applied power play. Unlike Number 17, he maintained good support to his powers. Analysing the board, I felt the most crucial point were the pawns guarding the King however providing good support to the frontiers. Had I attacked there, I would have lost three important powers but his support system would be destructed. So I did. My queen was also in danger. One of my pawns was one step away to the final box. It was blocked by the King. I let my unsupported queen check the King and die. I enhanced the pawn, revived my queen and the next moment, the game was over. The judges alloted me 10 again. 18 minutes had passed.
Bhanu and Pratap had an interesting game actually. The host was, too, in awe. Bhanu had her king and a rook while Pratap had his King, a rook and a knight left.
Shubham and Sumedh were both puzzled in defensive play. Sumedh, actually, played too slow. It was his strategy to let his opponent rush and make a mistake. So it happened. Eventually, Shubham lost the game. Sumedh won 9 points.
Bhanu and Pratap had their Kings left alone. It was a tie. The judges alloted them 5 points each.
We left the hall and entered our room. Bhanu was so happy that day. She shut the door and danced on high heels.
Shubham: (venting out anger) SHUT UP! I will kill that Sumedh. Arghhh!
Bhanu: Cool down Shubham. You should accept your defeat. We have 3 more games to play. Cool down! (She tried to pacify her brother.) Say something Agastya!
I mocked at his defeat. It instigated him.
Shubham: Leave Sumedh. I will hit you first. Save yourself!
He rushed to hit me. I defended myself and laughed even more.
Bhanu: (worried) You are provoking him to be furious.
Me: Don't worry Bhanu. He can do nothing. You tell me how was your experience today!
(I asked her while I was saving myself.)
Bhanu: (break) Pratap is indeed a good chess player. But he is not an expert. I felt people are always there to threaten you, pull you down, cut your arms, get you tired out and destroy your physical strength however, if one is at peace and does the optimum with what remains, s/he can lead his/her life. Battling fear is a great win in itself.
Her eloquence in speaking was praiseworthy. Shubham hit me a punch that I stopped with my palm simultaneously to Bhanu's final line. He remained at peace and realised he wasted his vim. This time tiredness made him think over acting hastily.
Shubham: The slower Sumedh stepped, the quicker I played the game. I tried to win the match in minutes. Actually, I assumed you as my opponent and competed you. I am sorry Agastya! Forgive me brother. (He confessed his mistake.)
Bhanu: Shubham! One should never consider Agastya as opponent. It's in vain. It's like insulting Kubera and wishing of fortunes!
Bhanu exhorted him about me. Those days I had a mouth organ in my bag. I played it to pacify their souls.
Bhanu: (cherishing) Charming! Mesmerizing! As if the cumulus clouds at once made their way over us and drizzled.
Shubham too admired it.
My phone rung up. It was brother Hemanta.
Brother Hemanta: Hello Agastya! How is your preparation for CLAT going on?
Me: It's going better Hemanta. I am concerned about it. Don't worry, I will make a good rank.
Brother Hemanta: Today's news said this year seats have been deducted. The competition will be high. If you achieve rank in top 50s, you will be awarded scholarship. Don't miss anything and practise reasoning and aptitude well. (break)
Me: Umm.Yeah! I heard about it. No worries. I will practise it well. Thank you!
(I answered him however didn't inform him about the chess competition.)
Brother Hemanta: (inquisitive) Oh! I remember, you participated in a chess competition. Did it happen or is it about to happen?
Me: It's going on. Two matches are over while three more will be held one-by-one each day. I have won both with full points.
Brother Hemanta: Nice! People in our region are not so excited and driven towards chess. You can handle them easily. But over-confidence may harm. Be careful!
Me: Hmm.. yeah!
(The call was on speaker. Both Shubham and Bhanu heard the conversation. I urged them to hold back their anger.)
Let's go out and have some snacks. I am feeling hungry!
A notification buzzed in Bhanu's phone. Ministry of Women and Child Development India had conducted an essay writing competition on the topic 'Women Empowerment: Needs and Challenges' on 8th March. The GoI awarded Bhanu a 'Letter of Appreciation' on her writing. It was posted in the Hindustan Times Special Edition pages that day. Bhanu rolled down tears when she viewed it. She was sobbing.
Me: It's an irony that even the progressive ideas of the leaders and fighters of independence, policies of the foresighted bureaucrats, the cultural prosperity inherited by the people and the advancement of science and technology are unable to protect the dignity of women. Why should always a woman bear the cost of manly choices?
(I read out the concluding lines of her writing and had my head held down in front of her.)
I approached her, sat on the floor and lifted my palm to collect each drop of her tears.
Me: Let me drink these tears and share the pain that your heart is bearing hard!
Bhanu: Agastya, I have never talked with anyone about what kind of behavior have I experienced as a girl. Perhaps you may never understand, but I wish to share it, I have been molested twice in school. And when I hear any news on exploitation of women, I can't handle. Giving birth to a child is painful but the distressed mindset that I handled to write on this topic was enormous...
(She poured out her feelings and I kept listening to her until it was dusk.)
Me: Learn to behave like the Mother Nature dear Bhanu. That's the only karma we are assigned to do.
Bhanu: (husky voice) It's not so easy.
I came out of the room and played the mouth organ once again. Everyone out in the lawn kept listening. Bhanu too came out. The sun was setting down. The birds returned to their nests. Perhaps, the world suddenly muted itself. I, unaffected by the sounds and works of other people, played the organ and enjoyed the vista. Bhanu too experienced the same and pacified her soul.
*3rd day*
I faced Number 11. She made the first move. As the game proceeded, she aligned her pieces in the 'Eagle face' form. I used the crescent moon style. As she approached in further chances, I turned the shape upside down that ousted four of her pieces and two of mine. The match turned interesting.
Within 15 minutes, Sumedh had again won the match securing 9 points.
Once again, I aligned my pieces in a way she was unaware of. While she advanced her queen into my region, I disengaged her pawns and made a way to the King. She checked me in a way that I lost my bishop. But one of the knights helped my queen to entrap her King and check mate. The game lasted for 22 minutes. The judges allotted me 9/10. While she turned around, I asked her to wait.
Me: It was nice playing with you! Thank you for the game!
She congratulated me on my win.
Bhanu had also won her match with 10 points. Shubham and Pratap too achieved 9 and 10 respectively.
*4th day*
I faced Pratap, Number 7. Bhanu faced Sumedh. As the bell rung, I made the move first. Pratap used no alignments and strategies. He constructed his moves at once. So, I aligned my pieces in a way where there were three openings to enter into my side. As the match proceeded, I could see fear in his face. I wanted him to be confident. So, I placed my queen at a place unsupported by any pieces however, inside the region. He entered three of his powers while I blocked the entrances one-by-one. The next move when he saw my queen was in danger, he waited. "I don't believe you can be so foolish!" He opined. As soon as he ousted my queen, I opened a way out for my rook and his powers were trapped. He tried to check the King, get his powers out but my rooks had together destructed his army behind. However, his queen was guarding the King, I used my knight to get him entrapped and slayed down within 17minutes. Again, I was awarded 10/10.
Bhanu had too strategized to entrap Sumedh. When he saw Bhanu did not act in haste while 20 minutes passed away, he stood agitated. "Is the game over?" the host called. "No, sir!" Sumedh replied and made a wrong move. Bhanu countered him heavily and won the match. She was rewarded 9/10.
Shubham had also won the match obtaining 8points.
The points table of top 5 scorers on the 4th day was:
Agastya - 4 wins, 39 points
Bhanu - 3 wins, 1 tie, 32.5 points
Sumedh - 3 wins, 1lose, 28 points
Shubham - 3 wins, 1lose, 25 points
Pratap - 2 wins, 1 tie, 1lose, 25points
Pratap: (approached to us) You played it awesome. After winning 4 times consecutively, I didn't think I will meet any competitor in the District Level. You, Agastya, are great. You are the winner now. Congratulations!
Me: I don't need it now. Meet Bhanu, she is here to win the competition. As per the table, she has the chance to win, too. Who knows the future Pratap?
Bhanu didn't interject.
Pratap: Yeah! She is a nice player!
However, Pratap was in the 5th position on the 4th day, he wished to attain 2nd or 3rd position by hook or crook.