Table of Contents
Title
Content

The Iberian Horseshoe — A Journey

Part IV. North East

A Game of Chess

Steve Porter

Global Fiction

First publication: June 2007

http://badosa.com/n250-54

Another new department of the Spanish language is opening up to me. It features ‘el rey,’ ‘la dama,’ ‘torres,’ ‘alfiles,’ ‘caballos’ and ‘peones.’ Josep is teaching me to play chess. The games don’t last long. At this stage I know there is no chance of winning. I’m just taking my first steps, finding out which moves are possible. I am fond of ‘el caballo,’ the knight. It constantly drifts from black to white, exposed one moment and in hiding the next. ‘El caballo’ never goes in a straight line, preferring staggered movements on the way to its destination. Josep takes my queen and once again the game is close to ‘jaque mate.’