mon capitán [sorry team]

So, Greg really stepped it up last night after I let down the team by losing to a drunken old man at Matchless during an impromptu money game [the proposed wager was $20, scaled back to $5 due to Greg's and my precarious pecuniary positions]. You can read the full and witty version of the story here ["God Save the Queen!"], but suffice to say what should have been another crowning moment [like Jose's defeat at Eat Records] rapidly led to the pillory after I hung my queen!

Starting from the Four Knight's Game, my opponent began to slowly [and by slowly, I mean the rate of his play] make a series of questionable tactical moves; nothing game-ending, but they did culminate in a hung knight and the potential to mate. At this point, I got greedy, and, inverting the chess maxim "When you see a good move, sit on your hands and see if you can find a better one," proceeded to ignore the hung knight and snatch the g7 pawn, looking to snap up the rook and get a quick[er] mate. Instead it was "orf wiv' 'er head," as the "hung" knight handily disposed of my now hung Queen. What should have been an easy win rapidly degenerated into a complete and utter fiasco.

Luckily, Greg was there to save the day. While I hid outside, smoking and nursing my wounds, Greg managed to turn the money game into a best three of five money match and pick up two wins. I jumped back on the table, eager to redeem myself, but wary, so played a slow and solid game. This win gave us our three, but the old man wanted to finish the match regardless. Greg played the King's Gambit superlatively [or, given that opening, the old man just really fucked up] and won in seven moves. Final score: 4–1 [us] with Greg 3–0 and me 1–1.

mon capitán, may god and greg save the queen