It’s drawish!

A friend, a chess buff, asked me yesterday, “In your chess board, how are things developing in the political chess game?”

I am neither a chess analyst nor that of politics but, off hand, I said, the game looks like a drawish. There is a semblance of stalemate. Simply put there is the possibility of a draw.

The Queen is fighting back. And what a fighter she is! She has arrayed a number of rooks or castles (politicians) lining up for support and the knights (military) are setting up a loyal cordon to fend off the bishops’ onslaught.

The white pieces look fragmented in the attack as the bishops do not seem to go for the kill. They have used a Queen (Cory) also but the entry of an ex-King (Erap) with his coming up to the stage in a recent rally turned off some supporters who walked out.

The white Queen promised a long battle. But we have not seen the pattern yet on how the end game will develop. As in all chess games, it is the end game that counts.

* * *

My friend Neil texted me, quoting Spassky that “Chess is like life.” And Bobby Fischer said, “Chess is life.” I add, life is chess.

Neil Honeyman is British. And an American Bob Strause e-mailed me that his daughter came home one day to tell her mother she had a new boy friend.

When the mother asked, what was he like, she answered, he is nice. “Tall and handsome, he took me out to lunch and has a real nice job. And another thing, he really loves to play chess.”

The mother was really happy according to Bob and said, “I like him already. Anyone who takes a long time to make a move is a boy that I really admire.” I don’t know if daughters like that.

Mothers prefer chess players for their daughters’ suitors. Boys who take a long time to make a move, not the fast one.

* * *

Another friend e-mailed me a quote on chess. The quote is from Thomas Huxley (1835-1895), English scientist and humorist and also an apostle of Charles Darwin’s evolution theory.

The quote written in 1868 is from Huxley’s book, “The Liberal Education.” It says:

“The chess board is the world, the pieces are the phenomenon of the universe, the rules of the game are what are called the laws of  Nature.

“The player on the other side is hidden from us. We knew that his play is always fair, just, and patient. But also we know that he never overlooks a mistake or makes the smallest allowance for ignorance.”

Yes, in the game of chess, honesty and fairness is the mark. There is what we call the “touch move”. If you have touched the piece you have to move it.

And if you attack the King or the Queen, you have to announce it by saying, “Check!” This is what is beautiful in this political chess game now. All attacks on the Queen are telegraphed. We are always told, don’t telegraph your punches, meaning don’t tell your enemy of your moves. Not in chess.

* * *

Let’s get down to Bacolod. This early, I can sense, viewing the environment, a political chess game is developing between the two political forces, the group of Mayor Bing Leonardia and the group of Congressman Monico Puentevella.

The two, Queen Elsa and Queen Patching, are the most effective weapons as Queens in chess really are.

This is a more interesting political chess game to watch. As a media man, I can see the polarization of media. This is not to overrate our profession but 2010 will be determined by who has the most number of media supporters to his side.

In chess, it’s he who plans the moves far ahead who wins. Ordinarily, forward planning candidates block off broadcast time during crucial time for the election.

This early too, wrecker times are already starting.

And that’s political chess. And who can concentrate well without distraction, also wins.

* * *

Robert Strause wrote me he likes Bishop Vicente Navarra very much. He called the Bishop most affable yet very strict.

I got a text, part of a chess strategy against bishops, telling me eight Bishops in the country received P100,000 a month from government. The name of Bishop Navarra is not there.

I understand Bishop Navarra never received donation from government.

* * *

I want to congratulate Ms. Renalyn Sillador Palawar who passed the recent nursing board examination. She is the wife of Richard Palawar. She is a teacher at Luis Hervias National High School.*

back to top