#how many chess grandmasters are there

[fancyfeathers]

Okay so..daughter darling..but Beth Harmon from Queens Gambit. I imagine she’s incredibly good at chess. She goes to all the competitions at school and wins. She even goes against Alfred and ends up winning..idk just a thought ❤️

Yandere Batfam w/ Wife/Mother!Darling & Daughter/Sister!Darling Masterlist

Oh my goodness I definitely see that!!!

I imagine she learned chess or something from someone her and her mother met on her mother’s business trips that took them all over the world. They were checking in at a hotel and while she is clinging to her mother’s hand she sees in the corner of her eye a bunch of people playing chess, an international tournament the hotel is hosting. So when her mom is off at one of her meetings she gets her nanny to take her to watch and she is hooked, especially when after one of the matches one of the players comes up over to her and kneels down onto her level and introduces herself to Daughter!Darling and…

“It’s lovely to meet you… say would you like to learn how to play? I certainly could use a partner to practice with and something tells me that you are going to be something else.”

She learns how to play that day and when her mother returns to the hotel from that meeting late that night she sees her daughter sitting at a table in the lobby with woman who is teaching her how to play chess, with so many of the other players all gathered around, some of the best chess players in the world all teaching this little girl how to play.

Her mom then gets calls from all of these chess champions, grand masters, who want to sponsor her daughter’s entry into chess tournaments, they are able to recognize the fact that her daughter has a gift. So her mother beings scheduling her meetings and business trips to be where tournaments are, letting these chess players watch her daughter while she is away at meetings, teaching her how to master the game and play the game against people four times her age. Her mom invites these chess players to parties and dinners she hosts in her home in Singapore or New York since they are so close to her daughter, like uncles and aunties.

So her world is turned upside down when her mother marries Bruce Wayne. Due to her father’s more… protective nature she does not get to go to these tournaments anymore because her mom’s work is now kept just to paperwork at the house, leaving all the foreign meetings to representatives and she is enrolled into the private school that Damian attends. Due to Damian being all so controlling and protective she does not get to spend time with her classmates and that is until after class one day right when Damian normally comes straight from his classroom to hers to walk with her to the car-

“Miss Wayne, may I speak with you for a moment? O-oh and Damian, you can come in, I’ll only be a moment with your little sister.”

Her teacher calls her up to her desk and Damian comes in, fully ready to defend her sister because he thinks she is in trouble when she gets asked to stay after class and instead her teacher hands her a piece of paper, a permission form.

“What did you just hand her?”

“Permission slip for the chess team, I am the staff supervisor for the team and- oh Damian don’t tell me you did not know.”

The teacher grabs a few papers and magazines from her desk drawer, chess publications on his little sister.

“Your little sister is a chess prodigy, learned from grandmasters and world champions. We do not have that level of players on our little team but I thought it would be nice for her to be around people who enjoy the game like her since she is still quite new to Gotham.”

Once they are out of the classroom Damian snatches the paper from her, shoving it in his bag, telling her that he will give it to father. When they get home he instead goes to press Tim, since he looked into them he must have known and Tim did know he just forgot too bring it up because it is just a hobby, when Damian realizes it is probably not the threat he imagined it to be he gives the form to Bruce who is reading with Mother!Darling which leads to another thing and more questions for her and pleading from his wife to let her.

“Bruce please, she loves the game, she has loved it since she saw it… please.”

“…fine, but Damian will have to stay after with her.”

So with that settled she joins the chess club and absolutely dominates everyone there, so much so that is just quick practice for her and Damian is stunned that his little sister who cannot sleep without her stuffed rabbit and still needs her mom to read to her before bed is able to beat the seniors on the team in two dozen moves, absolutely embarrassing them, it is kind of a a slight break in the helpless narrative that her brothers had of her.

Then the day comes around where her teacher gives her a flyer and registration form for an international tournament being hosted in the city. She takes them home and hands them to Bruce at dinner and he is clearly taken aback.

“…this is a tournament for adults, dear. I don’t think this is the type of game for you-“

“She will be fine Bruce, besides I believe some of her aunties and uncles will be competing so she will be perfectly safe with them, besides she used to do these competitions before we were married.”

“Aunties and uncles?”

“Mhm, they taught her how to play when she was four… in fact I have never missed one of her matches.”

Even if Bruce does not sign off on the tournament paperwork as her guardian, her mother will do it and will even call her aunties and uncles to let them know she is going to be playing so the world will spread like wildfire and there is no way to get her out of playing now that the press has spread the word. So when Bruce and her brothers find out it was too late to do anything.

Then when they all go to their venue the morning of the first day of the tournament so she may get the information on who is playing there is the undeniable feeling of heavy jealousy when she sees her aunties and uncles in the hotel lobby of where the tournament is being hosted, and something inside of her lights up and runs up to them and hugs them, looking more happy than she’s ever been in Gotham, because to her these are her actual family.

Then the time of her matches comes, her and her mother along with Alfred stay at the venue so she may practice before her matches in the evening. When she wins her matches it is just her mother and Alfred there, because everyone was late because of patrol. Her matches are over by the time they all arrive to watch, and she just looks up to Bruce’s eye…

“I am glad my mother was the one who raised me and left you before I was born… she has never missed one of my matches.”

“Do not speak to me like that, young lady-“

“You are not my father and never will be no matter how hard you try.”

[julietsbody]

romeo meets juliet — luke castellan x reader : chess can be played in many different situations. 

tags : 18+!! loser!luke (hes actually such a loser im sorry), college setting, brothers best friend!luke, mutual pining, religious imagery(?), classic literature references, body worship, smut, luke is pathetically in love 

a/n : save me nerdy boy with sad eyes save me

luke didn’t acknowledge your existence at first, he stuck to himself, from his classes, to his dorm, maybe even the lunchroom if his roomate, your brother, convinced him to come rather than just making all of his meals in the dorm. luke and your brother were complete opposites, luke was studying literature, mostly classic,  he didn’t speak to many people unless forced to— and your brother was studying engineering, which also basically required him to join a frat, and he spoke to nearly everyone with cockiness prominent in his tone. 

one thing they did have in common, though, was chess. 

now, your brother could never tell anyone, especially not his frat brothers, that he played chess, let alone was in the university’s chess club— but he felt pity for luke, most of the time luke played by himself, which was somehow equally as frustrating as having to play against someone else. 

the only people that knew about your brother playing chess was luke, the chess club, and you. 

luke remembers the first time you came trotting in to the dorm, complaining to your brother about some argument you had with your parents about how your friends are distracting you from your studies. your brother only rolls his eyes, barely listening to your non - stop whining about how it’s ridiculous, “i mean— you’re the one in a frat! why aren’t they mad at you?” 

“because i actually do my work,” he mumbles, and luke breathes out in a silent laugh, moving a piece on his chess board. 

“you’re in engineering, you don’t even have any actual work,” you frown, and albeit the fact that you’re wrong, you’re still confident in what you said. 

“are you stu— whatever,” your brother waves you off, deciding to change the subject when he motions to luke, the boy in a nirvana t-shirt, currently moving to a different side of the chess board as he plays against himself, “this is luke, my roommate, obviously.” 

luke immediately freezes, fingers curling around the chess piece he was adjusting to move— his eyes are wide, and they’re moving to look at you, only to immediately flicker to some other part of the room when they meet your expectant gaze. since he won’t speak first, you pick up the slack, “hey, luke.” 

your brother notices how luke looks like a scared, lost puppy even by the slightest implication of having to speak to a woman, let alone be perceived by one, so he moves to whisper in your ear, “he’s like, deathly afraid of women, i’ve never seen him speak to one, ever.” 

and you from that you don’t expect a response from luke, until he mumbles a short, “hi.” 

that’s when your head tilts, noticing the way his curls fall over his brows messily, like he doesn’t pay attention to styling it, or maybe it’s on purpose, maybe he pays too much attention to styling it. the way he wore something so simple, yet so telling about himself, the way he awkwardly places the chess piece back on the board on the spot he wanted to. he assumes the conversation is over, so he moves to the opposite side of the board to make a move against his own. 

“are you in the chess club?” you take a step closer, and he perks up, hand ghosting over the piece once more. 

luke doesn’t say anything, his lips twitch around words that don’t come out. your brother speaks in his place, “he’s the president, he’s a fucking grandmaster.”

luke just awkwardly laughs, moving his hand to scratch at the back of his neck, eyes moving from the board to you, then to your brother, “i’m not like— actually the president,” another awkward, short chuckle, “i just— like.. um.. play a lot, i guess.” 

“you are the president, dude,” your brother corrects, being insufferable as he always is. 

but luke puts up with it, then you ask another question, “what do you major in?” 

“literature,” luke responds for himself this time, finally able to move his hand to make a proper move on the chess board, before mumbling, “mostly classic.” 

“you’re kidding, i am too, how have i not seen you before?” 

luke’s eyes finally meet yours, now, pausing on your eyes, then resuming down the shape of your face, memorizing each feature, the curve of your lashes, the shape of your lips— he swallows thickly. 

“i just— sit in the back.. and go to my dorm— as soon as class ends,” there’s that awkward, short chuckle again. 

“have you finished the paper?” 

luke nods, and that’s when your brother finally gets a bright idea. 

“you should help her, luke, with the work.” 

⋆𐙚₊˚⊹♡

that’s how it all started, with a simple suggestion, that’s when you came to the dorm more often, when he began to notice that you were actually in his classes, and when you realized he had an awful staring problem. he thought he was slick with it too, letting his eyes move around the room for a mere.. twenty seconds before they finally snap to you, and from there, they stay, until you finally return the gaze and he’s immediately nervously looking away. 

he hardly speaks to you, unless your brother urges him to, and he’s always avoiding looking at you when he speaks, stumbling over words, pausing in sentences to catch his losing breath. he was a complete and utter loser, terrible when it came to socializing, even worse when it’s with girls. with you, it somehow seemed to worsen. 

“am i the first girl you’ve ever talked to?” you ask once, far too blunt for your own liking, you didn’t mean to really say it, it kind of just came out when seeing how much his leg bounced under the table with nervousness, nearly sweating himself to death under your gaze. 

sweat beads down his temple when his eyes flutter up to meet yours, moving from the romeo and juliet book in his hands. isn’t it so ironic that he had just gotten done reading the scene in which romeo says, “did my heart love till now? forswear it, sight! for i ne'er saw true beauty till this night,” when seeing juliet for the first time? truly, it isn’t the first time he saw you, but it’s night, and you are beautiful. truly, utterly, “beautiful.” 

“what?” 

oh, oh my god. saliva bubbles in his mouth, sour saliva, and he gulps it down, hoping it would somehow be a form of poison that would wake him from this nightmare. does he say what he meant? that he was thinking out loud? that he thinks you’re beautiful? or should he deny it? deny. he bursts into awkward laughs, “what— what do you mean— i.. i didn’t even say anything.. ha, haha.” 

“why are you acting like that?” your brows furrow. 

“like what?” 

“like you’re hiding something.” 

his breathing only shakes anymore, “i’m not hiding anything.. that’s like— a wild accusation.” 

“it’s not an accusation, i’m just saying,” you frown at him. 

his adam’s apple bobs with another swallow, “okay but like—“ 

“why are you harassing him?” your brother sighs, tired how much you press luke. 

“i’m not— whatever, i was asking you— am i the first girl you’ve ever spoken to?” 

your brother barks out a laugh, and luke’s eyes fall back down to the book in his hands. did not having proper conversations with women make him any less? romeo grabbed juliet’s hand once, and the first words he uttered to her was a promise to redeem himself if his hand was too unworthy to be touching her holy one. parallels sear in his mind, and he just mumbles a, “not really.” 

he has spoken to women before, sure, small greetings, maybe even the slightest indulgence of conversation— but luke keeps to himself, and to be honest, he was a man used to running from women, as he did from his mother. he grew up being afraid of women, well, afraid isn’t the proper word, intimidated is better, and he just decided to avoid them as much as possible. 

though, no matter how much he tries to avoid you, you’re always there, in his sight, in his mind. maybe it’s a disgrace, like romeo holding juliet’s hand, for him to even be thinking of you, looking at you— you were a goddess that offered a man on his knees the slightest bit of your grace, and now he was hooked. 

it was pathetic, really, how he anticipated every time he suspected you would be over, how his eyes always found their way to you in class, how he made sure to purposefully walk past you in the lunchroom on the days he went, which was oddly more now. 

a man who is still a virgin to adore a girl far too good for him, he is hopeless. 

“it’s okay if i am,” you adjust, okay, there might be a little hope, “anyway, how do you like romeo and juliet?” 

“it’s pretty nice—“ he notices the way your face perks up in shock, “kind of, i don’t know.” 

“i think it’s a bore, i’m sure the movie is much better.” 

“we should watch the movie— um.. together, sometime.” 

⋆𐙚₊˚⊹♡

if luke was being completely honest with himself, he didn’t entirely mean to say it, and as soon as you left the dorm, he nearly doubled over with shock at his own words, and even more shock at the fact that you agreed. not only did you agree, you actually came, and it was just you and him. your brother was off at some frat party, again, and he had left luke completely alone with you, even when luke begged him not to. 

“you’re kidding, dude, i’m like— horrified of her,” luke frowns at your brother. 

“you need exposure therapy, or some shit, call me your therapist.” 

“you’re a shit therapist,” luke sighs, rubbing his temples. 

“and you need to grow some balls.” 

so, your brother left him, and now luke’s awkwardly standing with you at his door - step, staring at him expectantly, his lips twitch around so many possible words, possible sentences, and all that comes out is, “hey.” 

he’s been staring for you for at least a minute, and all he can say is hey. your lips curve to an amused smile, “hi, luke.” 

“um— you can come in, if you.. want, ‘course.” he moves out the way to let you in, watching you step past him so he can close the door. 

“i wouldn’t be here if i didn’t want to,” you remark as if it’s the obvious, mostly because it is. 

when romeo stood underneath juliet’s balcony, he praised how captivating she was, considers her as glorious as an angel, a winged messenger above his head. in his own words : 

“one who makes mortals fall onto their backs to gaze up in awe as the angel strides across the clouds and sails through the air.”

consider luke on his back now, staring up at the stars in your eyes, the halo that shines above your head, the wings that flap with every stride you make— a goddess, an angel, venus incarnate, right before his eyes, staring at him like he had something deeply wrong with him. wait. he blinks a few times, and his eyes refocus onto your confused face. 

“are you okay, luke?” 

he quickly clears his throat, “yeah, yeah— duh, ‘course i am, uh.. we should,” he moves to the table in which his laptop was on, “watch the movie, yeah? ‘ts on my.. laptop, if you don’t mind.” 

“i don’t, at all,” you move to sit next to him on the couch in front of the table, watching the veins in his hands pulse, palms sweaty when he moves to open his laptop, shifting a few tabs and pressing a few keys until he mumbles a small okay and presses the space button. 

moaning. that’s all you hear, the sound of skin slapping, ah ah— oh fuck mmph you’re so b— luke slams the laptop shut. 

dear god, save him now. 

he can’t even bring himself to look at you, the sweat on his palms only worsens and spreads onto the top of the laptop as he smoothes his hands across it, replaying the scene a million times in his mind. to his surprise, you giggle, “you watch porn?” 

he’s quick to awkwardly scoff out a short laugh, “yeah— i mean, everyone does.. but like.. i don’t watch it— that much.” 

your finger moves to run along the vein on his arm, feeling him shudder under your touch, yet he doesn’t want you to stop, even the slightest touch makes his dick twitch in his pants, “are you a virgin, luke?” 

he inhales sharply, “y-yeah..” 

“do you want to have sex?” you lean the tiniest bit closer. 

he pauses, “yes.. of course—“ 

“with me?” 

“yes.” he responds quick, too fucking quick, it must’ve been at most a second after you said it for him to respond. the truth stings his tongue, to finally be able to say it out loud, how much he had fantasized about you in the late of night, even sneaking off to the bathrooms so his hand can dip underneath his waistband when he thinks about the times you’ve worn a tight shirt that frames your tits far too well. 

but it was wrong, wasn’t it? you were a goddess, on a pedestal, and he was merely just a man, staring up at your statue in the hopes that you would notice him one day. forbidden, possibly, but all those thoughts leave his mind when his eyes move from the finger tracing up his bicep to your neck, then your lips, then your eyes. 

“please tell me you’ve kissed before.” 

“yeah.. yeah— i have,” a playground kiss counts, right?

it seems to when your lips fall against his own, the kiss was so gentle, until he dared to kiss you back, then it got hungry, mostly on his end. he kissed you like a starving man, nearly devouring you but at the same time, being horrified to. your tongue finds it’s way into his mouth, and to your surprise, he whimpers against your lips.

his hands are hesitant, unsure of where to go, does he touch your arm? your shoulder? your waist? he doesn’t want to push anything, so the waist seems far too much, his hands awkwardly place themselves on your arm, in a very weird position. 

“have you touched a girl before?” 

his lips are flushed from the kiss, eyes glazing over the position of his hands, and he quickly moves them off, “sorry— well, i just.. um.. didn’t want to push anything.” 

“you can,” you reassure, but his hands still hesitate, the flesh of a goddess, to be touched by someone so inexperienced. was he really worth it? any of it? to even be in your presence was a blessing, and it was still taking him forever to register the fact that you had actually kissed him, prayers passed through your lips into his. 

“are you sure?” 

“‘course i am.” 

it still took luke some getting used to, having you straddle his lap, you knew so much, it felt like more than just an honor to have you so close to him. his eyes flicked from your own to your lips, then to your tits, the low v - cut showing off your cleavage perfectly. and he looked like a complete deer in headlights, staring at the flesh pushed together between the window of clothing. you smile at his lack of self control, feeling the way his dick throbs underneath his pants, right against your ass, “you can touch them.” 

“wha— nono, ‘ts okay— i just..” he trails off, sweaty palms moving past you to slide across his knees. 

“really, luke, you can— why don’t i just..” you move to take off your shirt, his eyes immediately catching on to the lace of your bra, the way your tits are practically spilling out of it, all until you take off your bra as well and they immediately fall out. 

his hand twitches around nothing, desperately wondering what it must feel like to have your flesh underneath his palm, fingers curling around the plush of it. it seems you must’ve heard his prayers when you move to take his hands, pulling them back to press against your tits. 

soft, that’s his first thought, sweat sticks to your skin when his fingers curve around the flesh, gripping it ever so gently. praises spill from his lips almost immediately, thoughts he had since the day he saw you, finally being spoken, “y’re beautiful— fuck, i’ve always.. always wanted to— do this..” 

you smile so sweet at him, nectar nearly drips off your teeth, “can i ride you, luke?” 

his eyes finally meet yours, brows furrowing for a mere second, “huh— oh, oh.. yeah, ‘course you can.” 

you didn’t expect him to have a big, no matter how cruel that sounds, you had heard rumors of nerds with big dicks, but sought to never believe it until you saw it, and good fucking lord you saw it. as soon as his dick springs out from the pants and boxers you were tugging down, luke’s hands mindlessly moved to your waist, your eyes widen. 

no fucking way. he has to be.. six? seven inches, at least. slightly girthy too, he wasn’t all just length, and precum was beading from his red tip. he immediately inhales sharply when your fingers graze his dick, nervous under your gaze, “is it too small— i.. i’m sorry—“ 

“too small?” you scoff playfully at his scared expression, worried of what you think, “this might be the biggest dick i’ve ever seen, luke.” 

“that’s— a good thing.. right?” 

“obviously, god, it better fit,” this is the first time you’ve ever been concerned about whether or not a dick will fit, luke stiffens when you spit on your palm, pressing it to his dick and wettening it as you jerk him off, his response is immediate, carefully gripping at your skin and pressing his lips together to muffle his whimpers. 

luke had jerked of many, many times, but it never felt as good as this. 

“fuck—“ he grunts out, already far too close from just a simple hand movements. 

you immediately stop, picking up on his nearing orgasm from the way his hips kept bucking up into your hands, pathetic whines slipping past his lips, but it was just so cute. the cutest thing, though, was his face when he got the first look at your vagina, he looked like a man staring at a piece of art he had admired. and this was art, sex was, you were, everything about you, it felt so sacred. 

his lashes flutter when you take his hand, guiding it to your sopping cunt, allowing him to feel the wetness that was nearly pouring from you. like nectar from a fountain, it coated his fingertips when he touched you, his eyes focused onto your face, making sure that he was doing it right. he notices the way you gasp when his fingertips brush against your clit, so he presses against it again, and again. 

he follows everything he has seen in pornos, spreading your folds, fingers grazing past your entrance, rubbing your clit— but he’s lost when you wave him off before he can finger you to prep you for his dick, wasn’t that something people did? “but don’t you…” 

“it’ll fit,” you mumble back, relying on how wet you are to make it easier. 

he watches the way your jaw falls when you move to press his tip against your entrance, allowing the tip to push into you and it’s already too big. his eyes widen at the feeling of your walls clenching around his tip, unable to hold back the noises that slip from his own lips. 

“you’re like— the.. the girl of my dr— fuck— dreams,” luke hushed out between his mess of moans and grunts, he wondered if romeo ever felt this way when he kissed juliet for the first time, the sort of electric rush that riddled his bones, it felt unreal. you were a dream incarnate, one luke was always haunted with, the woman that would show up when his eyes would close at night, and now you were on his lap, sinking down on his dick. 

“am i? really?” you question, inhaling sharply when you finally reach the base of his cock. for some odd reason, you didn’t believe you were all he was putting you up to be, and that made him sick— how could you think of yourself as any less? you were perfect, a vision, to be fair, luke would adore you even if you were an enemy, just like romeo and juliet. 

he would stand at your balcony, stare at you from across the ballroom, kiss your knuckles, kiss you— he would do it all. he might even drink poison just to spend eternity with you. 

“yes, yes— are you.. kidding? mmph.. fuck— you’re like.. a fuckin’ goddess,” it comes out like a prayer, as if he was on his knees at your altar, kissing your legs, and whispering worshipping words. 

to nobody’s surprise, luke doesn’t last long at all when you’re bouncing on his cock, no matter how much he tried to distract himself from his throbbing cock by pawing at your tits, or moving to kiss you, his orgasm was just too close. “‘m g’na.. please.. g’na cum.. mmphh.. fuck!” 

when he does cum, you had pulled off him, jerking him off, and he’s practically writhing, a whimpering and damn near crying mess. and once he’s helped you to your orgasm as well, you’re falling into his arms, finding a safe - haven in how he smells like old books, mint, and cheap cologne. 

two star crossed lovers, one capulet, one montague. 

“these violent delights have violent ends and in their triumph die, like fire and powder. which, as they kiss, consume.” — romeo and juliet, act two, scene six.

[lazycats-stuff]

Ummm hi I just wanted to ask if you know the Netflix series called The Queen's Gambit? If you know, can you make a story where the reader is Bruce's son Is a chest master. Where he beats everyone in his chess game. Well I would love it if you retained the Queen's Gambit title but if not that's fine too🤣.But in the middle of the story he was angry because someone had managed to beat him in his match so he became annoyed and locked himself in a room to find a strategy.To defeat the person who defeated him. If possible, the one that will distract the reader is the OC. Thank you. Sorry if there are too many requests hehe

Oh I heard about, saw a few clips and all, but never watched it. But I know about it so no problem. I absolutely can do it. Also, I know nothing about chess. If there are people who play chess reading this, I don't know chess.

Summary: (Y/N) is a chess master. Until someone takes the title away.

Warnings:

All of his children were smart and had their specialties, so to speak. And Bruce was more than happy to help them explore that. Bruce wanted all of their sons to be explore their potentials. Why not? He had money and resources to help them out. That's also what he did to (Y/N), since (Y/N) was very interested in chess, since he was a small child.

Often asking Alfred to play chess with him. Which is ironic since Bruce taught him the rules for it, but hey. (Y/N) was happy whenever he played chess and since he was the youngest out of the 5 of them, he had 4 people to play with. Damian was more than happy to play, since his grandfather taught him.

Damian couldn't beat him. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't. That made him even more stubborn, making it a life long mission to beat his younger brother. And if it's the last thing he does, then so be it.

Tim was also good in chess, but couldn't beat (Y/N) as well. He has tried every single strategy he could find and think of. But nothing. (Y/N) could not be beaten. Not in the slightest. Just like Damian, he swore to beat him one day, even if it's the last thing he ever does in his life. Until then, he was going to research every single strategy and make sure he takes the honor of beating his brother.

Dick simply enjoyed playing chess, even though he always lost against (Y/N). He didn't mind it, he has always liked spending time with his youngest brother, although he always lost. He always allowed (Y/N) to use different strategies during their plays. Had it been Damian, he might have exploded.

And Jason?

Jason isn't well versed in chess, but that didn't stop (Y/N). He was patient when teaching Jason, explaining the different pieces and the way they moved. Jason felt frustrated, wanting to sometimes flip the table. But (Y/N) was patient, knowing that not everyone liked chess and he liked the fact that Jason didn't kill him yet.

So all in all, (Y/N) was happy whenever he played chess. Whether it be at home or at tournaments.

And once Netflix aired its Queen's Gambit, that was his nickname from that point forward. (Y/N) hated it at first, but then he didn't care. He could deal with it, since it was in reference to Beth Harmon, although a fictional character, but still one hell of a chess player.

And yes, (Y/N) was participating in many tournaments. He got the title of chess master, since he beat a lot of amateurs, but he wanted to have the title of grandmaster. He wanted to be the best. He wanted to be respected doing something he loved more than anything in his world.

(Y/N) came into the manor like a bat out of hell. He stomped upstairs, slamming the doors of his room. Bruce was confused as to what has happened, but knowing (Y/N), talking to him while upset would do him no good. (Y/N) would only snap back at him.

Teens need some space to cool off and collect their thoughts.

The only thing that could happen to upset (Y/N) is losing at chess. So Bruce went to his detective work and sure enough, (Y/N) lost in a tournament. Bruce sighed. Losses are a normal part of life, because you need to know how to deal with set backs in life. Bruce made sure to teach (Y/N) how to lose gracefully.

And his opponent is a known chess player too. And Bruce has decided to check the clip too, just to make sure that he wasn't a sore loser. Because he didn't raise his boy like that. Thankfully, (Y/N) was polite, smiled at his opponent and shook hands, congratulating him.

Bruce sighed in relief as he saw it. He would have been disappointed if he didn't lose gracefully. But holing up in your own room is not a healthy coping mechanism. Hopefully food will coax him out of hiding and make him talk about his feelings.

(Y/N) is a growing boy and needs to eat.

Soon enough, (Y/N)'s brother's caught wind of it and tried to help (Y/N) out, trying to coax him out with food and talk. (Y/N) took the food like a goblin and went to investigating different strategies on how to beat him opponent. He said to them all that he'll beat his opponent, no matter how long it took him.

Bruce wasn't sure how to feel about that. (Y/N) needs a distraction. Bruce is slowly but surely out of options. He doesn't know how to pull his son out of the slump.

Jason had the idea to call (Y/N)'s friend, Simon Moore. Simon Moore is a good friend of his and Bruce suspects something more, but he still didn't ask about, thinking that (Y/N) isn't ready to come out yet. Either way, (Y/N) needs help.

" Simon is here. " Jason walked in with him, a tall blond boy with blue eyes.

" Hello everyone. (Y/N) lost a match and won't come out? " Simon asked and Bruce nodded.

" Alright. Just to warn you, if you hear yelling, don't be worried. " Simon walked up the stairs and Jason smirked to himself.

" (Y/N) is going to blow a fuse. "

Bruce sipped his coffee as he heard the door being kicked in. (Y/N) would have never opened up on his own and Bruce could always pay someone.

Perks of being rich.

" Alright Queen's Gambit, up and at them! " Simon yelled and (Y/N) was yelling back.

" Simon is a friend we all need to be, " Jason stated and Bruce sipped more of his coffee as he listened to the commotion.

" What's going on up there? It sounds like World War 3. " Tim walked in to get some snacks and coffee.

" Simon came by to help (Y/N) out, " Jason explained and Tim nodded as he poured himself some coffee.

" Father, what is going on upstairs? " Damian popped in to get himself some tea, looking through the different flavors in his box.

" Simon dropped by to help. " Jason leaned on the kitchen island and Damian nodded.

" Moore came to help. Good. Are we still in the belief that they are a couple? " Damian put the water to boil and Bruce nodded.

" Nothing is confirmed though, so not a word to (Y/N). " Bruce extended his cup to Damian to refill it for him.

" Is (Y/N) okay up there? " Dick walked in through the back door and Bruce nodded.

" Simon dropped by to help us, " Bruce gave a short explanation and Dick let out an oh.

" Well that explains it. "

Bruce nodded as they listened to the commotion upstairs. Soon enough, everything calmed down and Simon came down.

" (Y/N)'s in the shower, " Simon announced and everyone nodded.

Bruce took his cup of coffee back from Damian and sipped it.

" Does he look like death warmed over? " Damian asked and Simon chuckled quietly.

" Oddly enough, no. But the room stinks a little bit so I opened all the windows. Also, my apologies about the door mister Wayne. " Simon rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly and Bruce smiled and shook his head and wave at his dismissively.

" Oh no worries Simon. Also, don't call me mister Wayne, just Bruce will suffice. "

Simon nodded. " He said that he would come down to get some food too. And he's hungry, let me tell you that. "

" That boy will be the death of me, I swear. Thank you Simon. "

[felagund-the-valiant]

Hobbies they like to share with you (Maedhros, Caranthir, Fingon, Turgon)

A/N: haven’t been on tumblr in a hot minute, damn. I come semi-back presenting you some hcs!

Maedhros: strategy games

Maedhros is an excellent strategist, and he greatly enjoys games that challenge this skill. Board games or card games, either is fine with him.

Unconquered chess grandmaster of Arda.

He’s a gracious winner and would never dream of making you feel bad for losing. Instead, he’ll try to encourage you, so you keep up your motivation.

He has patience for days (perks of being the oldest of a dozen grandchildren) and nothing can make him lose focus. Good luck trying to distract him.

Has zero tolerance for cheating and is quite perceptive, so he’ll call you out at the slightest suspicion.

Since he’s good at reading others’ expressions and body language, he’ll quickly notice if you’re becoming stressed or impatient and will offer to take a break, if necessary.

His unending patience makes him a great teacher and he’s more than happy to share his strategic knowledge with you. Maybe afterwards you’ll have a chance of actually winning. If he lets you.

Caranthir: cross stitching

Caranthir seems to have inherited his grandmother’s talent when it comes to all things sewing.

It’s a good meditative method to clear his head and it’s his go-to activity after a lot of stress.

Often incorporates elements of Míriel’s designs into his work, as a way of honouring her memory.

Since cross stitching is quite easy to learn, he won’t hesitate to invite you to join him. He’ll draw you in with motives like your favourite flowers or animals and once you’ve gotten the hang of it, the two of you have a lot of fun coming up with designs together.

He enjoys the companionable silence cross stitching together can bring. Sometimes the two of you sit together for hours not speaking a single word and it’s never awkward.

Fingon: cooking

Fingon is a damn good cook and proud of it.

He was prone to starting food fights during cooking when he was young, but his parents scolded that habit out of him very quickly, teaching him instead to not be wasteful.

As a result, he can somehow still make five-star meals out of leftovers.

Even if you’re not a good cook yourself, he’s somehow able to enlist your help in a way that makes you feel productive and helpful. Leave the fine measurements to him, you just worry about the basics like chopping ingredients.

Loves trying out different cuisines. One of his early methods of befriending the Sindar was exchanging recipes. Sometimes it’s that simple.

Very enthusiastic about taste testing. If you have kids, he’ll definitely make them participate to hone their palate early on. You best believe his children are going to be the best cooks in the west.

Turgon: miniature city building

If there’s one thing that fascinates Turgon, it’s tasks that require a lot of meticulous planning and fine details.

He’s fascinated by architecture and incorporates many different styles into his projects.

Is Gondolin really based on Tirion or is it one of the cities he designed back in Valinor? Only he knows the answer.

Once the cities are done, you better don’t touch them! Little Aredhel once thought they were toys and played out a “historically accurate reenactment” of an early Elven settlement getting raided by orcs … she hasn’t been allowed in Turgon’s workshop ever since.

Like Caranthir, he’s a big fan of companionable silence, though in his case it might not necessarily be intentional. He’ll invite you over to work on a project together, thinking it’s a great way to talk to you more and get to know you better, only to end up so deep in the zone you’ll have to do most of the talking.

His workshop is his little hideaway from the outside world and letting you in shows how much he trusts you. Doesn’t matter if you’re not gifted at fine motor tasks and can’t really help him, your presence is more than enough for him.

[remeberm3]

pottery | k.m

⎯⎯“Show me what you’ve got, Picasso.”

warnings: fluff

Klaus Mikaelson was good at many things. He could paint masterpieces, charm the most resistant of enemies, and orchestrate century-long plots with the precision of a chess grandmaster. You, on the other hand, had your own strengths—your quick wit, your stubborn optimism, and, apparently, your ability to drag Klaus into the most ridiculous situations known to mankind.

Which is how you found yourselves standing in a brightly lit pottery studio, both wearing aprons that were already smeared with clay despite not having even touched anything yet.

“Tell me again why we’re doing this?” Klaus asked, eyeing the potter’s wheel in front of him like it was a weapon designed to humiliate him.

“Because,” you said, grinning as you tied the strings of your apron behind your back, “I thought it would be fun to try something new. You know, broaden our horizons.”

His brows lifted. “And pottery was your grand idea?”

“Well, it was either this or salsa dancing,” you teased, glancing at him. “And I seem to recall someone saying, and I quote, ‘I refuse to wiggle my hips like a fool in public.’”

Klaus glared, but the faintest smirk tugged at his lips. “You’re never going to let that go, are you?”

“Not a chance.”

༊*·˚

The instructor, a cheery woman named Margot, clapped her hands to gather the small group’s attention. “Welcome, everyone! Today, we’ll be working on the potter’s wheel to create your very own bowls or vases. Remember, it’s not about perfection—it’s about having fun!”

“Not about perfection,” Klaus muttered under his breath. “Clearly, she’s never met me.”

You elbowed him gently. “Relax, Michelangelo. It’s not a competition.”

Margot began demonstrating how to work the wheel, her hands steady as she shaped a perfect cylinder out of the wet clay. You watched in awe, imagining yourself creating something equally beautiful. Klaus, meanwhile, looked utterly unimpressed.

“See?” you whispered. “Doesn’t that look easy?”

“Easy enough,” Klaus said, crossing his arms. “Though I can’t imagine why anyone would willingly get this dirty for a mere bowl.”

“Because it’s fun!” you insisted.

Margot finished her demonstration and gestured for everyone to take their seats at the wheels. You and Klaus ended up side by side, which was probably a mistake, given how competitive he could be.

“All right,” Margot said, walking between the wheels. “The key is to keep your hands steady and centered. If you lose control, the clay will wobble, and you’ll have to start over.”

Klaus shot you a smug look. “Steady hands. I think I’ve got this covered.”

“Sure, Klaus,” you said, grinning as you plopped a lump of clay onto your wheel. “Show me what you’ve got, Picasso.”

It didn’t take long for things to go spectacularly wrong.

Your first attempt at centering the clay resulted in it flying off the wheel entirely, landing with a wet splat on the floor. Klaus snorted, clearly delighted by your failure.

“Impressive, love,” he drawled, smirking. “I didn’t know we were playing catch.”

“Oh, shut up,” you said, retrieving the clay and slapping it back onto the wheel. “Let’s see you do better.”

Klaus set to work, his hands hovering over the spinning clay with the confidence of someone who had no idea what he was doing but refused to admit it. For a moment, it looked like he might actually succeed—until he applied too much pressure, and the clay collapsed in on itself, leaving him with a sad, lopsided mess.

You burst out laughing. “Oh, yeah. Very impressive, Klaus. Is that supposed to be a vase or a pancake?”

He glared at you, but his lips twitched. “This wheel is defective,” he said, as if that were the only explanation.

“Sure it is,” you teased. “Blame the wheel.”

༊*·˚

The rest of the class went downhill from there. Every time you tried to shape your clay into something recognizable, it either collapsed, cracked, or wobbled so much that you had to start over. Klaus wasn’t faring any better—his attempts were slightly less disastrous than yours, but only because he was stubborn enough to keep fixing his mistakes instead of starting fresh.

At one point, Margot stopped by to check on your progress. She tilted her head at the misshapen lump on your wheel and said, “That’s… an interesting approach.”

“Thank you,” you said brightly. “I call it ‘abstract pottery.’”

Klaus snorted, earning him a stern look from Margot. “And how are you doing?” she asked him.

“Brilliantly,” Klaus said without missing a beat, gesturing to his slightly lopsided bowl. “Clearly, I’m a natural.”

Margot raised an eyebrow but didn’t argue.

By the time the session ended, the two of you were covered in clay from head to toe. Your apron was streaked with handprints, your hands were caked with dried clay, and there was a smudge on Klaus’s cheek that you suspected he didn’t even know about.

“Well,” you said, surveying your final creation—a bowl that looked like it had been stepped on. “That was… something.”

Klaus set his “bowl” down next to yours, crossing his arms. “I think we’ve successfully proven that pottery is beneath us.”

You laughed, reaching over to wipe the smudge off his cheek with your thumb. “You’re just mad because you’re not as good at it as you thought you’d be.”

He caught your wrist, his eyes softening as he looked at you. “Perhaps,” he said, his voice quieter now. “But if it makes you laugh like that, it’s worth every second.”

Your heart melted a little at his words, and you leaned in to press a quick kiss to his lips. “You’re not so bad when you’re covered in clay, you know.”

He smirked. “And you’re utterly adorable when you’re terrible at something.”

“Hey!” you protested, but you were laughing too hard to sound offended.

As you left the studio, hands linked and laughter still bubbling between you, you couldn’t help but think that maybe being terrible at something wasn’t so bad—so long as you had Klaus by your side to make it fun.

[avatarthelastairgender]

with that said re: the chess post i am curious how many schlubs it would take to beat a grandmaster by playing random moves— as in, if there were, i don't know, five million concurrent timelines of random people playing moves that were genuinely "randomized"— as in, all timelines are playing different moves which are simply legal moves— how many timelines it would take for someone to just happen to pick the best computer moves and win. i think it would be a few billion but who knows

[zgvlt]

each of your fingers like rays of the sun leona kingscholar x reader

summary: in which you like to hold and to be held by leona's hand, a lot (not like he's not in the same boat)

tags: gender neutral reader, sfw, fluff/romance, established relationship, 4k+ words, not beta read

author’s note (see end notes for more): The fourth fic to my five senses series

you can also read this on AO3

I.

The day was concluding and yet the date was merely reaching its beginning, Leona rising with the setting sun. 

He had slept the afternoon away, not having anything urgent to do, not when his calculations dictated he still had some absences left before it would become a real problem. As for his location, he had taken to sleeping in his room as opposed to his other favored locations—only a strategic choice, chosen based on the demands you had made of him earlier.

His choice was correct, as expected, for now there was no need to leave his room to find you and no need for you to do the same, not when you strolled into his room, as you have many times before (but not as of late, to his disdain). It was as though his becoming yours meant not only his heart but his room would become yours as well.

He would be a hypocrite to complain about such a thing, but he cared too little for becoming a good person now.

“Don’t make so much noise,” he complained half-heartedly, not bothering to pretend that he had not just woken up. He was sure you could tell anyway, your stifled laughter as you watched him yawn, your own attempts at scritching the back of his neck and ears. With his good mood, he supposed he would allow it. 

“Looks like you’ve already set it up,” you said, glancing at his desk, the table turned to face his bed, and with misfortune you took to sitting on the chair than with him on the bed. “Should I play white or black?”

“White is already facing you,” and for a few other reasons he would rather not tell you, things you really had no need to know, “so you should just play that.”

“Okay,” and although you haven't started the game yet, your fingers hover over the chessmen, stopping over a particular pawn that Leona thinks you intend to move first.

“I’m surprised you even want to play chess,” Leona said, finally sitting up properly to face his side of the board, “I didn’t think you knew how to play… Do you know how to play?”

It’s nothing against you; he would have accepted your offer to play with him even if you didn’t, but it surprises him (pleasantly) that you might. Sure, he’s seen you watch him go against his dorm members, but other than that he wasn’t really sure if it was because you were interested in the game or if it was because you were interested in him.

“I watched a bunch of videos!” you said, defending yourself, “I’m not going to be a grandmaster anytime soon, but I know what the chess pieces and pawns are and what they do and, you know, enough basics to play.”

Leona grins at the distinction. Look at you, doing your research—you might actually stand a chance against him.

“Then I don’t have to go easy on you,” he replied, before adding a little lie, “not that I had any intention of doing so in the first place.”

Your opening move is standard. You don’t do something stupid or overly advanced by moving the pawns at the edges of the row, even though he would have liked to see a strategy involving either or. You go for a popular but beginner-friendly opening: the Queen’s Pawn to d4. It’s aggressive in a sense, a way to dissuade him from moving the king’s or queen’s pawn for his opening… or perhaps you wanted him to take the risk. 

He looked up to meet your eyes, and he didn’t have to look any further down to know that you were smiling. 

Cute, but it’s really too bad that he has no intentions of falling for your bait.

“Knight to your f6,” he mumbled, more for you to hear than himself. Leona’s not particularly chatty when playing, most people don’t have the capacity to do so when they’re too busy thinking five moves ahead, but he doesn’t want you to be too tense. If you wanted to talk about, well, anything really, you should do it. This was a date after all, impromptu it may be, not a competition.

“I wanted you to move–”

“Yeah, and that’s exactly why I didn’t move there,” Leona said with a drawl, watching the tips of your fingers touch each and every pawn, clearly contemplating what to move next. Usually you had to move whichever piece or pawn you touched first and with anyone else he might have used the rule to his advantage, but he instead waits for you to decide patiently. 

If the consequence was having a game run slower than normal, was it really a consequence at all if it meant you stuck around a little longer?

“Pawn to… c4?”

“You don’t have to say it out loud,” Leona informed you, “but that’s a good move.”

Because it was a good move—probably your original plan anyway, if he had made the move you wanted him to. Regardless, you were able to strengthen your control of the center.

You smile at the praise and Leona tries not to smile back, distracting himself by moving a pawn to g6, right beside the knight.

Your next few moves don’t matter too much in the grand scheme of things—all he needs is to fianchetto his bishop, something you can’t really stop no matter what you do—but he does think it’s amusing that you end up mirroring his moves, clearly unsure of how to move when he’s too focused on defending than attacking you at the moment.

With two squares cleared out, he moves the rook and the king.

“I don’t think you’d cheat in chess, so what even was that?” you asked.

“Huh. Looks like you haven’t made it to the video about castling yet,” Leona quipped, but before you could complain he stood up, making his way to stand behind you. He doesn’t think he makes for a very good teacher, more of an instructor than anything, but he’ll try… only because you’re expecting him to, clearly wanting to replicate whatever it was he did.

“I’m sure you know that the most important piece in the game is the king.” With his index, he pointed to White’s king, and with his remaining fingers, he temporarily set aside the bishop to its right. “I’m sure you saw how I purposefully cleared these two squares—it’s because you need this particular rook for this.”

Without talking about it, the both of you quickly look around, not bothering to hide your sighs of relief when a chess piece named man fails to appear before your eyes. 

“Because the king is the most important piece, it has to be well protected, defended. That’s where the rook comes in—a rook is basically a castle, which is what the move is called, so the king is pretty much hiding behind a bunch of walls to defend itself.

“When you make sure the king is defended throughout the game, the less chances of it falling into any traps or getting cornered… or you’ll at least have other pieces in convenient positions to attack if needed.”

“Castle to protect the king,” you muttered to yourself, sliding the two pieces together, “like this?”

“No.” Placing a hand over yours—the hand holding onto your king—he nudges the rook out of the way, effectively swapping their positions. “Like this. They don’t just move to the right and left, they have to swap as well.”

Leona hadn’t thought much of his clasping your hand—he’s not shy with giving you the physical attention  you want—but your words thereafter do affect him, a fluster that takes him a little longer than usual to push down.

“I get it now! Thanks to you, my king definitely won’t fall too fast now,” and then, for extra measure, you let out a laugh. It’s hyena-like and Leona wonders if he’s left you alone with Ruggie one too many times, if his assistant’s been telling you one too many things.

He lets go of your hand with a click of his tongue, returning your pieces to their old positions. Here he is, teaching you how to play better so you could increase your chances of winning against him, but here you are making a joke out of him.

Still, he huffs in amusement when you move the bishop, then the rook, and then the pads of your fingers meet the king once again.

II

Sometimes Leona thinks he indulges you a bit too much—well, it’s less think and more know, but since he can’t be any more self-aware than he already is, he mostly just lets you do as you please.

That was how it was before you started dating, after all—him hardly reciprocating your actions, teasing retorts at most as his heart banged against his chest and hurt his ears. You and all your neon signs pointing that yes, you were attracted to him, and him finally having enough of you embarrassing yourself (and him), leading to him deciding that if you were going to keep that up without saying anything, then you wouldn’t have any objections if he asked you out himself. He remembers more than just your happiness—he remembers the pride you could barely contain at having him do the asking, as if it was an achievement.

Still, you can’t just expect to get away with everything. You should’ve recognized the inevitability of him biting back; he would argue that you preferred when he did. It wasn’t just that you thought it was fun when he did do so, the lazy lion getting up to do something, but more so you liked the idea that he could actually take initiative to do something for himself as opposed to simply having it handed to him.

These days, it’s you making yourself into his personal alarm clock. 

Leona’s quit skipping every class he could. He’s not against graduating, believe it or not, and it definitely helps that he genuinely wants to see the Afterglow Savannah improve and that taking up an internship is a prime opportunity to start getting work done. It also helps that he has someone (sometwo if you count Ruggie, but he’s not very effective so he chooses not to)  constantly pushing him to attend his classes.

Still, he’d prefer to not go to each and every one. Some classes, in his opinion, are just downright repetitive, if not pointless, things he already knows being taught to him again. Skipping those seemed valid to him, but it seemed it was not to you.

“Come on, kitty,” you kept his hand in a tight grip, dragging him along the hallway. It was empty considering everybody was already in class, and while it would have embarrassed most people, Leona was just glad nobody would be present to eavesdrop. “You’re late to class.”

“We’re late to class,” Leona countered, “did you forget that you have class, too? On an entirely different building?”

“Okay, whose fault is that?” you huffed, “You’re the one who kept me asleep!”

“But you were sleeping so soundly, weren’t you? What kind of guy would I be if I were to wake my partner up?”

“You would be a gentleman who saved my attendance record, that’s what. Professor Crewel is gonna kill me one of these days,” you muttered to yourself, “or Professor Trein, or maybe even the headmaster himself.”

“You’re exaggerating,” he said with a shred of a laugh, “it’s not like they don’t know I’m to blame.”

You stopped in your tracks to look at him. 

“No way is our relationship so widespread that the faculty knows about it.”

“Even my family knows, so obviously the faculty does, too. Just because they’re adults doesn’t mean they’re above gossiping,” Leona said, grumbling as though sorely disappointed with the older generation, “not even Trein. He’s a history professor, which means he’s just better at separating fact from fiction.”

“And the facts are?”

Leona snorted, lifting your enclosed hands and waving them around. “The facts are clear as day. I wouldn’t just be allowing you to hold my hand willy-nilly like this if there wasn’t anything between us, much less allow myself to be dragged to class like this when I could be taking a perfectly good nap.”

“Go take a nap in class, then,” you retorted, “the important thing is that you attend, not that you pay attention.”

“Huh, wonder who taught you to be such a bad influence?” he asked, trailing off the end of his rhetorical question with  yawn. “Well, if you’re gonna be a bad influence, what’s stopping you from going all the way with it?”

“What are you planning?”

“I was just thinking that I felt bad for always making you late to your classes,” he drawled. His classroom was a few steps away, but with you having relinquished most of the pressure on his hand, he decided it was his turn to take control of which path to take; that path was away from the main building and heading towards one of his favorite areas on campus—the botanical gardens. “Not only should I bring you there, but I should apologize to Professor Crewel for taking up so much of a precious student’s time.”

“Do you have a death wish? My classmates will never let me hear the end of it!” you whined, “If you want to sleep in the greenhouse, you should have just said so. Don’t drag me into it.”

You could protest a little more if you wanted, make him stop his tracks and leave you to walk back on your own, but you simply complained about how unfair he was being. Leona thinks it has to do with his hands—well, hand—still intertwined with yours, the fact that he’s the one doing the holding this time around. Perhaps you’re letting it happen so you can spend a little more time with him. He’s the same, after all, the reason he’s awake and doing this much.

“Then let’s take a nap in the greenhouse next time. That way, you’ll be able to wake up for your class in time. You’ll even have the professor serve as your alarm clock,” he chuckled, even as you threatened to leave him behind. He knows you won’t, because your grip is just as tight despite it, only loosening—with hesitance, a fact that makes his heart swell just the smallest bit—when no more detours can be done.

“I’ll see you later.” 

Leona shook his head. 

“No, I’ll pick you up.”

Leona’s never seen himself as a particularly domestic partner, but you smile at him and he thinks he might have to do this walking you to class thing more often. He can lose a few minutes of sleep for that.

III

“I learned something recently,” you began, “about palm reading, and finger lengths, and all of that. From Cater.”

“Yeah?” Leona asked, indulging you. “Show me.”

He knew where this was going, having recognized a pattern in your behavior as of late. He was not opposed to it—he’s an enabler of most of your antics, admittedly—but he does want to see what kind of tactic you’d initiate this time.

“Apparently our hands hold meanings too.” He’s still resting his head on your lap without any intention of leaving, but he adjusted his arms so you could take hold of his hands more easily. “I don’t know if I believe it entirely, but considering we use them so often throughout our life,  I guess it makes sense… Also, it just seemed fun to learn about.”

One of your fingers went to trace the sides of his, moving along the tips and gaps in between. “For example, if your index finger is longer than your ring finger, you’re probably a confident, natural leader. Someone calculative and analytical. A risk taker, someone who prefers others to take the initiative but happily takes the spoils, and–”

“Are you sure you talked to Cater and you’re not just making this up?” he accused half-heartedly, “Maybe you’re cherry-picking things you’ll think suit me.”

“–and someone who likes their solitude, dislikes it when their time alone is disturbed.”

“Never mind. It doesn’t fit me after all,” claimed Leona, “I allow you to interrupt my alone time all the time.”

“Hello? Like you don’t enjoy my presence. I’m joining it, not interrupting it,” you argued back, “in any case, let’s say the ring is the longer one of the two.”

Your finger stilled against the aforementioned finger, before tracing an imaginary ring around the digit. 

“It’s said that people with longer ring fingers are seen as more… ugh,” you sighed, as though reluctant to admit something, “ , they’re more attractive.”

“Oh?” He grinned, looking away from your hands to stare right at your face. You wouldn’t look at him properly, so he tugged at your fingers to catch your attention. “So I’m attractive? More attractive than most people you’ve seen?”

“Charming too, clearly,” you sighed as you rolled your eyes, though Leona noticed that it was not exactly a no, “which is another trait of people with longer ring fingers… I guess both descriptions work out for you, so it doesn’t actually matter which one has a few extra centimeters.”

“What about the palm lines then?” he asked, “Fortune telling isn’t really my style, the idea of placing all my bets on some kind of  fate ain’t really all that appealing to me, but I’ll hear you out.”

“Oh, um…” You grasp a hand, and then two, and just… stare at them, following the lines with your fingertips. “I already forgot.”

“Heh, you forgot? Really, if you wanted to hold my hand that bad you could just ask, it’s not like I’d ever say no to you,” Leona teased, baring his teeth as he grinned. “Have I ever said no to you?”

“No?” you answered, “I mean, that’s not why…! Okay, I really did want to try reading your palms, but Cater and I only talked for maybe twenty minutes max? I only remember, like,  the heart line.”

“Then read that. What’s the issue?”

You went silent, suddenly shutting your mouth. If it was anyone else, Leona would have thought they were embarrassed—it was something to do with romance after all and, well, that was a topic that flustered many. However, because it was you, it was difficult to say it was because you would feel embarrassment—you do lots of embarrassing things around him, after all. The truth behind your hesitation was…

“Well,” you began, fingers pointing to the long line stretched across his hand, “this is your love line. Based on the length, it would mean… Leona?”

You trailed off as Leona shut his palm, trapping your finger within the warmth of his hand. 

“I don’t need to hear it after all. I already know the answer, anyway.”

IV

Leona thinks (knows) he spoils you, but he thinks you spoil him just as much, to the point that he finds himself wondering if his existence is enough to warrant such treatment. After all, days like today he knows he hasn’t done anything particularly nice or special, and yet it feels as though he has with the way you hold onto him (or the way he allows himself to be held instead of holding).

“Give me your hand.” These days you don’t ask (though you still play tricks to retrieve your treat). What you do more often is demand, demand in the way royals like him do, because you know you can do so with him by your side, with him.

“Going to read my palms again?” he joked, already handing his hands over as an offering.

“Maybe some other time,” you said, “I was just thinking… your hands are kind of rough, aren’t they?”

“If I were a typical prince, I would’ve been offended,” he commented. Sure, he kept himself groomed—he’s still a part of a royal family, lowly a member as he is, so personality aside he’d rather not have people point out anything off with his looks too—but things such as keeping his hands moisturized just weren’t in his list of priorities.

“I don’t mind it like this.” He hadn’t asked, but he did wonder. Perhaps you knew that. “I wouldn’t have minded one way or the other, but I do like the roughness. It… suits you, I guess?”

Leona laughed, “Because I’m not a gentle person, huh?”

“Because it shows me that you’re someone who’s always worked hard,” you explained, “no matter what anyone says, I think this much is proof that the person you are now isn’t just because you were lucky to be born like that. Lazy and effort-averse as you may be at times, things like this prove that you, too, worked hard to achieve the strength and intelligence you have.”

He really doesn’t think he’s done anything to deserve the way you treat him, and it’s on days like today that he remembers what he loves most about you. It’s not just that you’re fun, that you’re amusing, that you’re cute—it’s because you are one of the few who can see past his pride and his arrogance, his imperious attitude; it’s because you care for him so easily in the ways he finds himself too prideful to imitate, fumbling the words spoken by his heart.

“Shut up,” he mumbled, terribly enamored of the way you bring your lips up to the knuckles of his fist. Those hands are not clean, have been used in fights for better or for worse, hands capable of destruction with some few choice chants, yet you kiss them as though they were innocent. “Seriously.”

“Of course, my prince.” You laughed even as his fingers stretched to cover your mouth, and like the sun peeking from the clouds your grin remained present and bright.

V

“Just two moves…” you muttered to yourself, “I can’t believe I fell for that! Or, you know, did that, since it was my fault. I literally read about this pattern on some chess website.”

“That’s what you get for experimenting without care,” Leona said, shaking his head as he returned the pawns and queen back to their positions. “Never thought I’d see someone use f3 as a first move, easily the worst opening you could do, followed by g4 which is the worst follow-up you could do. Guess there’s really a first time for everything—I finally got to play a Fool’s Mate against someone for once.”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m glad you had your fun,” you grumbled. Malice wasn’t present, but he could tell you did want to win at least one match this time around. Maybe he would help out with that, though not without seeing what you could do, first.

“Then try some other opening or pattern,” he told you, “looks like you actually know more this time around.”

“Of course I did. I didn’t want to look foo–okay, never mind.” You grabbed hold of a pawn, twirling it around between your fingers. “Let’s go again.”

“Think you’re going to win this time?” he asked. It had come off as a tease, a way to rile you up, but the reality was that he was genuinely curious if you had a strategy you wanted to try and pull off.

“Maybe. Just indulge me this time, okay?”

Then you move the pawn in front of the king two squares forward. King’s Pawn Opening. Not bad, especially since you could control the center if you choose your moves right. It’s the next move, however, the one you pull right after he mirrored yours, that caused your plan to immediately click in his brain. 

“Bishop to c4. You think you’re funny, do you?”

“Are you going to go along with it?

“I’ll show you.” Which, for Leona, was another way of saying of course. You were you, and with a message so charming, who was he to deny you, the both of you, of fun? “Knight to c6. Truly a first time for everything—never would I have thought I’d lose a game on purpose.”

“Queen to h5.”

“Knight to f6.”

“Queen to f7.” You grinned gleefully. He supposed losing was worth it after all. “Scholar’s mate.”

end notes | masterlist of all my works | series masterlist my other leona fics [ 1 ] [ 2 ]

[1] Title. The title can be in both Leona and the reader's perspective. If you liken Leona to the sun, then wouldn’t his fingers be the rays of warmth? And for Leona, since he comes from Afterglow Savannah, I think it means a lot for him to compare the reader to the sun, and though he’s already used to the warmth, he finds himself craving the one coming from the reader.

[2] Pieces vs Pawns. Many people do use “pieces” (or some other term in their respective language) as a catch-all term, but really pawns and pieces are different, with chessmen being the appropriate term for both pawns and pieces (in English, from my sourcs). Since reader makes the distinction, it shows Leona that they made the effort to research his favorite game. He would have appreciated the gesture of playing with him nonetheless, but that was a plus to him.

[3] Opening moves. Reader wanted to do the Queen’s Gambit, since it’s a popular and well-known opening. It’s also a move with a monarch in the title. Chosen not necessarily to represent the reader (see a different note for that), but you could see it that way if you want. They could not push through because Leona saw through them. Anyway, Queen’s gambit is White to d4, and afterwards c4, and while they did that they couldn’t complete a gambit because Leona went to move the knight instead of trying to control the center immediately.  

[4] Leona’s opening move is called King’s Indian Defense, a response against the Queen’s gambit… and my personal favorite opening when I had the misfortune of playing Black (a.k.a. going second) in matches. Also chosen for the monarch in the move name. When White goes d4, the knight (horse) goes f6. At White’s c4, pawn moves to g6.

[5] Yes most of these notes will be about chess I’m sorry! Okay so a few other choices I made in writing the chess scenes. Reader, both times, plays white (goes first), for a multitude of reasons—Leona putting them first, them being the light of his life, Leona wanting to give them the advantage, all of that. Leona goes second because, yeah… the second-born, second-place thing, but also he willingly chooses it for the challenge, because it makes it more fun for him, and because he enjoys just watching you go first and reacting to the things you do. It’s less of Leona going easy on you and more of him trying to see what you know and how well you can predict moves so he can teach you appropriately later on.

[6] Castling. As Leona explained, Castling is a move in chess specifically to protect the king. Also slight humpty dumpty reference. It was believed that he was based on a king (and he’s commonly depicted as an egg-king in media), and when he sat on the wall he had a great fall… so basically whatever “castling” Leona did against reader was a failure because he fell for the reader, lol.

[7] I actually don’t know what finger is longer for Leona.

[8] Ending moves. Scholar’s mate was chosen… For obvious reasons. He lets the reader win because he thinks it's cute that they chose that move from their “research” HAHAHA.

[tangibletechnomancy]

The AI Boom and the Mechanical Turk

A hidden, overworked man operating a painting, chess-playing robot, generated with the model Dreamlike Diffusion on Simple Stable, ~4 hours Created under the Code of Ethics of Are We Art Yet?

In 1770, an inventor named Wolfgang von Kempelen created a machine that astounded the world, a device that prompted all new understanding of what human engineering could produce: the Automaton Chess Player, also known as the Mechanical Turk. Not only could it play a strong game of chess against a human opponent, playing against and defeating many challengers including statesmen such as Benjamin Franklin and Napoleon Bonaparte, it could also complete a knight's tour, a puzzle where one must use a knight to visit each square on the board exactly once. It was a marvel of mechanical engineering, able to not only choose its moves, but move the pieces itself with its mechanical hands.

It was also a giant hoax.

What it was: genuinely a marvel of mechanical engineering, an impressively designed puppet that was able to manipulate pieces on a chessboard.

What it wasn't: an automaton of any kind, let alone one that could understand chess well enough to play at a human grandmaster's level. Instead, the puppet was manipulated by a human chess grandmaster hidden inside the stage setup.

So, here and now, in 2023, we have writers and actors on a drawn-out and much needed strike, in part because production companies are trying to "replace their labor with AI".

How is this relevant to the Mechanical Turk, you ask?

Because just like back then, what's being proposed is, at best, a massive exaggeration of how the proposed labor shift could feasibly work. Just as we had the technology then to create an elaborate puppet to move chess pieces, but not to make it choose its moves for itself or move autonomously, we have the technology now to help people flesh out their ideas faster than ever before, using different skill sets - but we DON'T have the ability to make the basic idea generation, the coherent outlining, nor the editing nearly as autonomous as the companies promising this future claim.

What AI models can do: Various things from expanding upon ideas given to them using various mathematical parameters and descriptions, keywords, and/or guide images of various kinds, to operating semi-autonomously as fictional characters, when properly directed and maintained (e.g., Neuro-sama).

What they can't do: Conceive an entire coherent movie or TV show and write a passable script - let alone scripts for an entire show - from start to finish without human involvement, generate images with a true complete lack of human involvement, act fully autonomously as characters, or...do MOST of the things such companies are trying to attribute to "AI (+unimportant nameless human we GUESS)", for that matter.

The distinction may sound small, but it is a critical one: the point behind this modern Mechanical Turk scam, after all, is that it allegedly eliminates human involvement, and thus the need to pay human employees, right...?

But it doesn't. It only enables companies to shift the labor to a hidden, even more underpaid sector, and even argue that they DESERVE to be paid so little once found out because "okay okay so it's not TOTALLY autonomous but the robot IS the one REALLY doing all the important work we swear!!"

It's all smoke and mirrors. A lie. A Mechanical Turk. Wrangling these algorithms into creating something truly professionally presentable - not just as a cash-grab gimmick that will be forgotten as soon as the novelty wears off - DOES require creativity and skill. It IS a time-consuming labor. It, like so many other uses of digital tools in creative spaces (e.g., VFX), needs to be recognized as such, for the protection of all parties involved, whether their role in the creative process is manual or tool-assisted.

So please, DO pay attention to the men behind the curtain.

[julyskyest]

Okay, so this is an extremely important question which keeps me awake right now:

Who would win in a chess tournament between Block, Dankovsky, Lilich and Lyuricheva?

Let’s give them an hour for each game, no rapid here, and let’s let them play in a round robin system, so they all have a chance to meet each other

Keep in mind they have different strategies and approaches to the game:

Block is the one who would build his attacks one by one, leaving his opponent in a defense positions, not giving them many chances to develop their own attacks.

Yulia spends most of her time predicting the moves, not just the next one but the next five.

Aglaya is known for researching her opponents’ documented games from other tournaments, knowing what to expect from them.

Dankovsky relies on memorizing various chess openings, knowing exactly how to get the most out of them; he spends a lot of free time studying books and classical positions, which makes him able to copy the grandmasters’ styles.

The only thing they have in common is that no one would ever give up; they play until the checkmate, without even accepting the draws.

P.S. In the chess au I ship danblock and aglayulia, but I didn’t tell you that!

Also I’d be extremely glad if you explained your choice, that seems to me really interesting

[web-novel-polls]

Favorite WN Criminal Submissions [Closed]

Last Checked: August 7th, 2024 - Please check the original post for updates

Submissions CLOSED - Masterpost here

Rules:

One character per response

Submit as many responses as you want

Characters must be from a web novel or media with a web novel source/adaptation; manhua, manhwa, and other similar media without a web novel are at my discretion

"Criminal" can be based on IRL laws or in-world laws

Whether they're innocent/guilty or punished for their crimes doesn't affect eligibility. It's mainly just a "I'll know it when I see it" situation (Ex: If Character A was wrongly punished for a crime Character B committed, both characters would be eligible)

Tournament Tag: #wn criminal tournament

Submissions

Cale Henituse from Lout of the Count’s Family

Submission: An essential part of absolutely every plan he makes is to steal his enemies' stuff lmao 😂  

Dragon half-blood from Lout of the Count’s Family

Submission: So much attempted murder, some successful murder presumably, kinda cannibalism (does it count as cannibalism if you eat other intelligent species?..) but consider: hes BABY (he's like 900yo) and hes a SOPPING WET KITTY CAT

Wiki Link

Fang Yuan from Reverend Insanity 

Submission: He actually isn't my favorite I mostly like bai ning bing from this webnovel but please appreciate all of this man's crimes someone on Reddit compiled 

Links Submitted: Link 1, Link 2, Link 3, Link 4; Wiki Link

Gu Mang from Remnants of Filth / Yuwu

Submission: It's complicated... Defected from his kingdom and became an enemy general, killing who knows how many of his former comrades. Stabbed his lover in the heart. Shipped back to original country and punished for high treason. There's the spoilery reason, but he was still branded a criminal and a traitor. Anyway, I love him, one of my favorite characters of all time, and you all need to love him, too. Stop sleeping on Yuwu, people.

Wiki Link

He Xuan from Heaven Official’s Blessing

Submission: Deceiving the emperor, kidnapping, decapitation. 

Wiki Link

Hua Binan from The Husky and His White Cat Shizun / 2ha

[No propaganda submitted]

Wiki Link

Ilvalino from I’ve Been Reincarnated as a Villainess’ Older Brother

Submission: 

Was trained as an assassin since childhood, already did assassinations by the age of 6. In the original story - an otome game - he continues with this career until he's 17, and is known to kill people for minor offenses such as bumping into him or stepping on his foot. Moreover, in his route, he's driven insane by inner conflict and kills all the other capture targets to be alone with the heroine. In the story after titular reincarnation, he's picked up by the reincarnator/MC instead, and ultimately quits assassination altogether - although, again, he already Did Some Murder by that time.

Jiang Yexue from Remnants of Filth / Yuwu

Submission: Incest, kidnapping, mass murder, use of the Zhenlong Chess Formation, curse casting, etc.

Wiki Link

Jing Beiyuan from Qi Ye/Lord Seventh

[No Propaganda Submitted]

Image Link

Jin Guangyao from Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation

Submission: "All my life, I've lied to countless people and I've harmed countless others. It's just like you said. I killed my father, killed my brothers, killed my wife, killed my son, killed my teachers, killed my friends---I've committed every crime there is!"

Wiki Link

Jun Wu from Heaven Official’s Blessing

Submission: This is MAJOR SPOILERS for Heaven Official's Blessing- but as for his crimes, just like. All his actions as Bai Wuxiang were so iconic. Jun Wu was so single mindedly focused, he manipulated so many people and brought so much death, destruction, and despair to ruin Xie Lian's life and to turn him into a Calamity like himself. It's the dedication to the bit for me, he wiped everything from his disastrous past and became emperor of heaven. Jun Wu had all of the heavenly court fooled and under his thumb for centuries and played the part of the caring mentor/father figure to Xie Lian all while gladly placing the cursed shackles on him. 

Wiki Link

Kim Kiryeo from The Hunter of the Other World Who Is Being Misunderstood

Submission: 

Kiryeo is an archmage from an alien civilization who was reincarnated on Earth. During his period of adaptation he is mistaken for being one of the extremely strong S-rank hunters, even though in reality his true magic capabilities are far more meager. After failing to convince the people around him that he's actually very squishy and weak, he decides to lean into the misunderstanding and falsifies the government records stating that he is indeed ranked S. Among the many crimes he's done, some notable ones are: Commited at least 5 murders (mostly in self defence) Attempted to steal a corpse. Succesfully stole a different corpse and accidently exploded it in a research accident. Commited tax avoidance for a whooping 40 bilion Won Agreed to help the police in a raid on illegal narcotics trade because he wanted to steal them from the crime scene, which he did.  Kiryeo also calls himself a war criminal, and admits to causing near extinction of 3 separate inteligent species back on his home planet. 

Ling Wen from Heaven Official’s Blessing (TGCF)

Submission: Created the Brocade Immortal, orchestrated the downfall of her predecessor, aided Jun Wu. Girlboss. 

Li Xian from Female General and Eldest Princess / FGEP

Submission: Ran a secret organization of spies, set up 20 soldiers escorting her back home to be killed by said spies, pretended to have been attacked, gave a vital shipment of food and supplies meant for her kingdom's besieged army to the enemy, framed innocent civilians of treason to improve the reputation of her spouse who caused their deaths, deceived the emperor, faked her spouse's death, faked her own death, etc...

Wiki Link

Mo Ran from The Husky and His White Cat Shizun 

[No Propaganda Submitted]

Crimes: where do I even start. World domination? SA? Murder?

Qi Rong from Heaven Official’s Blessing / TGCF

Submission: I mean... He dragged a literal child through the city on the back of a carriage. And he kills humans and eats them. He's pathetic. He's basically a cartoon villain, it's pitiful and that's why I love him

Wiki Link

Qiyan Agula from Clear and Muddy Loss of Love / JWQS

Source: JWQS Wiki

Submission: So many crimes... She is really the criminal of all time… 

Sha Qing/Luo Yi/Li Biqing from Sha Qing / The Killer of Killers

Submission: Serial killer who kills serial killers with their own MOs. 

Novel Updates Link

Shen Jiu from The Scum Villain’s Self-Saving System

Submission:

Murder, arson, child abuse... Look, some of those crimes were justified (stabbing Wu Yanzi) while some of them were absolutely not (giving a kid a flawed cultivation manual so that he'll die of qi-deviation). But Shen Jiu's life has twisted him so that he believes he's irredeemable, and he hates himself already, so he's just going to do what he wants, okay?  "First, he'd been a rat forced to swallow its anger, cringing while awaiting more beatings. Then he'd become a gutter rat, scurrying back and forth as everyone chased and hit it. No matter how he changed, he ws a rat; cowering with its tail tucked between its legs, unable to see the light; letting years slip by in vain, squandering its time and life." 

Image Link

Shen Zechuan from Qiang Jin Jiu

Submissions: Character of all time. He's done a lot of crimes, but I'll just mention that one time he put a guy in a cage, poured boiling water on him, and sliced off his skin piece by piece while he was still alive. 

Wiki Link

Shi Wudu from Heaven Official’s Blessing / TGCF

Submission: stole someone's fate which inevitably led to the death of that person and their family, immoral enrichment with complete disregard for other people's lives (capsizes their ships if they haven't offered him enough)

Wiki Link

Wei Wuxian from Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation

Submission: Okay, okay, I know, but the submission rules state that innocence doesn't affect eligibility. Wei Wuxian is innocent of...most of the charges against him, but he is branded a criminal by the cultivation world (and does fight against them). 

Wiki Link

Wen Kexing from Faraway Wanderers

Submission: He makes murder look so sexy. 

Wu Yanzi from The Scum Villain’s Self-Saving System (SVSSS)

Submission: Known criminal and murderer, scum shizun to the scum shizun 

Xue Yang from Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation 

Submission: 

he's kinda...😳 he gets horny about crime and looks good with blood on his face. what else need i say.

Image Link

Zhou Zishu from Faraway Wanderers and Lord Seventh

Submission: So many crimes... So, so many…

Zhuzhi-lang from The Scum Villain’s Self-Saving System (SVSSS)

Submission: Cute snek <3 also a demon general, murderer and kidnapper

Dealer’s Choice

Choi Noah from Villain Hides His True Colors

I know pretty much no one’s read this novel, but Choi Noah was a young child who awakened the “Gamer” ability due to trauma. He literally thinks he’s in a game & is absolutely unconcerned with common sense, including the laws. He repeatedly kills “mobs” and “monsters” (usually other humans or humanoids) for “coins.” In his first life, he became the first EX-Rank villain and teams with a devil trying to take over the world, who later betrays him for being “too evil.” The story starts with/right after his death as he “resets” the game to return to age 12 and ends up becoming a hero to “win the game.”

Gwon Ohjin from I’m Not a Regressor

“If he had to ignore his conscience for the price of living, he would do it any day.” - Chapter 13

This novel starts with Lee Shinhyuk, the final Awakener of a vicious battle against “the Heavenly Demon,” choosing to regress to kill the Heavenly Demon before so many people died. To do so, he asks a powerful goddess to bestow him her stigma, and once he regresses… he dies. Right in front of the unawakened, scammer Gwon Ohjin he had met years before. Who also happens to be the Heavenly Demon and the Owner of the Black Heaven, which can devour others’ stigmas.

If you’ve put two-and-two together, you’ll know that Gwon Ohjin’s Black Heaven absorbed the stigma that no one had managed to live through being bestowed, causing said goddess to assume GWON OHJIN is a regressor. He isn’t. He doesn’t know what’s going on. But he IS a scammer, and he sure as hell isn’t going to let the goddess know he stole her stigma off of some dead guy. 

Crimes: thievery, fraud, murder (and probably more lol)

Lee Sookyung from Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint

No propaganda prepared yet

Van Cromwell from Just Because My Apprentice is the Strongest, Doesn’t Mean I’m Strong Too! 

Mod Propaganda: Committed fraud (pretending to be an S-rank) that’s punishable by death just to stay with his childhood best friend. 

Rejected

Ballister Blackheart from Nimona

Reason: Not from a web novel

Nimona from Nimona

Reason: Not from a web novel

[37womenwieldingknives]

It's obvious to anyone that there's been a pretty huge shift in how we all treat each other over the last few years, characterised by a greater sort of detachedness and subsequent shaming of any amount of earnest expression of positive emotions and femininity. People are scared about being cringe (god forbid), everything is delivered with a layer of irony or intellectualism, and you absolutely have to appear unmoved at all costs unless you can do it in a masculine sort of way that's acceptable e.g. being angry at the 'woke left' or maybe declaring your love for your country or your wife and two children. At it's worst, there's even this encouragement to be outright mean, especially to easy targets.

And I get it, despite my criticisms there's a lot that I admire and find useful from the likes of Nietzsche and the Stoics. We're all trying to make our lives a little bit more bearable and reclaim some power. We're all sick. We're all depressed. We're all scared. But when it's taken too far it's a reactionary and cowardly approach, and it's obvious that it's been taken too far.

I'm not saying we go back to the other extreme either. I don't want a bunch of people who show insincere kindness for the sake of protecting feelings or walking on eggshells to avoid crossing countless boundaries, routines of niceties that only create impersonal relationships and barriers between people that don't allow us to relax around each other. We need to give primacy to freedom over wrapping each other up in cotton wool. There's also only so much cringe I can tolerate too before it becomes annoying. There's only so many convoluted conversations I can take where people are trying to say things in precisely the correct way rather than being relaxed and natural. Or being serious all the time and no room for making light of things. These people on this side of the extreme are also often too critical of some of the typically masculine qualities that I admire, like physical bravery and appropriate toughness and aggression, and they lean into a trend of collective and individual victimhood and feeling sorry for ourselves. All of this also tends to lead towards rigid moralists and a prevelance of rabid cancelling, public accusations and hounding, and constant policing, while achieving next to nothing other than alienating people from our movements, crippling them with self-consciousness, and making them feel like they're fucked up. I'm critical of claims like 'working class people don't do x, y, z' but it does seem that this kind of behaviour typically comes from the bourgeois 'left' and mostly alienates working class people.

Because of this, I found myself siding with those that I began criticising at the start of this post. I'm also guilty of this detached way of living that I'm now critical of. But these professional moralists and self-proclaimed emotional intelligentsia are no longer the prevailing issue of today, we've already moved back into the other direction. These things are like a pendulum where public behaviour swings back and forth over years and I get caught up in it too. I fully expect the pendulum to start swinging back the other way now and I'm honestly relieved. If you're like me and find some positives in being a bit detached, I can't urge you enough to allow a little bit of cringe back in your life. If you're too detached or paranoid about being cringe then you can really miss out on important, cherished moments of deep intimacy and joy of life. I love chess so I'm always thinking about this interview of chess grandmaster Vasyl Ivanchuk after one of his games in Gibraltar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUgvAoTzWBA. Look at his excitement as he describes the game, not giving a fuck if he should be playing it cool. It's refreshing and honestly wonderful.

Also one last thing, I don't think it's a coincidence that this social trend has happened at the same time as things have gotten particularly worse for trans people, migrants, women and left wing people. When I say that people are being outright mean to easy targets, I'm talking imparticular about the rising animosity and degradation towards these groups of people where it has become somewhat acceptable to put them down. Yes, we don't need an omnipresent moralism or sickly-sweet insincerity, but the solution is not this detachment or callousness; it's solidarity, it's doing our best to live outside of capitalism as much as we can, and it's trying to break up the monopoly on power that the state and capital currently has.

[chessismyaesthetic]

Happy birthday Viswanathan "Vishy" Anand!

Vishy Anand, one of my favourite commentators from recent World Championships (he just seems like such a lovely guy and his analysis is always interesting and well explained), is an Indian chess grandmaster and a former five-time World Chess Champion. The FIRST grandmaster from India (he won the title in 1988) which is hard to believe given how many great Indian chess players there are now, he has the 8th highest peak FIDE raiting of all time. He remains the only player to have won the World Chess Championship in tournament, match, and knockout format, as well as rapid time controls.

Vishy playing Kasparov, 1995.

As a teenager people called him "Lightning Kid" for his rapid playing speed, and later GMs who faced him often described him as one of the all-time greats alongside Garry Kasparov (a logical comparison given the schism in the World Championship and the fact most top GMs would have played both so could compare).

As a lightning fast teenager in the 1980s.

Wikipedia describes him as "a well-liked figure throughout the chess world for two decades, evidenced by the fact that Kasparov, Kramnik, and Carlsen, all of whom were rivals for the world championship during Anand's career, each aided him in his preparations for the 2010 World Chess Championship" which is something I massively admire in sports people - the seemingly rare ability to be a top competitor AND be nice to people.

Check out his game 6 win against Karpov in the 1998 World Championship match for a great win at an important moment. Karpov had won the first four games, Vishy made a draw in game 5, and NEEDED to win. So what does he do? He plays the Trompowsky Attack (1. d4 Nf6 2. Bg5) - rarely seen at GM level - and wins in 42 moves! Seriously, go google and admire. Sadly (for me at least since I'm a fan) he lost the WC in the tiebreaker games and didn't manage to become World Champion until two years later when he became the first world champion from Asia and the first world champion from outside the ex-Soviet Union since Bobby Fischer.

Anand v. Kramnik at the 2008 World Championship, game 3.

OR check out game 3 of his World Championship match against Kramnik in 2008. Here Vishy has the black pieces playing against Kramnik's Queen's Gambit Declined - they go into a really tactically sharp line known as the Blumenfeld Attack (this is part of the Semi-Slav defence, classical merin variation if you want to look it up). On move 14 Vishy plays a novelty - a new idea - that Kramnik needs to refute if he's to win. Vishy's idea is to just give up a pawn (which is usually defended) in favour of attacking the white king. Two pawns down, Vishy rejects the possibility of a draw and goes on the attack with Kramnik's king on the run. It's exciting stuff and unbelievably tense when you imagine the WC conditions they were playing in!

Vishy about to beat defending champion Magnus Carlsen in Game 3 of the 2014 World Chess Championship in Sochi.

His career is way too long and too well documented to be worth going into any greater detail - google is your friend here - but what a great player. Well worth delving into his games, not least as he was one of the first to embrace computer prep so that alone is an interesting development.

[fabdante]

Fic idea:

The reboot twins get Sparda out of his eternal banishment somehow, but Vergil's still on his whole King of Hell/ "ruling the Human Realm is good, actually" kick, so Dante and Sparda have to team up to stop him. Just because it could be kinda metal to see what a mentally and physically recovered Sparda could do to one of his sons. Even if it wasn't lethal (I doubt Sparda has it in him to kill one of his own children, no matter the cost, or how much torture he's been through), it'd still be amazing to see what someone with as much experience and knowledge as Sparda could do against a relative newbie (which is still plenty impressive) like Vergil. Like watching a chess match with a world champion chess player vs one that's skilled enough to be impressive but hasn't been doing it nearly as long. (Not sure if even King of Hell Vergil is qualified to be called a Grandmaster chess player- not until he's got more experience under his belt. He's still formidable, tho.)

Granted, I'm not sure how much mental and physical recovery Sparda would really have time for, before he had to go up against Vergil, and he'd probably need a good bit of both. I'm also not sure how much of his own power Sparda would even still have, especially after being tortured in a separate dimension for who knows how long, or how much of his power he could recover on his own. A lot of his power and Eva's seems to of gone into their sons' swords and necklaces. Sparda's still the one with the most experience, and not just in a sword fight... but I'm not sure if that'd give him enough of an edge to win against Vergil.

Granted, Sparda's not really trying to win a sword fight against his son- by which I mean, fighting with intent to kill- even if Vergil is. Sparda's just trying to talk his son down and out of whatever mindset Vergil's gotten himself into.

Also, just. Poor Dante. Poor guy's probably having so many flashbacks to bad domestic situations he's seen over the years, and probably crying (or at least teary eyed) and scared (even if he's trying not to show it) and freaking out because he doesn't know how to make it stop. I'd HOPE that things could be resolved peacefully, or that at the very least nobody kills one another, even if they have to go their separate ways afterwards and kinda... pretend the other person doesn't exist, I guess. But even then, OUCH. Just. Ouch all around.

Ideal scenario is Sparda talks Vergil out of his "rule the humans"/King of Hell bullshit and all three of them go home to grieve what they've lost and try and rebuild and protect humanity without any of them Taking Over the World™, but like. It's the Sparda family, so of course there's gotta be tragedy. It'd be nice if they could avoid that much tragedy, just for once, tho. You can always do more with living characters than dead ones.

A fun concept! I've considered Sparda coming back before though I see it differently.

I've always characterized a post game, freed Sparda as more idk how to put this...like on Vergil's side? I guess? Like I always read the reboot Eva and Spardas goal as less focused on wanting to help humanity and more focused on wanting to end Mundus's rule. Like they found him specifically cruel and undeserving of his power. So I'm not sure how bothered by Vergil's position Sparda would be. Particularly because I think Dante would take Vergil at his word that Sparda is not going to be saved (Dante's probably of mind even if Vergil is lying, how is he even supposed to find Sparda and like...does he want to? He's got enough stuff to do right now)

Vergil to me seems more likely to seek Sparda out, out of desperation to have allies he can trust. And who is more trustworthy then his father? I think waking up into this situation, Sparda would be a bit confused but not wholly...unsupportive I guess? Like, given he's just been brought into this situation, I think Sparda'd be more feeling out the situation and trying to see where Vergil is at mentally, what his goals are, what happened with him and Dante, so on and so forth. He'd be saving any big moves for a while, I think. And like you said, I don't think he'd be in a place physically where he'd feel comfortable fighting anyone unless forced.

I do think, however, he'd be concerned about his sons uh...dwindling mental health asdfghjk and the fact Vergil seems fairly corruptible, at least in this state. And these are I think Sparda's worries, in this type of scenario. The like 1) my son is clearly not well right now and 2) I don't know if he's a better fit for this job, someone needs to keep an eye on him. Like, I'm not sure he really agrees with Vergil but he's also not going to leave Vergil currently. Both because he needs to recover and Vergil saved him so he feels a sort of debt for that, but also like that's his son and he needs help.

The way I've seen it, Eva's favorite was Dante. Dante's usually Eva's favorite, or at least the Vergil's seem to think so (however I think there's evidence towards Eva feeling this way in the reboot). But I always considered Vergil as reboot Sparda's favorite. I don't think Sparda's very obvious about it, and tried not to be, but I think that's just how it is. So I'm not sure he'd so quickly go to violence or abandon his favored son. This also goes hand in hand with this interpretation of things I have where the twins were born to be weapons, them being children was more...a blimp in the plan Eva and Sparda failed to really take into full consideration when having them. It's a weird dynamic as a result. Particularly because I feel like Sparda must feel some sort of guilt both for this whole weapons thing but also abandoning the twins (even if it was not of his own will). I imagine it's a weird dynamic, honestly. Because like yeah Vergil does feel abandoned and like why did Sparda separate all of them like wtf man but also if he went to get Sparda back, it's because he feels like he needs his expertise, so he wants Sparda around.

In the event of confrontation, though, in game we tend to see reboot Dantes response to stressors and upsetting things being lashing out and anger. His fight, flight, freeze response is almost always fight. It's how he's had to be to keep himself safe, so any sort of vulnerability I think is saved until later. What's going to happen first is explosive responses from Dante. And while I don't think Sparda would fight Vergil, if he tried I do think Dante would separate them. Like he didn't start it, but he is ending it lmao. (however I think the twins are more likely to get physical with Sparda separating them).

In AU's where I have Sparda return, he's usually working in the background trying to find Dante and even more importantly Kat (Vergil is not handling the kinda sorta break up well) because he thinks the best option is get the band back together and have them all working together.

That's how I'd go about this concept, anyway.

I would also argue that you can do a lot with dead characters, I love a character who haunts the narrative, I love feeling an absence of someone in a work. I'm a big fan of grief narratives so like idk on the one hand I guess physically they can't do much while dead but I love dead or missing characters a lot, personally!

[gmchesscoach]

10 Tips for Beginners in Chess

Chess is an ancient game of strategy, where patience, planning, and practice go hand in hand. Whether you’re picking up the board for the first time or want to improve your basic skills, here are ten essential tips for beginners that can help you advance and enjoy the game even more.

1. Understand the Rules Thoroughly

Before diving into strategies and tactics, make sure you understand the fundamental rules of the game. Familiarize yourself with how each piece moves and the unique moves like castling, en passant, and pawn promotion. Knowing the rules will help you see the bigger picture on the board.

2. Learn Piece Values

Each chess piece has a value that can guide you in exchanges. Generally, pawns are worth 1 point, knights and bishops 3, rooks 5, and the queen 9. While the king has no numeric value, as it can’t be captured, understanding these values will help you make better decisions about which pieces to keep and which to exchange.

3. Control the Center

The four central squares on the board (e4, e5, d4, and d5) are crucial in controlling the game. By placing your pawns and pieces to influence these squares, you’ll gain more mobility and limit your opponent’s options. A strong center allows for more flexibility and a solid foundation for attacks.

4. Develop All Your Pieces Early

A common mistake for beginners is focusing too much on just a few pieces, especially the queen. Instead, work on developing all your pieces, especially knights and bishops, as soon as possible. This will give you more options for attacking and defending.

5. Don’t Move the Same Piece Multiple Times Early On

In the opening phase, avoid moving the same piece multiple times unless necessary. Moving one piece repeatedly wastes valuable time that could be used to bring other pieces into the game. Strive for efficiency in the early moves to maximize your control over the board.

6. Protect Your King

Never neglect the safety of your king. One of the best ways to ensure this is by castling early, which moves the king to a safer position and connects your rooks. Avoid leaving your king exposed to direct threats, as it can lead to a quick loss.

7. Be Cautious with Pawn Moves

Pawns are the only pieces that cannot move backward, so think carefully before advancing them. Reckless pawn moves can create weaknesses in your defense, especially around your king. A solid pawn structure is crucial for a strong defense and effective control over the board.

8. Consider the Opponent’s Threats

Chess is not just about executing your own plans but also about responding to your opponent’s moves. Every time your opponent moves, take a moment to consider what they’re trying to accomplish. This habit will help you anticipate threats and avoid costly mistakes.

9. Practice Basic Tactics

Tactics are short-term sequences of moves that can give you a decisive advantage. Learning common tactics, such as forks, pins, skewers, and discovered attacks, can help you find clever ways to gain material or put your opponent in difficult positions. Practicing tactics can give you an edge even over more experienced players.

10. Analyze Your Games

After each game, especially if you’ve lost, take some time to review it. Look for mistakes, missed opportunities, and areas where you can improve. Many online chess platforms provide game analysis tools to help you understand your weaknesses and strengths. Reflecting on your games is one of the fastest ways to improve.

Final Note: Learning from a Grandmaster

For those serious about taking their chess skills to the next level, learning from an experienced player is invaluable. Grandmaster chess coach Valery Filippov offers online chess lessons tailored to players of all levels. His insights can help you understand complex strategies, refine your openings, and improve your endgame skills. With his guidance, you can progress faster and develop a solid foundation to enjoy chess at a higher level.

[chesstrainer24]

5 Reasons Why Learning Chess Online is Perfect for Busy Minds

In today’s fast-paced world, it can be challenging to find time for hobbies or activities that require focus and concentration. Chess, a game that requires strategic thinking and mental agility, is often seen as a pastime for those with plenty of free time. However, with the rise of online chess learning, busy individuals now have the opportunity to sharpen their minds and improve their chess skills without sacrificing their hectic schedules. Whether you’re an experienced player or a beginner, learning chess online offers flexibility, convenience, and a personalized experience that fits into even the busiest of routines. In this blog, we’ll explore the top 5 reasons why learning chess online is perfect for busy minds.

Flexible Chess Learning: Fit Chess into Your Busy Schedule

Why Learn Chess Online: Flexibility is Key

One of the primary benefits of online chess classes is the flexibility they offer. Traditional chess lessons often require students to follow a strict schedule, which can be difficult to maintain if you have a demanding job, family commitments, or other responsibilities. On the other hand, online chess platforms allow you to learn at your own pace, whenever and wherever it suits you.

With online chess for busy people, you have the freedom to choose when to play and study. You can fit in a quick 15-minute lesson during your lunch break, or spend an hour learning new strategies after work. This flexibility allows you to progress in your chess skills without feeling overwhelmed by the demands of a busy life.

Time-Saving Chess Classes

Another advantage of learning chess online is the ability to save time. Time-saving chess classes are designed to be efficient, providing you with concise lessons that maximize learning in minimal time. This way, you don’t have to spend hours commuting to a chess club or classroom – all you need is a device with internet access, and you’re good to go. Whether you’re at home, in a café, or during your commute, online chess lessons can easily fit into your day.

Chess Learning for Busy Minds: Mental Stimulation on Your Terms

Benefits of Online Chess Classes: Engage Your Mind Anytime

Chess learning for busy minds is an ideal way to keep your brain sharp and engaged. Many people struggle to find time for intellectual stimulation outside of their work, and learning chess online provides a way to challenge your mind in a focused and structured manner. The beauty of online chess for busy people is that you can fit it into your schedule without pressure.

Studies show that chess helps improve cognitive abilities such as problem-solving, pattern recognition, and strategic thinking. These skills transfer well to other areas of life, making chess an excellent tool for personal development. By learning chess online, you’re not only improving your game but also exercising your brain and enhancing your mental agility.

Play Chess Online for Beginners: A Perfect Starting Point

If you’re new to chess and have a packed schedule, playing chess online for beginners is an ideal way to get started. Many online chess platforms offer step-by-step tutorials and beginner-friendly lessons, allowing you to gradually build your skills without feeling overwhelmed. You can start with simple puzzles and strategies, then move on to more complex tactics as your understanding of the game deepens. The flexible chess learning process ensures that you can progress at your own pace, no matter how busy your life may be.

Access to the Best Online Chess Programs

Online Chess Coaching Advantages: Learn from the Best

When you choose to learn chess online, you gain access to top-tier chess coaches and resources that might not be available in your local area. Best online chess programs offer coaching from grandmasters, chess masters, and other highly skilled players. This access allows you to learn from the best, no matter where you live.

Moreover, online chess coaching advantages extend beyond just having access to expert teachers. Online programs often include interactive features, such as personalized feedback, video tutorials, and real-time analysis of your games. These resources are designed to give you a comprehensive understanding of chess while accommodating your busy lifestyle.

Why Choose Online Chess: Expert Guidance at Your Fingertips

One of the key reasons why online chess is such a great option for busy people is the availability of expert guidance right at your fingertips. With online chess coaching, you can get personalized lessons that cater to your skill level and learning goals. Whether you’re looking to improve your opening game, master endgames, or develop advanced tactics, online chess programs provide tailored content to help you succeed.

Continue Reading: https://chesstrainer.com/5-reasons-why-learning-chess-online-is-perfect-for-busy-minds/

[mapsontheweb]

How many top 300 Chess Grandmasters are in each country.