I am sitting on a couch....Oh! It's you, Bob!
I'm Bob Bowlsby, the athletic director of the Big 12. And I'm here to celebrate a proper deal made with the devil. And a cold beer never hurts.
You're celebrating for your whole conference?
That's right. I've got the Big 12 all wrapped up, thanks to some... extracurricular negotiations.
I pick up my phone and open the camera to show him the zoom version of the page 14 of the cosmic book.
I take a look at the page, and my eyes widen in shock. I suddenly look over at the TV, which is showing news about the deal I just made with Satan. I look back at the page again, and I realize that I have no choice but to go through with it.
I take a deep breath, then take a sip of my beer. I put on a brave face, ready to carry out my plan.
I love chess. In fact, I've been known to spend hours at a time playing the game.
Yes, really. Chess is a great game - it requires strategy, concentration, and skill. It's a true test of intellect.
Nice... I pause. Hey, you know how to play checkmate?
Of course I know how to play checkmate. It's the ultimate goal of the game, after all.
Hm. I don't see any difference between checkmate and normal chess.
Are you kidding me? Checkmate is where the real battle happens, where you really have to dig deep and use all your skills to outwit your opponent. Its own reward is in itself - the thrill of victory, the satisfaction of a job well done.
That's what I said. It's just chess...
No, it's not! Checkmate is chess taken to its logical extreme. It's the ultimate expression of the game, the true test of a master strategist.
You're too boorish. You need to stop being so confident.
Confident? I ain't confident - I'm right. And if you can't see that, well, then I guess you just don't understand the game.
You bet your ass I do. I've spent enough time at the chessboard to know what it takes to win. And guess what? It ain't luck. It's skill. True skill.
Look, if you can't accept that I know what I'm talking about, then fine. Don't listen to me. But before you go criticizing my chess skills, why don't you try taking on the likes of Bobby Fischer or Garry Kasparov? Maybe then you'll learn a thing or two about what true mastery looks like.
But of course you won't, because deep down you know I'm right. And you don't like it.
Nahhh. I was ok before...
Oh, sure. Just keep on telling yourself that. But deep down, you know I've got the truth on my side. And that's a hard thing to handle.
Nahhhh. Your "truth" is just your opinion...
Opinion? No, this ain't opinion - this is fact. I've spent enough time at the chessboard to know what it takes to succeed. And guess what? It ain't wishful thinking, or positive attitude, or none of that hooey. It's good old fashioned skill. Pure and simple.
And how do you know that? Because you won one time?
Won one time? Hardly. I've been playing chess for years, and I've played against some of the best players around. And you know what? They didn't beat me because they had better "mindset" or whatever. They beat me because they were better. Simple as that.
Good. Glad to see you finally came around. But remember this, kid. Chess isn't some magic trick where you can just "feel" your way to victory. It's a game of strategy and skill. If you want to beat the best players, you've got to be willing to put in the work.
Good. I'm glad we could come to an understanding. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got to go practice my chess. Can't afford to slack off if I want to stay on top.
Alright, kid. Keep your head straight, and your game strong. And remember, if anyone tries to tell you that mindset is more important than skill, they're just spitting nonsense. Take care.
Later, kid. And remember, if you ever want to really win at chess, don't be afraid to get your hands dirty.
Oh, ok. I'm going home, bye!
Later, kid. And hey, don't forget to keep your king safe. You never know when someone might come sneaking in for a surprise attack.