Little did they know that the Great Pawn Hunter was busy rushing out the door, at this very moment, without a bite in his stomach...and his stomach was grumbling. He made it over to the Restless Knight's house, jumped off of his bicycle, and ran up the steps of the porch to her door. Ring went the doorbell. "That's the Great Pawn Hunter Mom," said Restless, and she moved to get up from the kitchen table. "Stay right there and finish your meal," said her mother, "I'll answer it." Her mother opened the door. However, before her mother could answer he said "Are those your award winning pancakes I smell." The Restless Knight heard him from the kitchen. She knew the Great Pawn Hunter could charm the pancakes out of any cook...she wolfed down the rest of her meal. Meanwhile, at the door, her mother smiled, to buy some time, but in the long run...she didn't stand a chance. "Come on in," she said, "and have a bite to eat."
Well, the meal disappeared in a gulp and a grumble and the Great Pawn Hunter was quick to compliment her mother on what a fine cook she was. But, the minutes were ticking by and they knew they had to get over to meet Old Maestro for the chess lesson. They took the meal for Old Maestro, ran out the door,got on their bicycles and quickly peddled down the street and disappeared out of sight.
They arrived as Old Maestro was sitting down on the picknick bench by the brook. This time he had brought his
chess board and pieces. The chess players set the pieces up for him and they began to talk.
"What is the bishop?" asked the Restless Knight. Old Maestro replied "The bishop travels
diagonally. It can not jump over other pieces if they are in its way. If you place
it on the square (e4) and place a pebble where it can move to you will discover its hidden
shape." The Restless Knight did as he asked and discovered the bishop was really an "X". Covering
a total of fourteen squares.
"Now, put the bishop on the side of the board," asked Old Maestro. She did as he asked. Old
Maestro asked "Now put a pebble on the bishop's paths and you will discover something."
She did and she discovered that on the side of the board the bishop was only half an "X". Covering
a total of only eight squares."What does this mean to me as a player?" asked Restless. Old Maestro said "What would you rather have...a full 'X' or half of an 'X'?" She said a full 'X'...Old Maestro said "That's correct, On what part of the board do you get the full 'X'?". She said "In the center." Old Maestro smiled...he knew he had got his idea across to her. "Yes," he said "and that is why you must attack the center ...so your pieces will have what?"...and the Great Pawn Hunter shouted "Full Shape!"
"When you start out the game with two bishops," said Old Maestro, "One bishop sits on a dark square. It must always travel on the dark squares. Another bishop sits on a light square. It must always stay on the light squares". He whispered again, listen and I will tell you a secret: If a dark squared bishop is lost for your opponent, then your opponent loses three points and becomes weak on the dark squares. Use your dark squared bishop to attack on those squares." The Restless Knight replied "So, the same must be true for the light squared bishop."...and she was right again. Well the lesson was over and they agreed to meet again the following day. But, not before they gave Old Maestro the pancakes that the Restless Knight's mother had made.
and the Great Pawn Hunter leaves you with this piece of wisdom: