Poul is a grown-up. When I play chess with Poul, I really try to win. It’s tough to accept when he’s cornered my king and shakes my hand and says “good game”. I smile graciously, always the elegant loser, but inside I want to send my stealth weapons to bomb his backyard or stick out a foot and make him trip (not really, but you know).
When I play with Rada, however, its hard to take it very seriously. She jumps up and down when her favorite piece gets to move. She makes a face when I take her piece or growls when I do something she doesn’t want. And she has her king and queen play lovey-dovey while waiting their turn. Rada likes to win, but mostly chess is a just a way to pass the afternoon.
Though we appear all relaxed and easy going on the outside, Poul and I are deadly earnest, each in it to win. But Rada plays it as something to do: a diversion.