Game of Kings

I took my good chessboard out today with the hopes of enticing the boys into playing a game with their old man.  It worked.  It worked better than I hoped for.  I use it as a way to get a read on each of them.  I like to see how they think.  I like to see them create and pursue a strategy.  It is sort of like poker.  I can read their expressions.  I can see the wheels turning.  Sure, the boys play Texas Hold 'em.  It's not the same as good old fashioned draw poker.  It's not the old west.  The boys play Texas Hold 'em with their friends, but it is the TV version.  They wear their shades.  Their hoodies.  Earphones.
     My plan worked.  I had really good games with both of them.  I must say that Caz and I had our Searching for Bobby Fischer moment.  I could really read into him.  I could tell from the choice of picking to go last, that he was planning on playing a defensive strategy.  He was planning to react to my moves.  I wanted to push him.  I played much more of an attacking strategy that I normally do.  I am not saying I was throwing the game.  But my main agenda was playing a game to make Caz uncomfortable.  I wanted to challenge him to make him think.  He did that and more.  I pushed the attack.  I left some holes.  I wanted to see if he would take them.  He took some.  He left others.  He really put a lot of thought into each move.  I almost wished we were playing speed chess at certain points.  But it was fun watching him check the board.  And yes, by the way, he won.