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| | ==Explanation== | | ==Explanation== |
| − | In this comic, [[Cueball]] finds his game of chess against [[Megan]] to be too difficult, and he attempts to tap his subconscious to find his next move. This is a common technique used in more physical competitions like baseball or golf, where overthinking can interfere with one's motion and thus "clearing one's mind" and relying on the subconscious is useful to overcome such mental barriers. However, chess is more a game of planning and strategy than natural movement, and the rules of chess are not ingrained into Cueball's subconscious, and so his subconscious ends up feeding him invalid moves and beginner questions concerning movement rules.
| + | {{w|Chess}} is a board game in which two players take turns to move a variety of different units to try and capture the other player's "king." Chess has a lively tournament scene, and takes much practice to attain a competent level of skill in the game. Different units can move and capture in different ways; pawns can only move forward by one square unless it's their first move, in which case they can move up two squares, but they can only capture by moving diagonally unless they perform an {{w|En Passant}} in which they move around an opposing pawn that had moved forward two squares on the previous turn. |
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| − | {{w|Chess}} is a {{w|board game}} in which two players take turns to move a variety of {{w|Chess piece|different pieces}} representing units on a battlefield to try to {{w|checkmate}} the other player's {{w|King (chess)|king}}. Chess has a lively tournament scene, and it takes much practice to attain a {{w|Chess title|competent level of skill}} in the game. Different pieces can move and capture in different ways; {{w|Pawn (chess)|pawns}} can only move forward by one square unless it's their {{w|Chess opening|first move}}, in which case they can move up two squares. They can only capture by moving diagonally, including when capturing ''{{w|En passant|en passant}}'', in which case they move behind an opposing pawn that had moved forward two squares on the previous turn. Other pieces have different rules. | + | Other pieces have similar rules. {{w|Obi-Wan Kenobi}} is a character from the movie series {{w|Star Wars}} who played the mentor figure to the protagonist, {{w|Luke Skywalker}}. One of his pieces of advice to his mentee was to relax and listen to his subconscious in strenuous times. |
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| − | Cueballs subconscious instructs him to play the move "Knight to G-4". Chess uses a {{w|Algebraic notation (chess)|coordinate system}} to mark specific squares. The letters A through H represent the X line, and the numbers one through eight are the Y line. There are three reasons a {{w|Knight (chess)|Knight}} to G-4 could be an illegal move. The first being that the Knight couldn't travel to the space (as Knights movement is limited to a select few squares on any given turn). The second reason being that it could bring his King into {{w|Check (chess)|Check}}. If the Knight is {{w|Pin (chess)|blocking (or pinned by)}} something like a {{w| Rook (chess)|Rook}} from attacking the King, then moving the Knight and allowing the King to be attacked is illegal. The third reason would be that another piece of the same color is already in that square, which doesnt allow the Knight to move there.
| + | [[Cueball]] finds his game of chess against [[Megan]] to be too difficult, and attempts to tap his subconscious to find his next move. The rules of chess are not ingrained into his subconscious however, and so his subconscious ends up feeding him invalid moves and beginner questions concerning movement rules. |
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| − | {{w|Obi-Wan Kenobi}} is a character from the movie series ''{{w|Star Wars}}'' who played the mentor figure to the protagonist, {{w|Luke Skywalker}}. One of his pieces of advice to his mentee was to relax and listen to his subconscious in strenuous times. However, Obi-Wan gave this advice because Luke was connected to {{w|The Force}}, a mystical energy in the ''Star Wars'' universe that connects to the entire universe; not being a part of the ''Star Wars'' universe, Cueball is unable to tap into it. The Force does have similarities to real-life concepts used in various Eastern philosophies, but they are not typically used to play chess, for the same reasons given above.
| + | In the title text, Cueball attempts to follow another item of Obi-Wan's advice, but is limited by his inability to visualize an entire chessboard in his mind. |
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| − | The title text refers to a scene in the chess movie ''{{w|Searching for Bobby Fischer}}'', in which Sir Ben Kingsley's character dramatically sweeps the pieces off the board and instructs his student to see the pieces in his mind, which the child proceeds to do. Randall considers this impractical, presumably for similar reasons as the Obi-Wan example.
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| | ==Transcript== | | ==Transcript== |
| − | :[Cueball and Megan are playing chess; Cueball is leaning forward over the chessboard.] | + | :Cueball: Why is chess so hard? Maybe the answers lie within me. Maybe I just need to let go, relax, and let my instincts and subconscious speak. |
| − | :Cueball (thinking): Why is chess so hard? Maybe the answers lie within me. Maybe I just need to let go, relax, and let my instincts and subconscious speak.
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| − | :[Cueball leans back and places his hands to his head.]
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| | :''Meditate'' | | :''Meditate'' |
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| | :Cueball's subconscious: Knight to G-4 | | :Cueball's subconscious: Knight to G-4 |
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| − | :[Beat panel.]
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| | :Cueball: That's not even a legal move. | | :Cueball: That's not even a legal move. |
| − | :Cueball's subconscious: Okay, hold on. How do the pawns capture, again? | + | :Cueball's Subconscious: Okay, hold on. How do the pawns capture, again? |
| | :Cueball: Man, Obi-Wan was full of crap. | | :Cueball: Man, Obi-Wan was full of crap. |
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| | [[Category:Comics featuring Megan]] | | [[Category:Comics featuring Megan]] |
| | [[Category:Chess]] | | [[Category:Chess]] |
| − | [[Category:Star Wars]]
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