Before the fall

Cast
  • Tina: Friend of Jim and Tom
  • Jim: Think's he's God's gift to chess
  • Tom: Friend of Jim, who's just learning

Running time: 4 minutes

Props:

  • Chess board and pieces
  • Table and Chairs

(Jim and Tom are playing a game of chess. Tina enters, and begins talking to them.)

Tina: Hi, Jim. Hi Tom. Whatcha up to?

Jim: We're playing chess. Tom is trying to learn the basics. (Jim moves)

Tina: That's cool. How's it going so far, Tom?

Tom: OK, I think. (Goes to concentrating on the pieces)

Jim: He's not doing bad... for a beginner. I'm going easy on him, just to let the game go on for a while.

Tina: (unbelieving): Oh, I see. (Tom move) You're just toying with him a bit? (Jim move)

Jim: Well, that, and showing him a few things before the chess master finishes him off. (Tom move)

Tina: Chess master? Really?

Jim: (Looking at board) Hey, I'm the king of chess. He’s just a pawn. And I'm gonna win. (Move piece, Tom start concentrating again.) See, now THAT was brilliant.

Tina: You sure you want to do that?

Jim: What?

Tina: Give up your rook like that. (Tom notices that the rook is available, take it)

Tom: Oh! Thanks, Tina.

Jim: Yeah, I'm sure. I don't need that one to win. I could do this with only half the pieces. Shoot, I could win with my eyes closed!

Tina: Is that so? Well, what are you going to do now, genius?

Jim: Let's see. (move a piece) How's that, Ms. smarty pants?

Tina: If that's what you want to do.

Jim: Look, I'm good at playing chess, and I know what I'm doing. (Tom move a piece) In fact, I'm so good, I'm going to just pick a piece and move it randomly, without considering its impact. (Pick up piece, move it.) And I'm still gonna win.

Tina: OK, Jim, Ok. You don't have to brag about it.

Jim: Hey, it's not bragging, if you can back it up. And I'm going to do just that.

Tom (suprised at discover, move piece): Oh! Checkmate!

Jim: WHAT?!?

(Jim looks at the board in panic, Tina smiles.)

Tina: I guess you're not as good as you thought you were, huh, Jim.

Jim: D'oh!

(Lights out.)

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