THE INTERPLANETARY CHESS CONGRESS 225
‘ But look at the queue I What are you thinking about ? Of course you’ll be beaten.’ ' Don’t you worry your head about that. We can talk about that later. Meantime attend to your business.’ An hour later there were thirty-five roubles in the till. The pubhc in the club-room was growing excited. ‘ Now, shut the cash desk. Hand over the money, and listen to me. Here are five roubles. Go to the landing-stage, hire a boat for two hours, and wait for me by the shore a httle beyond the warehouse. You and I will then go for a row somewhere about mid night. And, whatever you do, don’t worry about me, for I’m in very good form.’ The champion walked into the club-room. He was feehng very pleased with himself, for he knew that his first move P—K4 did not present any difficulty. He was very hazy about the other moves, but that did not disturb the great schemer. He knew how to save himself even in the most difficult situation. The champion was met with applause. The room had been decorated with a number of multi-coloured paper flags left over from a party held by the Life Saving Society. Bender bowed, held up his hand to check the ap plause, and walked on to the platform. ' Comrades ! ’ he said in an eloquent voice. ‘ Com rades and chess brothers ! The subject of my lecture to-day is the same as the lecture I delivered a week ago in Nizhni-Novgorod, not without considerable success, if I may say so. The subject of my address is “ The Fruitful Idea ”. Now, comrades, what is an idea ? An idea is human thought expressed in a logical chess form. With almost negligible talent you can gain a mastery over the whole of the chess-board. Every thing depends on the separate individual. For instance look at that fair man over there in the third row. Let us assume that he plays well----- ’ 15
