I have a question about episode nine...

[destructo-bot.livejournal.com]

It involves chess, and since it also involves ep. 9 plot points, I'm putting it in a cut. That's right, right? I've never posted here before. :D

I'm pretty sure you can't put yourself in check. By moving his king like that, didn't Schneizel intentionally put himself in check, and thus break the rules? Or is it excused because by having his king next to Lelouch's, Lelouch was also in check? But I thought you weren't allowed to put yourself in check even if it was to put the other person in check/checkmate... See, this is why I'm confused.

Someone who's better with the rules of chess can help, yes? This is seriously bugging me.

Oh, and I'm not sure what else to tag this as, sorry. I know, I fail at life. D:

Comments

[destructo-bot.livejournal.com]

But since you CAN'T do that... doesn't that... not count? But Lelouch played it anyway, as if it were a completely legitimate move. That's why I was confused. :[

[rainbow-cnxn.livejournal.com]

That's not the point.

I'm thinking that, in a way, Lelouch sees resorting to rules in that context as a sign of weakness. Lelouch is awfully proud when it comes to people that have a great impact on him, and Schneizel is the one person whose cunning Lelouch holds as high as his own. Schneizel turned the tables on him and made it a battle of pride instead of one of ability. And Lelouch refused to swallow the free, hollow victory.

[nokiirat.livejournal.com]

I think that that was the point. That Lelouch wouldn't accept a win that came from an illegit source; ie. Schneizel losing by the default. Schneizel comments that he learns a little of Zero's personality by that move. He says that the Emperor would have taken the win (even if it came from that illegal move.) It wouldn't be part of Lelouch's personality to say, 'you can't do that, i win'. He would have tried to think his way around it (if Nina hadn't gone nuts on him).

Hope that makes sense.

[destructo-bot.livejournal.com]

But what he was objecting to was the easy win provided from his pawn being able to take out the king; it wasn't necessarily the fact that his move was illegal, but rather because Schneizel was at a huge tactical disadvantage with that move (i.e. he was treating it as if it were legal).

Am I making sense...? Geez, I'm confusing myself again... >_>

[sevoth.livejournal.com]

The pawn really bugged me too. I mean, it was a suicide move with or without the pawn, so it's extraneous. Or is it supposed to be symbolic? (Because you know, check by pawn is a lot lousier than check by king)

[destructo-bot.livejournal.com]

Okay, I figured out a better way to say it: Lelouch was not upset because he was taking a victory from an *illegal* move, but rather because it was just a sucky, suicidal move. The fact that it's against the rules was never even brought into the equation.

Does that make more sense? Gah, I hope so. @_#