Post by Centurion on Dec 5, 2020 21:35:15 GMT -5
(We open up in a dark room. A single spotlight is lit, and it shines on Centurion, who walks closer to the camera. He is wearing a high priced suit black and white suit and, in a new twist, he is also wearing a formal hat with the insignia of royalty on it. Centurion gets in front of the camera, adjusts his tie, and outstretches his arms.)
Centurion: The game tonight...is chess.
(The lights in the room all turn on at once.)
Centurion: Chess is an interesting game. To its basic core, it's incredibly simple - you move your pieces around the board, and you try to take the opponent's King. Along the way, you have to not only take down your opponent's defenses, but also put yourself in a position where your opponent can't take you King. Simple.
So why is it considered one of the most "intellectual" games on the planet? Why has it been studied by masters over many centuries, and played among world leaders and dignitaries as a sign of friendly competition?
That's because the goal can be simple, but the strategy is incredibly complex. Not to dissimilar to professional wrestling. You have one goal - beat your opponent. How do you do that? Aye, now that's where the simplicity ends.
(Centurion walks forward, and as he does, he approaches a long table. This table has four chess boards on it, each with different pieces in different positions. There are four figures, masked in shadow, on one side of the table, while Centurion stands on the other.)
Centurion: Four people. Four boards. All with the same goal, and yet, four completely different games.
(A spotlight turns on at the figure closest to Centurion, and an actress dressed to look like Angelica Vaughn, is sitting on the other side of the table. In front of her is her chess set. Her king has not moved, but many of the other big pieces have, including her queen, which is on the offensive toward Centurion's side of the board. Some of Cent's pieces are gone, and some of Angie's pieces are gone, but nothing notable that really affects the outcome of the game.
Centurion: First, we have the Angie Vaughn Strategy. It's an "all or nothing" approach. Throw everything you have at your opponent in the shortest amount of time possible, and hope you can get in and out with a victory in a few minutes. It's very much the same strategy used in Speed Chess. In chess, the idea is to catch a player off guard, and not give them any time to develop a strategy of their own. In professional wrestling, it's to secure a win when you still have all your energy and strength. In Angie's case, it's because she's light. The longer the match goes on, the more of a disadvantage she is in.
And that strategy has paid off quite a few times, including getting Angie a World Title run, as well as just recently winning the Cross-Hemisphere Championship. There is one major flaw in this strategy, though. And it's a pretty simple one to see.
(Centurion grabs a rook from his side of the board and moves it down to "Angie's" side, putting her in check. With no defenses to speak of, Angie is forced to move her queen to her side of the board, leaving the rest of her attacking pieces vulnerable.)
Centurion: If you're going to implement that kind of strategy, you better be sure you can pull it off, and you have to hope your opponent doesn't know what you're doing. I have faced Angie enough times to know exactly what her strategy is and how she's going to come after all her opponents. This strategy may be why she wins a lot, but it's also why she goes on long losing streaks. It doesn't work against folks who have seen you close up numerous times. Angie and Lucy were able to win last week, but that victory came at the cost of showing off more of Angie's arsonal, and now that we're in a match that actually means something, I doubt it was worth it. Game number two.
(The spotlight goes down on "Angie" and raises on an actor that looks like Phrixus Deimos. He has his King all the way in the left corner of the board, with his queen next to it and some other bigger pieces surrounding it. The pawns are lined up in front, as well, though his entire right side of the board is gone, including several pawns, a rook, and a bishop.)
Centurion: This is the strategy of Prixus...Proxy...fucking hell…
(Centurion reaches into his jacket pocket and pulls out a note card.)
Centurion: "Frixus Deamos". Fuck it, I'm just going to call him Paul.
(Centurion puts the note card back in his pocket.)
Centurion: This is the Paul Strategy. Defense, defense, defense. After all, you can't win the game if you can't take your opponent's King. It makes a lot of sense...except, it's also not a winning strategy. If you never attack, all you're doing is waiting for your own death. It may take a while, but eventually…
(Centurion takes his Queen from his side of the board and takes "Phrixus'" Rook that is right in front of his King. With a Rook of his own in parallel to his Queen, Centurion has officially checkmated "Phrixus".)
Centurion: All it takes is one move to collapse your defenses and ruin your entire game. Paul is in between a rock and a hard place. He can not win by using his normal strategies, and yet, he's not skilled enough to try something new on the fly. Not against this talent. Paul is in way over his head, and that will become very clear the moment the rubber hits the road. Next game.
(The spotlight lowers on "Phrixus" and raised on an actor who looks like Konrad Raab. His pieces are spread out, with some on the offensive and some on the defensive. He has good, solid positions on the board. His King has been castled, and his Queen is controlling the middle of the board.)
Centurion: That brings me to the Konrad Raab Strategy. It is the most well rounded strategy you can possibly implement. Use certain pieces to attack the board, while keeping your King fully protected. The equivalent in professional wrestling would to just be an all arounder. Pick your spots, attack where you need to, and let the match play out in front of you. It's Pro Wrestling 101. Hell, it's the very basic strategy you learn in every sport, every game, everywhere. And you learn it because it works.
And for Konrad, it has yielded mixed results. Has he won matches? Certainly. You'll average about 50/50. You'll best weaker opponents. But you'll also hamstring yourself. In order to be great - to be EXCEPTIONAL- you have to take risks.
(Centurion takes his Queen and moves it all the way to the other end of the board, taking one of "Konrad's" bishops. It does not put him in check, but another one of his pieces is gone, and he is in no position to retaliate.)
Centurion: Bad players use bad strategies. Great players use great strategies. But mediocre players use good strategies against great players, and until they learn to be better, they will never get to the top. Finally…
(Centurion walks away from "Konrad" as the spotlight lowers. He walks up to the final shadowed figure, but the light does not yet turn on.)
Centurion: You have four players. One is going on an all out offensive. One is doing everything he can to protect himself. And one is using an effective, all be it basic, strategy. If you're a champion, and you see all of this coming at you, what do you do? What strategy can Dave Rydell use in order to fight back against this? He can't use the same strategies as the other combatants. He also knows some know it all prick, such as myself, is watching his every move in an attempt to gain an advantage. So, how does Dave get a leg up? Simple...he plays a completely different game.
(The spotlight comes on, with the shadowy figure being revealed as a Dave Rydell actor; however, all of his chess pieces have been replaced with checkers.)
Centurion: I will say a lot of things about Dave Rydell, but one thing he isn't is dumb. While the rest of the roster is worried about "strategies", Dave plans for chaos. He loves keeping people on their toes. It's why he's won so many titles. It's why he has Konrad Raab's number - while Konrad is worried about how to win a match within the confines of a match, Dave is taking all of the known structures and throwing them against the wall. You can't beat a man like that using the same old, tried and true methods. So, what do you do? Well…
(In one fluid motion, Centurion takes his hand and hits underneath the board, causing the board and all the checkers to go flying into the air.)
Centurion: You eliminate him, and you do so using any means necessary. You say "to Hell" with all those so called rules, and you get into it. You get into the mud. And if someone says you're "stopping to their level", you slap them in the face.
I can't speak for any of these other wrestlers, but I know I have worked too damn hard to allow myself to be punked out. I have one goal in mind, and one goal only - becoming the Cross-Hemisphere Champion. And if that means I have to be less than nice, then so be it.
Kings. Queens. Checkers. In the end, they're all just pieces. They are only as valuable as the player who wields them. Some folks can do more with one pawn than others can with an entire board. And in the game that is professional wrestling, there isn't a more experienced Grand Master than me.
And I have more than pawns. I have a board full of Queens.
I look forward to walking out of Horizons as the Cross-Hemisphere Champion. I look forward to all the UGWC "purists" complaining about an "outsider" winning a title at the biggest show of the year. And I look forward to seeing the look on my opponents faces when they realize they are about to meet their…
FINAL FANTASY!!!
Centurion: The game tonight...is chess.
(The lights in the room all turn on at once.)
Centurion: Chess is an interesting game. To its basic core, it's incredibly simple - you move your pieces around the board, and you try to take the opponent's King. Along the way, you have to not only take down your opponent's defenses, but also put yourself in a position where your opponent can't take you King. Simple.
So why is it considered one of the most "intellectual" games on the planet? Why has it been studied by masters over many centuries, and played among world leaders and dignitaries as a sign of friendly competition?
That's because the goal can be simple, but the strategy is incredibly complex. Not to dissimilar to professional wrestling. You have one goal - beat your opponent. How do you do that? Aye, now that's where the simplicity ends.
(Centurion walks forward, and as he does, he approaches a long table. This table has four chess boards on it, each with different pieces in different positions. There are four figures, masked in shadow, on one side of the table, while Centurion stands on the other.)
Centurion: Four people. Four boards. All with the same goal, and yet, four completely different games.
(A spotlight turns on at the figure closest to Centurion, and an actress dressed to look like Angelica Vaughn, is sitting on the other side of the table. In front of her is her chess set. Her king has not moved, but many of the other big pieces have, including her queen, which is on the offensive toward Centurion's side of the board. Some of Cent's pieces are gone, and some of Angie's pieces are gone, but nothing notable that really affects the outcome of the game.
Centurion: First, we have the Angie Vaughn Strategy. It's an "all or nothing" approach. Throw everything you have at your opponent in the shortest amount of time possible, and hope you can get in and out with a victory in a few minutes. It's very much the same strategy used in Speed Chess. In chess, the idea is to catch a player off guard, and not give them any time to develop a strategy of their own. In professional wrestling, it's to secure a win when you still have all your energy and strength. In Angie's case, it's because she's light. The longer the match goes on, the more of a disadvantage she is in.
And that strategy has paid off quite a few times, including getting Angie a World Title run, as well as just recently winning the Cross-Hemisphere Championship. There is one major flaw in this strategy, though. And it's a pretty simple one to see.
(Centurion grabs a rook from his side of the board and moves it down to "Angie's" side, putting her in check. With no defenses to speak of, Angie is forced to move her queen to her side of the board, leaving the rest of her attacking pieces vulnerable.)
Centurion: If you're going to implement that kind of strategy, you better be sure you can pull it off, and you have to hope your opponent doesn't know what you're doing. I have faced Angie enough times to know exactly what her strategy is and how she's going to come after all her opponents. This strategy may be why she wins a lot, but it's also why she goes on long losing streaks. It doesn't work against folks who have seen you close up numerous times. Angie and Lucy were able to win last week, but that victory came at the cost of showing off more of Angie's arsonal, and now that we're in a match that actually means something, I doubt it was worth it. Game number two.
(The spotlight goes down on "Angie" and raises on an actor that looks like Phrixus Deimos. He has his King all the way in the left corner of the board, with his queen next to it and some other bigger pieces surrounding it. The pawns are lined up in front, as well, though his entire right side of the board is gone, including several pawns, a rook, and a bishop.)
Centurion: This is the strategy of Prixus...Proxy...fucking hell…
(Centurion reaches into his jacket pocket and pulls out a note card.)
Centurion: "Frixus Deamos". Fuck it, I'm just going to call him Paul.
(Centurion puts the note card back in his pocket.)
Centurion: This is the Paul Strategy. Defense, defense, defense. After all, you can't win the game if you can't take your opponent's King. It makes a lot of sense...except, it's also not a winning strategy. If you never attack, all you're doing is waiting for your own death. It may take a while, but eventually…
(Centurion takes his Queen from his side of the board and takes "Phrixus'" Rook that is right in front of his King. With a Rook of his own in parallel to his Queen, Centurion has officially checkmated "Phrixus".)
Centurion: All it takes is one move to collapse your defenses and ruin your entire game. Paul is in between a rock and a hard place. He can not win by using his normal strategies, and yet, he's not skilled enough to try something new on the fly. Not against this talent. Paul is in way over his head, and that will become very clear the moment the rubber hits the road. Next game.
(The spotlight lowers on "Phrixus" and raised on an actor who looks like Konrad Raab. His pieces are spread out, with some on the offensive and some on the defensive. He has good, solid positions on the board. His King has been castled, and his Queen is controlling the middle of the board.)
Centurion: That brings me to the Konrad Raab Strategy. It is the most well rounded strategy you can possibly implement. Use certain pieces to attack the board, while keeping your King fully protected. The equivalent in professional wrestling would to just be an all arounder. Pick your spots, attack where you need to, and let the match play out in front of you. It's Pro Wrestling 101. Hell, it's the very basic strategy you learn in every sport, every game, everywhere. And you learn it because it works.
And for Konrad, it has yielded mixed results. Has he won matches? Certainly. You'll average about 50/50. You'll best weaker opponents. But you'll also hamstring yourself. In order to be great - to be EXCEPTIONAL- you have to take risks.
(Centurion takes his Queen and moves it all the way to the other end of the board, taking one of "Konrad's" bishops. It does not put him in check, but another one of his pieces is gone, and he is in no position to retaliate.)
Centurion: Bad players use bad strategies. Great players use great strategies. But mediocre players use good strategies against great players, and until they learn to be better, they will never get to the top. Finally…
(Centurion walks away from "Konrad" as the spotlight lowers. He walks up to the final shadowed figure, but the light does not yet turn on.)
Centurion: You have four players. One is going on an all out offensive. One is doing everything he can to protect himself. And one is using an effective, all be it basic, strategy. If you're a champion, and you see all of this coming at you, what do you do? What strategy can Dave Rydell use in order to fight back against this? He can't use the same strategies as the other combatants. He also knows some know it all prick, such as myself, is watching his every move in an attempt to gain an advantage. So, how does Dave get a leg up? Simple...he plays a completely different game.
(The spotlight comes on, with the shadowy figure being revealed as a Dave Rydell actor; however, all of his chess pieces have been replaced with checkers.)
Centurion: I will say a lot of things about Dave Rydell, but one thing he isn't is dumb. While the rest of the roster is worried about "strategies", Dave plans for chaos. He loves keeping people on their toes. It's why he's won so many titles. It's why he has Konrad Raab's number - while Konrad is worried about how to win a match within the confines of a match, Dave is taking all of the known structures and throwing them against the wall. You can't beat a man like that using the same old, tried and true methods. So, what do you do? Well…
(In one fluid motion, Centurion takes his hand and hits underneath the board, causing the board and all the checkers to go flying into the air.)
Centurion: You eliminate him, and you do so using any means necessary. You say "to Hell" with all those so called rules, and you get into it. You get into the mud. And if someone says you're "stopping to their level", you slap them in the face.
I can't speak for any of these other wrestlers, but I know I have worked too damn hard to allow myself to be punked out. I have one goal in mind, and one goal only - becoming the Cross-Hemisphere Champion. And if that means I have to be less than nice, then so be it.
Kings. Queens. Checkers. In the end, they're all just pieces. They are only as valuable as the player who wields them. Some folks can do more with one pawn than others can with an entire board. And in the game that is professional wrestling, there isn't a more experienced Grand Master than me.
And I have more than pawns. I have a board full of Queens.
I look forward to walking out of Horizons as the Cross-Hemisphere Champion. I look forward to all the UGWC "purists" complaining about an "outsider" winning a title at the biggest show of the year. And I look forward to seeing the look on my opponents faces when they realize they are about to meet their…
FINAL FANTASY!!!