Play real players or the computer

There are 53,716 players online now

Fifty-three thousand, seven hundred and sixteen players online! Granddad definitely wouldn’t like this. He’s so suspicious of people that he wouldn’t trust playing with one of them.

I stare at the screen. It’s the same as any of my computer games, except instead of Angry Birds jumping around an island it’s chess pieces on a board.

I click on a white pawn, move it to f4. The computer moves a black pawn to d5. I move another to g3. The computer moves one to h6. Then a box suddenly flashes up in the middle of the screen.

Glad you visited?

Sign up right now.

It’s FREE!

Dad always tells me to check with him if I want to sign up for anything, but this is free – it’s not asking for any credit card details. It wouldn’t hurt to play just once, just to see if I’m any good.

I click on the box. It asks me for a password username, usually your name and a significant date.

I type in a password, then think of a username . . .

FelixS2019?

No.

Schopp2019

No. They’re both too obvious. Jake said chess is for swots. I don’t want to be identified.

I type in ‘Bobbyfischer1972’.

Sorry, this username has been taken. Try something else.

I look around my room, see the old poster Dad gave me. That’s it!

I type in ‘Astroboy2008’.

Congratulations, you are now a member!

Select a level.

I press 1.

Computer or find a member?

Computer.

Great. Let’s begin!

We Spy

‘Astroboy2008!’ Jake laughs. ‘What were the others, Nerdforever? Geek-till-I-die?’

‘I knew I shouldn’t have told you.’

‘Too late now. But did you win?’

‘No,’ I say sheepishly.

‘What? You got beaten by a computer. Which level did you play?’

‘How do you know there are levels?’

‘There must be levels,’ he says. ‘It’s like any computer game.’

‘Oh . . . yeah.’

‘So which level was it?’

‘Umm . . . one.’

‘Ha!’ Jake laughs. ‘I told you chess was a bad idea. You best give up right now.’

I think maybe Jake is right. I should never have played. Granddad said I wasn’t ready, but maybe I’ll never be ready.

‘I might ask Granddad if we can switch to draughts,’ I say.

‘Shush . . .’ Jake waves his hand in the air. ‘One second.’ He trains his binoculars on Granddad’s house. ‘I thought I saw someone come out, but it’s just Mrs Flower nosing again.’

‘Jake,’ I sigh, ‘can’t we just stick to playing pretend war with our armies?’

‘No, this is much more fun . . . And keep watching, you know what spies are like; they can disappear into thin air.’