I met Jennifer Shahade several months ago, at a sort of virtual cocktail party. She was extremely nice, and I liked her immediately. While we were chatting in a breakout room, poker and chess came up, and she mentioned that she played both. Oh cool, I thought. Wonder if she’s any good.
As it turns, out, this was something akin to meeting Serena Williams and wondering if she’s got a backhand. I learned that Shahade has a half-million dollars in poker tournament winnings and is—even more impressively—a two-time U.S. Women’s Chess Champion and Grandmaster. She has one of the top chess minds in the world, and has written multiple books on the subject.
I was thrilled when she agreed to let me interview her for GAMES WORLD OF PUZZLES. But, because I'm a glutton for self-inflicted humiliation, I also suggested we play a game of chess online. I had no delusions of winning, of course. I was just curious how it would go, and how quickly and easily she'd be able to finish me off.
Beginning with my seventh move, at which point I made a predictably amateur mistake that ultimately doomed me, it certainly felt like a housecat batting around a mouse in preparation for the kill. It took 27 moves in total to get the job
