"Oh, so now you notice it. Don't worry. I'm not this dense. It's the Viigand's you claimed you never played." Not a bad player, but not a good one, either. Just third-rate.

Silently, he started setting the pieces back to their opening positions, turning the board when he was done until he had the white pieces and the black were facing the empty seat in front of him. It was only then that he looked up at Sergievsky. He didn't make the offer, but in a way he already had.