Triggerfish Tuesday – Notation Pads & The Full Charlie Experience

This past Tuesday, Alyssa graced us with her presence — a rare and slightly suspicious occurrence. Rumour has it that provincials are only a week away, and suddenly chess fitness has become a priority.

She arrived armed with a notation pad and a serious expression — which immediately attracted the attention of Alex, who is always keen to test himself against players who look like they mean business. A gentle nudge from Sven confirmed it: this was happening.

Game one went as expected — Alex took the win — but Sven, clearly invested in the outcome, introduced a new twist:
Each player got a few “ask a friend” lifelines.
Alyssa: 3.
Alex: 2.

Because nothing says “serious preparation” like a bit of controlled chaos.

Meanwhile, Naomi positioned herself strategically nearby to offer Alyssa “moral support”… which mostly involved getting repeatedly crushed by Sven in the background. Strangely, nobody offered her any moral support while she was being dismantled by what is now widely accepted as The Helderberg Beast.

At another table, Reggie and Tian were locked in a battle so intense it was almost silent. No chatter. No distractions. Just the occasional sigh… or muttered swear word. They barely looked up when anyone arrived — a sure sign that things were serious.

Then Charlie arrived — slightly late, but in excellent spirits and fully committed to delivering the Outdoor Charlie Experience™.

This time, Philip was the lucky participant.

What followed was a complete contrast to the silent war happening inside:
Non-stop chatter, laughter, commentary, and a surprisingly fun game of chess.

By the end of it, Philip made a bold declaration:

He’s never playing inside again.

Turns out chess against Charlie — who talks more than most people think — is actually a great time.

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😆 Summary

• 📓 Alyssa arrived serious (provincials energy activated).
• ♟️ Alex accepted the challenge (with lifelines involved).
• 💀 Naomi provided “moral support” while being crushed repeatedly.
• 🤫 Reggie vs Tian = silent intensity (with occasional swearing).
• 🚬 Charlie delivered the full outdoor experience.
• 😂 Philip discovered that chess + chatter = surprisingly fun.

Lesson of the evening:
There are two types of chess at Triggerfish:
Silent suffering… or the full Charlie experience. ♟️😄