Sunday, July 11, 2004

I am not left-handed!

You know how in chess, there are openings and defenses and endgames and strategies that are named for the chess masters who created them? Like Will Duquette, I always assumed that William Goldman was parodying that kind of thing in the duel between Westley and Inigo Montoya in The Princess Bride:

Their swords cross, then again, again, and the sound comes so fast it's almost continual. Inigo presses on, the Man In Black retreating up a rocky incline.

INIGO
(thrilled)

You're using Bonetti's defense against me, ah?

MAN IN BLACK

I thought it fitting, considering the rocky terrain --

INIGO

Naturally, you must expect me to attack with Capo Ferro --

And he shifts his style now.
MAN IN BLACK
(coping as best he can)

-- naturally --

(suddenly shifting again)

--but I find Thibault cancels out Capo Ferro, don't you?

The Man In Black is now perched at the edge of the elevated castle ruin. No where to go, he jumps to the sand. Inigo stares down at him.
INIGO

Unless the enemy has studied his Agrippa-

And now, with the grace of an Olympian, Inigo flies off the perch, somersaults clean over the Man In Black's head, and lands facing his opponent.
INIGO

-- which I have.


Well, not so! Those names are real fencing masters. Follow the link for details.

(By the way, how on Earth have I never seen Tenser, said the Tensor before?! I'll bet Sean would like this one, too.)

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