I am a knight. Not a green bean wrapped in tin-foil, a knight. I fight battles, darting across the field, toppling the ever-teetering bishops, bumping the scared little pawns onto their faces. I fight to win. I am Triumph, a beautiful black Fresian. My image is carved on many fine horses. My story is simple: fight to win, win for the king. My days as a warrior will never be over. I dart across the field, striking terror in the hearts of anyone who tries to take my king. I fight with my army, for a knight’s purpose is to serve.

                I love a good fight. The king will always stay safe when I am on the field. If not, well, in some long forgotten corner of the world you will find me, ashamed of failing my master. But that has yet to happen. I have galloped up to enemy kings and made them hurl down their crown. They quaver before Triumph, the knight who wins every battle for his master. At night I will return to lush green fields and talk with my fellow warriors. Like me, they would never dream of failing the queen.

                I have won innumerable battles. I’ve pranced over to millions of pawns and kicked them to the ground. I have whinied at many a solemn bishop and made him flee in terror. I have poked fun at the towers, who think they are so strong, and watched them crumple in the dust. I have nickered at countless queens and observed them faint in terror. I have… well, I have made enemy knights gallop away as fast as they could. As for the best, I have trapped thousands of kings in their own plans, and like a bird taking a fly from a spider, plucked off their shiny crowns.

                I know the importance of strategy.  I have obeyed my king’s orders and followed queens, pawns, rooks, knights, and bishops, waiting to pounce. I have protected my queen as only a knight can. I have won. It is a sensation to see a king fall dead at your hooves, captured and hopeless, sad and dead. My king and queen praise me, the bishops pray prayers of praise, the pawns stand on their heads in joy, (I don’t understand why they do that.) I have seen a rook blow a joyful trumpet. I have heard the king say: “Well done, Triumph,” I am proud to be a knight.

                Knights are brave, strong and clever. I have had to be bait for a queen, and I only just escaped. I have had to stand in the way of a queen for my king. I have pranced right into a bishop, I have twirled into a tower. I have had to lurk in the shadows to conquer a rogue knight. I have had to defend my army.

                And how do I do this all, my friends? It is an art, the art of chess.