Mali wasn’t lying, she really didn’t know how to play Thai chess. Nobody had ever taught her, and she’d never read any books about it.
“Thai chess is actually pretty simple,” Uncle Prasert said with a grin. “You know your multiplication tables, right?”
“Yeah,” Mali nodded.
“Well, I’ve got a rhyme for Thai chess too. If you remember it, you’ll be fine. Listen carefully:
The guards stay near the king,50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpBQZrqSVJ7
The horse jumps clean,50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv1Vtt4POSj
The rook runs straight,50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZIya2t8wEv
The cannon strikes great.50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuz2hQwF02G
Soldiers march one step at a time,50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp5a5YWNnGC
Pushing forward, holding the line.”
“Now let me break it down,” Uncle Prasert said. “The King is the heart of the board—you can’t let it get trapped. The guards stick close, only moving diagonally. The horse jumps in an L-shape. The rook runs straight as far as it can. The cannon’s tricky, it leaps over one piece before striking. And the soldiers, well… they march slow but steady.”
Starting from the rhyme, Uncle Prasert explained the basics with surprising patience. After hearing it once, Mali already had the general idea.
They began their first game. Just like he promised, Uncle Prasert gave Mali a big advantage, removing one rook, one horse, and one cannon from his side. He even let her go first.
It was her very first match, so Mali moved carefully. She tested her moves, trying to apply the rules she’d just learned.
Against a beginner, Uncle Prasert was in high spirits. He moved quickly, barely thinking between turns and spent most of the time giving life advice.
“This board may be small,” he said, tapping the wooden squares, “but it’s full of possibilities. Life is like a chess match, some people are like the rook, charging far and fast. Some are like the horse, moving in unexpected ways. And some… well, some just sit in the palace, ordering everyone else around.”
Clack!
Uncle Prasert froze, eyes wide. Mali had just taken his King.
“What—? You didn’t even say ‘check’!” he protested.
“Check?” Mali tilted her head.
“Yes! You’re supposed to warn your opponent. It’s polite,” he said seriously. “So… that round doesn’t count. Let’s start over.”
Mali shrugged. “Okay.”
They reset the board. Again, Uncle Prasert gave up the rook, horse and cannon. Mali copied one of his earlier moves.
He smirked. “Hah, copying me now? Fine, this time I’m going all out.”
Piece by piece, they played faster. Mali was sharper now and more confident.
Then, with a sudden move, she called out, “Check.”
Uncle Prasert blocked.
Clack!
“Check,” she said again, capturing his rook.
From that moment, the game flipped. Mali attacked relentlessly. He tried to defend but her “sacrifice the horse” tactic crushed him.
Uncle Prasert stared at the board, dumbfounded. “Are you sure this is your first time?”
“Yep,” Mali beamed. “Thai chess is fun!”
“Fun? I’ve played for forty years and just lost to a kid! Fine—best two out of three. No handicaps this time.”
They reset. He went first.
This time, Mali copied his every single move.
“You little—do you even know what you’re doing?” he barked.
“Did I do something wrong, Uncle?”
“No… just… keep playing.”
The match turned chaotic—cannon for horse, rook for guard. Pieces clacked wildly until Uncle Prasert spotted what he thought was an opening.
“Heh! Got your horse!”
But he stopped mid-move. “Wait… not this time. You’re not tricking me again!”
He changed his attack.
That was the turning point. Two horses stormed across the board, backed by her central cannon. His defenses collapsed.
In desperation, Uncle Prasert traded big pieces for her smallest pawns. It didn’t help.
“Arghhh!”
He shoved the pieces aside and threw his hands up at the ceiling. Mali didn’t flinch, she was starting to get used to his dramatics.
“Uncle Prasert, don’t be mad. How about we just say you won?” she offered sweetly. “You don’t have to teach me anymore."50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoi2n0Kgw6u
and then Add to home screen.