Setup setup setup. Voilà. Yes? He didn't mix up the weird looking bishops with the rooks or something?

Nope, looks good. She inquires by gesture whether he'd rather play black or white.

He'll take white. Pawn go.

The mystery lady plays fast and well. After a few moves she introduces herself as, "Chris."

"Select Blai Artigas," he replies. She plays fast! It's very good!! He will also play fast!!!

The adventurer, now spectating, introduces herself as well: "Eliza."

"Eliza, Chris," he nods, testing his pronunciation. Knight takes pawn.

Nods all round, and Eliza makes a decent attempt at, "Select Blai Artigas?"

Chris is too busy improving her strategic position to devote any more attention to names at the moment.

Nod nod. He picks up a bishop for a moment, "Select," handwobble, sets it back down in its new location.

That gets a thoughtful noise out of Chris before she refocuses and makes her next move.

Comprehending nod. "Select," point at bishop, pause of separation, point at Blai, "Blai Artigas."

He nods and gets his rook out.

Does he now. Chris threatens it.

Aha, but that leaves this approach to her queen open.

She has a plan for that too, as it happens.

Oh no! Well, in six moves won't she be surprised when it turns out he has another sub-plan down that branch of possibility.

Will she? She doesn't look very surprised, and she's threatening his pieces again.

Maybe she will not be surprised at all! Whee!

Chris proves to have a good head for strategy, a fondness for shortbread cookies, and an enigmatic smile for every occasion. She ends up playing just a little too cautiously, and Blai ekes out a win, but if things had gone a little differently she might very well have beat him.

So, swap sides and play again, then?

Yes!

Thought so! Here's a weird opening he might not have seen before.

(Their spectator heads upstairs for unknown purposes.)

Blai will play chess all evening if nothing stops them.

Chris is happy to play several games in a row before inquiring via mime if he's hungry for something besides cookies. Once she has the measure of him she starts to outpace him a little in games won, but Blai can definitely still take some games himself even when she's going all-out and knows his style.