$100

Mario has been offering $100 to the first kid to beat him at Chess. I wasn't too worried about the $100 because Mario has been playing Chess forever and he is pretty good. The kids have taken his challenge seriously and are even doing things like scouring the internet for Chess moves to beat dad. Erin wanted to join the Chess club so she could get extra practice. But she has karate on the same night, which was a relief to me.

Now Nathan has really been concentrating and trying to figure a way to earn himself the $100. Nathan told me about his simply strategy to beat Mario. I asked him to tell me his strategy. So using his pillow as a mock chessboard, he explained his plan. Nathan did exactly what he told me he was going to do and actually beat Mario. But being only a beginner, Mario forgot to tell him one important rule. He didn't explain that you have to say "check" when you are one move away from capturing the king. So Nathan beat Mario but he didn't say "check" first. Mario apparently told Nathan that didn't count since he didn't say "check." But the kids didn't think that was fair. They think Mario owes him the $100. What do you think?

I asked Mario how he could possibly lose to Nathan so quickly. I guess Mario was not paying too close attention to the game. That lack of attention probably just cost me $100. I think even Mario is agreeing now that he will have to pay up.

Mario isn't the first in the family to lose a $100. I lost $100 to Erin a few years ago when I told her that I didn't think she could pass Eric in Accelerated Reader points. I promised to buy her an American Girl Doll if she did it. I should have know better. Erin is an extremely hard worker. It didn't take her long to overtake her brother.