"Huh, you know?" the clown looked at Richard, his voice a little surprised.

"Yes, I know. Richard nodded and said to the clown seriously, "So I'm not proud that you let me win a game." It's just a matter of fact, the current situation really doesn't lend itself to humility. If you want to figure it out, you can play a few more games with me. ”

The clown was stunned for a moment, and slowly spoke: "What you want to say is not that you not only know that I deliberately lost to you, but also deliberately cooperated with me to perform, and you can actually win me in every game of clown chess?"

"Of course not. Richard shook his head, "I am indeed inferior to you in clown chess, at least in the short term, I will not be able to win you." When I say chess, I'm playing a different kind of chess. ”

"Another kind of chess, what chess?"

"Backgammon. Richard replied.

"Backgammon?" the clown was surprised, "what kind of chess is this?"

"It's a very simple game. Richard picked up the black and white chess pieces and said, "There is only one rule for this chess: both sides play separately, and whichever side has five pieces connected in a line first wins." By the way, the place where the pieces are placed is not in the grid, but at the intersection of horizontal and vertical lines, like this. As he spoke, Richard set up his chess pieces.

The rules are really simple, Richard just swings, and the clown understands - in fact, as long as he can count and is not blind, he will definitely understand.

And the rules are so simple, but it makes the clown a little suspicious: "You really want to play this kind of ...... with me Simpler than a real beast game?"

"Yes. ”

"Who's going first?"

"I'll go first. Richard said, picking up a black chess piece and placing it on the board, giving a familiar answer.

"W-is there any explanation for this?" asked the clown, his eyes twinkling.

"Of course there is an explanation. Richard replied, "The rule of backgammon is that the one with the sunspot moves first." As for who holds the sunspot first, there are many ways to determine it. But the most important point is that whoever wears a clown mask is forbidden to hold a sunspot. ”

"Huh?" Hearing Richard's words, the clown couldn't help but exclaim, "The final rule won't be what you just added, passerby, right?"

"But it doesn't matter if it's not, it's like you said before, 'Whoever sits on the west side, the clown moves first.'" Richard spread his hands and said, "If you think it's unfair, Mr. Clown, you can take off your mask and hold the sunspot." ”

"Forget it. The clown said, "It's good for me to hold the white seed, but I think it is more advantageous to hold the white child." ”

"Are you sure?"

"Sure. ”

"Alright then, please. Richard waved his hand.

The clown didn't speak again, took a white chess piece and thought about it, and placed it next to Richard's chess piece. When Richard saw it, he barely thought about it, and immediately picked up the second black chess piece and placed it next to the clown white piece.

In this way, two black and one white chess pieces form a right-angled triangle, which looks like an abstract crescent.

The Joker was slightly surprised that Richard played chess so neatly. After all, when he was playing clown chess before, even if he was extremely familiar with the moves, he would think for a long time before he landed. Now Richard's actions made him can't help but wonder if he will be tired.

So the clown thought for a long time before he cautiously played the second white chess piece.

As a result, as soon as the Joker's pawn fell, Richard's black pawn fell with him, almost in no particular order.

The clown looked at Richard, who just made another gesture of please.

"Uh-"

The clown looked back at the chessboard and fell into deep thought, he couldn't see any traps in Richard's move, but out of caution, he chose to block the way where Richard might form a line of five sons.

And then......

"Smack!"

Richard fell again, still seemingly unthinking.

The clown twisted his body a little, a little irritated and restless, but he couldn't figure out where the emotions came from, took a deep breath, and walked patiently with Richard.

"Bang Bang ......"

The pieces keep falling.

The clown has to think for a while before he makes a move, and Richard takes the pawn and falls.

And just like that, about three minutes later.

"Smack!"

As soon as the clown fell, Richard followed him and said, "Mr. Joker, you've lost." ”

"Well, lost?" the clown was stunned, not convinced, "where did I lose? Now on the chessboard, you don't seem to have made five pieces in a line anywhere. ”

"Definitely. Richard didn't deny it, pointing somewhere with his hand, "But there are two intersecting trio wires here." No matter which end you choose to block, I'll form a five-sub line in three steps. ”

"This-" The clown dragged out his tone and looked at the position pointed by Richard seriously, he was not stupid, he understood the mystery after looking at it for a while, and said calmly, "It seems that I did lose, I didn't expect such a simple chess piece I would lose so unexplained and suddenly." ”

"Actually, it has nothing to do with the chess rules, as long as you choose to play backgammon with me, you will definitely lose. Richard said, "This is more absolute than if I played clown chess with you, and lost." ”

"No way. The clown didn't believe it.

"Then we can play another game. Richard said.

"Good. The clown agreed.

"Mr. Clown, are you going to take off your mask this time and go first with the sunspot?" asked Richard, "I would like to remind you that you will never win without taking off your mask." ”

"Passers-by, don't say it so absolutely. The clown grabbed a white chess piece and said quietly, "Maybe after this game, you will have to think about how to take back your words." ”

"Oh well. Richard didn't say any more, picked up the black chess pieces and landed them on the chessboard.

The clown followed the falling piece, but at the moment of falling, he paused, as if realizing something, and placed it diagonally above the Richard chess piece, not under the Richard chess piece, as before.

Richard immediately followed suit with the second piece, and although it seemed to be unthinking, the drop also changed from the previous game, landing diagonally below the first piece, aligning with the white piece at a point.

In this way, the three pieces still form a right-angled triangle, which is twice as large as the triangle in the first game, like a larger moon.

The clown set the chessboard for a long time, seriously considered the possible next moves, and then played the second white piece, and Richard immediately played the third black piece.

The Joker dropped the third white and Richard dropped the fourth.

......

The fall continues.

And this time it only took more than two minutes for Richard to announce the result: "Mr. Joker, you lost again." As he spoke, he pointed to a corner of the board.

The clown looked at it and immediately saw a crossover triplet similar to the previous set.

This!

The eyes under the clown mask widened slightly.

Richard didn't seem to see it, so he put away the chess pieces and looked up and asked, "Do you want a third game?"

"Come!" the clown said in a deep voice.

"Good. Richard said, quickly falling, and the clown followed.

"Bang Bang Bang ......"

In the blink of an eye, it was another two minutes later.

This time, before Richard could speak, the clown spoke up himself: "Looks like I'm losing again, right?"

"Yes. Richard answered, "Are you still coming?"

"Come!" the clown's voice sounded like it was squeezing out of his teeth.

"Good. Richard nodded, packed up the chessboard, and landed again.

Two minutes later.

Joker: "Again!"

Two minutes later.

Joker: "Again!"

Two minutes later.

Joker: "Again!"

The same process, repeated over and over again, as if there was some kind of confusion in time......

......