One of the more important things about wargames, even abstracted ones like chess, was leaving your opponent uncertain of where your true objective lay. In this case, it was a feint, forcing Anatoly to the defense to see which of the choices he'd picked. Bart knew he couldn't have forced the end of the game with that particular check, and was more than willing to relent for the time being.

"I don't think about it much. Kon wasn't a part of that time, or the rest of my friends. So I came back. I'm sure the Science Police didn't mind," he commented idly.